A new poll of Republican voters in the early primary state of South Carolina suggests the question of Barack Obama's eligibility is no fringe issue, as 65 percent of those polled question whether the current occupant of the Oval Office was even born in the U.S.
The automated telephone survey of 750 usual South Carolina Republican primary voters was conducted by the Democratic polling company, Public Policy Polling, from Aug. 25-28.
According to PPP's published results, when asked, "Do you think Barack Obama was born in the United States?" 44 percent answered "no" and an additional 21 percent answered "unsure" – a total of 65 percent questioning his birthplace – leaving only 35 percent who answered definitively "yes."
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The poll also found Rick Perry opening up a substantial lead in the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, with 36 percent choosing the Texas governor in a contest that doesn't include former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Mitt Romney came in second, 20 points behind at 16 percent, with Bachmann a close third at 13 percent.
Even with Palin in the race, Perry tops Romney 36 percent to 13 percent, with Palin at only 10 percent.
On the eligibility question, the survey showed Sarah Palin backers were the most likely to question Obama's birthplace, while John Huntsman supporters were the least likely.
After years of stonewalling and fighting in court to keep his long-form birth certificate under wraps, enduring demands from Republicans and Democrats alike that he produce verifiable evidence of his "natural-born" citizenship – a prerequisite for the presidency required by the U.S. Constitution – President Barack Obama earlier this year publicized an image of the document he claims should resolve his birthplace once and for all.
The original document, however, has never been released for independent verification, and the presentation of a computerized image as "proof" of his birthplace has led to several experts openly questioning the image's authenticity, even suggesting it may be a fraud.
Doubt also seems to be fueled by revelations such as the report that noted Congress tried eight times over the time frame from 2003-2008 to eliminate or change the constitutional requirement that a president is a "natural born Citizen." The report says Congress eventually gave up on eliminating the requirement, but then changed the focus of the argument to Sen. John McCain, in a resolution that addresses his eligibility. Obama's eligibility never was similarly evaluated.
Some no longer even are considering the issue of eligibility: they are just calling for impeachment. Among those groups is the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC. Spokesman William Gheen said Obama "is no longer the legitimate president of the United States."
The American public has been moving more and more toward the idea that there's something wrong. A full half of the American public said in a recent poll that Congress needs to investigate Obama.
"You may have thought Barack Obama ended the eligibility debate, and certainly the birth certificate debate," said Farah, "with his release of what purports to be his long-awaited, long-form document.
"But it's not over," he added. "Not by a long shot."
WND Editor Joseph Farah is available to discuss today's breaking stories on eligibility. Contact [email protected].