Farah's birthday challenge: A $10,000 gift to hospital

WASHINGTON – In another bid to persuade Barack Obama to release his long-form birth certificate publicly, WND Editor and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Farah today said he would donate $10,000 to the birth hospital listed on the document.

Obama has resisted pleas from a growing chorus of Americans who can't understand why he would spend more than $800,000 fighting lawsuits calling for the release of the document rather than let the American people see it.

This document purports to be a Kenyan certification of birth for Barack Obama, allegedly born in Mombasa, Kenya, in 1961

"We've tried the stick," said Farah. "Today, as Barack Obama celebrates what he claims to be his birthday, I want to try the carrot approach. Obama has said he was born in Kapi'olani Hospital in Honolulu. He participated in a fund-raiser for the medical center in January. WND will send a check to whatever birth hospital is listed on his long-form birth certificate. All Obama has to do to see that donation made is to release it publicly."

Farah invites the public to raise the bounty beyond $10,000 by making contributions in any amount.

This offer, Farah said, does not supplant or replace a previous offer he put on the table to provide a minimum of $10,000 to anyone providing proof he or she was present at Obama's birth. Last week, Jason Hommel, an investment adviser, offered a $100,000 reward to anyone who can prove Obama is a natural born citizen and eligible to be president.

COLB image released by Obama campaign June 2008

"I figured we couldn't entice Obama to prove his own eligibility for money," said Farah. "But because we all know that Obama cares so much about health care and charity, I figured we might persuade him to end this national mystery with a significant cash pledge to the hospital in which he entered the world. And what better time to make the announcement than what he claims to be his birthday."

The controversy over Obama's birthplace has lingered since last year's presidential campaign, but has heated up in the last three months since Farah began what he calls a "personal crusade" to get to the truth. The last two weeks have witnessed a barrage of coverage by the U.S. and international news media – mainly ridiculing the notion that there is any legitimate controversy at all.

Copy of original long-form birth certificate of Susan Nordyke, born in Honolulu the day after Obama's reported birthdate

Nevertheless, recent polls show the issue resonating with the American people, who are buying up bumper stickers, yard and rally signsand donating to Farah's campaign to purchase billboards around the country asking, "Where's the birth certificate?"

In addition, more than 430,000 people have signed Farah's petition calling on all controlling legal authorities to verify Obama's constitutional eligibility.

"Barack Obama claims to have been born in Honolulu Aug. 4, 1961," explains Farah. "His entire constitutional claim to the presidency rests on this premise. Yet, he refuses to release a copy of his long-form birth certificate – the only document that could possibly corroborate his claim. Instead, he has released to select news organizations and posted on the Internet a document that could never serve as proof he was born in the United States – a so-called 'certification of live birth,' a digital document that could, can and has been obtained by people who were actually born outside the country. The American people can never be certain their president is legitimate constitutionally without proof."

To date, no hospital in Hawaii has come forward to claim this historic birth.

No doctor or nurse has come forward to say they were present for that historic birth.

No witness of any kind has come forward to say they have first-hand knowledge or involvement in that historic birth – at least in Hawaii.

Obama's paternal grandmother, Sarah Obama, did claim to have been present for the birth. However, she lives in Kenya.

If you are a member of the media and would like to interview Joseph Farah about this story, email [email protected].