Barack Obama's Birth Certificate

Senator Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama, says he hasn't seen President Barak Obama's birth certificate and, therefore, he doesn't know if the president is a natural born citizen, a constitutional requirement to become president. Senator, in case you don't know how to Google, and should you happen to see this Blog, here is Obama's birth certificate. It shows the president was born August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, which was granted statehood in August 1959.



Senator Shelby was the chairman of the powerful Senate Banking Committee during the Bush administration, a period when banks enjoyed unprecedented deregulation. Given today's financial crisis, I can only assume that the birth certificate is not the only thing he failed to see.

Was Senator Shelby's comment about Obama an innocent mistatement of the facts? Or was it an irresponible political statement designed to undermine the president who enjoys strong public support? In either case, is it something a leading American statesman should say?

Do you suppose that Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed when administering the oath of office because he wasn't sure Obama was a natural born citizen? Maybe he checked before swearing in the president a second time?