Saying he has long been “bemused” and “puzzled” over the fascination the controversy surrounding his birth certificate, President Obama said he released the long-form version of his birth certificate in order to help get the nation's attention back on the “enormous challenges” facing the country.
Obama noted that during a recent str
etch where he and Republicans were laying out their budget visions for the future, the primary news story has been about the so-called “birther” controversy.
“We've got some enormous challenges out there,” Obama said. He said he was “confident” about the ability to meet those challenges but added, “we're not going to be able to do it if we are distracted.”
