Readers Respond: Is Obama a U.S. Citizen?

Responses: 276

By David Emery, About.com Guide

See More About:

While I greatly admire most Americans and have many friends there; I must comment on the drivel from drjohnd and guest Louise disturbingly scary. Further I do believe that if there was the slightest possibilty of success the Republican party would (directly or indirectly) have long ago initiated a legal challenge to Obama's eligibility. Give it a rest folks - or put up your own legal challenge if you are such an expert.
—Guest Thomas C

It's amazing how you can throw fact after fact at people and they will just ignore it because it doesn't fit their preconceptions or bigoted attitudes. The ONLY reason Barack Obama's citizenship has been questioned at all is becase he is not exclusively of white European heritage. It has been shown over and over again that his is perfectly qualified to be president, and NOTHING has been produced that can prove otherwise, except crude forgeries. I don't understand why so many people are willing to go on and on about this with no proof whatsoever...it can only be that the just don't like the color of this man. How sad for this country that we still think this way.
—Guest Becca

There is know one that can tell me he is not a fraud. He said himself on numerous occasions, He was born in Kenya.
—Tesse357

I am almost 100% positive that in one of the issues of the Occidental Alumni magazine Obama was described as a FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT!!
—Guest Don

Obama need to unlock his College Entrance Records & Birth Certificate the Original Long form Birth Certificate.Then Romney will release his 5 years tax forms.
—Guest Anna Bzdel

Obama is NOT a US citizen. He's an illegal alien and a fraud. He should be in prison, not the WH. His atty admitted the birth cert they produced is a fake. He has none from the US. He's not a natural born citizen either; this requires both parents to be US citizens and his father was a British subject from Kenya. Can't wait to see this utter failure thrown out of the WH and into hell on judgement day. God is not mocked nor fooled. Obama, Barry, Soetoro or whatever he calls himself is definitely going to end up there.
—Guest Patriot Lady

Why is he refusing to release his college records? The most "transparent" president is hiding something. I don't trust him
—Guest Donna

The Constitution does not define the phrase natural-born citizen, and various opinions have been offered over time regarding its precise meaning. A 2011 Congressional Research Service report stated The weight of legal and historical authority indicates that the term "natural born" citizen would mean a person who is entitled to U.S. citizenship "by birth" or "at birth", either by being born "in" the United States and under its jurisdiction, even those born to alien parents; by being born abroad to U.S. citizen-parents; or by being born in other situations meeting legal requirements for U.S. citizenship "at birth". Such term, however, would not include a person who was not a U.S. citizen by birth or at birth, and who was thus born an "alien" required to go through the legal process of "naturalization" to become a U.S. citizen.[1] the Supreme Court has never directly addressed the question of a specific presidential or vice-presidential candidate's eligibility as a natural-born citizen.
—Guest April

Why attack Obama? He's smarter than the US citizens! The Obama voters and congress should carry the responsibility!
—Guest Whut Why

If anyone is wondering how he may have gotten a scholarship as a foreign student, and still legitimately be a natural born citizen. As any real educated American knows, if you are born on US soil or to parents that are US citizens (both of which Obama qualifies for, despite the conspiracy theories otherwise) you are a Natural Born Citizen. Also as a NBC of the US, you can still be granted citizenship, including NBC, in other countries (many children born to foreign based military personal fall into this category). Meaning that YES a person can obtain a scholarship based on their second citizenship without having to denounce their American Citizenship. So relax Anti-Americans, you can again begin to support the POTUS, as any true Patriotic American would. You can disagree with them, but once you don't back the POTUS you are showing a lack of patriotism. Vote him out when you get the chance if you disagree, but don't claim to support America if you don't support the office of the POTUS.
—Guest Fat Tony

If the above is true!!!Why won 't Obama come clean and show his REAL certificate and why has he spent all that money to hide fact about his personal life. The American people need to know!!!!Especially now look at all the LIES he has told us so far...we can't afford anymore.
—Guest Mike 2155

Besides this, an other documents, the biggest proof he is not american is how he is succeeding in destroying that country.
—Guest TheKitty

I really have my doubts. Why is he so secretive about his past? If not, then why is he afraid to reveal any of his past, college years, etc. He was NEVER raised as an American Child. How would he know what it is to be an American>
—Guest etthompson32@att.net

Unofficially, from the time the Revolutionary War ended in 1781, those in the colonies considered themselves "citizens" and no longer British subjects. With the signing of the Paris Treaty officially ending the war, GB recognized the U.S. as an independent nation, and thus, we OFFICIALLY became U.S. "citizens." From that date (1783) until the Constitution in 1787, all babies born to those who were citizens were the first NATURAL BORN citizens. So the oldest NCB would have been only 4 yr old, at the most. Hence, the phrase added to the Constitution allowing those who were CITIZENS AT THE TIME OF THE PASSING OF THE CONSTITUTION, to be eligible for President. All born AFTER that time MUST pass the natural born test, i.e., MUST BE BORN TO CITIZEN PARENTS to be President. obama IS NOT ELIGIBLE, nor are Marco Rubio Bobby Jindahl eligible to run as VP.
—IrateTexan

You must ask yourself, are we better off now than we were four years ago. Think honestly and objectively before going to the polls in November
—Guest Lola

David Emery
Urban Legends Guide