Hannity flings open doors to birth-certificate questions

Sean Hannity

Questions about Barack Obama's eligibility to be president, and specifically about his birth certificate, largely have been off-limits to many in the major U.S. media outlets over the last two years that it's been an issue, with show hosts only occasionally noting the question exists.

That suddenly and dramatically may be changing, after Sean Hannity used his Fox News show to plunge in with both feet, demanding, "Can't they just produce it and we move on?"

The questions came on his "Great American Panel" show segment yesterday, when U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas; LeeAnn Tweeden, host of NBC's late-night "Poker After Dark;" and syndicated talker Jerry Springer were guests.

Burgess, Tweeden and Hannity actually ganged up on Springer, who claimed that questions about Obama's eligibility stem from his race, and not the fact that he grew up in Indonesia, his father never was a U.S. citizen and documents including his passport records, kindergarten records, Punahou school records, Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Columbia thesis, Harvard Law School records, Harvard Law Review articles, University of Chicago scholarly articles, Illinois State Bar Association records, Illinois State Senate records and schedules, medical records and adoption records remain out of public view.

Here's the exchange, excerpted by the left-leaning Media Matters:

Hannity referenced Donald Trump's demand on "The View" television program that Obama should just "show the birth certificate."

Trump, a possible president candidate, apparently made the issue a legitimate campaign question, prompting Hannity to ask his panel, "What do you think about this birth certificate issue? … It has not been my main issue, but it kind of does get a little odd here after a while. Can't they just produce it and we move on?"

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Burgess, whose new book, "Doctor in the House," explains the failings of Obamacare and what the nation needs to do to fix the Washington catastrophe, said, "Obviously, there's some value to the White House [in] not producing it. I don't know what it could be. This easily could be ended, it could have been ended a couple of years ago."

Springer argued that it was racism that causes people to demand Obama's information about eligibility, but Hannity noted that it's a constitutional requirement that a president be a "natural born Citizen."

Springer reported he was born in England and he admitted he "had to go through a whole process" to obtain his birth certificate to be eligible for Medicare.

"You had to track it down, and you did, right? And you had to produce it, right?" questioned Tweeden.

When Springer again tried to suggest racism, Burgess pointed out it was an issue – actually addressed by Congress – for GOP candidate Sen. John McCain in 2008.

"Because he lived in Indonesia as a kid. He talked about, you know, the prayer at sunset being one of the most beautiful things … So, so, he grew up in a foreign country. So some have said, all right, you grew up in Hawaii, it's a constitutional requirement, show us. What's the big deal?" Hannity said.

At Free Republic, one commenter said, "First time I've seen anyone at Fox actually run with the idea. In fact until just now I thought Hannity was part of the 'squelch' faction."

At the BirtherReport.com, which monitors statements about the eligibility issue, an editorial noted the change of perspective at Fox, which previously had remained largely silent on the issue.

"Sean Hannity finally broke down the Birther Barrier at Fox News. Well, for at least six minutes. Sean Hannity passionately defended Donald Trump's recent comments on Obama's early life. Hannity rightly points out that MSNBC's Chris Matthews is even asking for Obama AKA Soetoro AKA Soebarkah to produce the long-form birth certificate. Hannity then asked, 'why can't they just produce it, and move on?'"

The commentary also had a message for Springer: "John McCain was forced to prove his 'natural born Citizen' status to run for president in 2008. Is that racist? Also Dwight D. Eisenhower had to file his birth certificate when he ran for president. Is that racist?"

At Examiner.com, writer Marc Schenker noted Springer's defense of Obama didn't even address the question.

"He basically called every conservative a racist, just because some conservatives want to see Barack Obama's birth certificate, which the president has yet to produce to put this issue to rest."

The series of events was sparked just one day earlier, when Trump warred with Whoopi Goldberg over Obama's eligibility

"I want him to show his birth certificate! There's something on that birth certificate that he doesn't like," said Trump on ABC's "The View."

The comment enraged co-host Whoopi Goldberg, who fired back, "I think that's the biggest pile of dog mess I've heard in ages. It's not 'cause he's black is it?"

"It has nothing to do with that," said Trump.

Goldberg interjected, "Because I've never heard any white president asked to be shown the birth certificate. When you become a president of the United States of America, you know that he's American. I'm sorry, that's B.S."

Discussion of Obama's birth certificate can be seen in the following YouTube video:

"I really believe there's a birth certificate," Trump explained. "Why doesn't he show his birth certificate? And you know what? I wish he would. Because I think it's a terrible pall that's hanging over him. He should show his birth certificate.

"The other thing. If you go back to my first grade, my kindergarten, people remember me. Nobody from those early years remembers him. If you're going to be the president of the United States, it says very profoundly that you have to be born in this country."

As WND reported this week, not even one person in 10 says Barack Obama has shown that he is eligible to
be president, according to a new scientific poll
that also reveals political independents have less tolerance than even
Republicans for his efforts to obfuscate the issue. Another 32 percent would
disregard the questions entirely, concluding they are not valid.

Much of the concern centers on Obama's birth certificate – he's refused
to release his original document specifying the birth hospital and doctor's name, substituting instead a computer-generated
summary of information purportedly in the Hawaii state archives.

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