CNN President Jon Klein declares Obama birther story 'dead'

CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein told staffers at the cable news network Thursday night that the supposed controversy regarding the legitimacy of President Obama’s birth certificate is a “dead” story after anchor Lou Dobbs drew attention for raising the issue repeatedly on his radio program.

The website TVNewser reported today that Klein sent an e-mail to staffers of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” just as the program went to air, informing them that CNN researchers had determined that Hawaiian officials discarded all paper documents in 2001. A long-form birth certificate with details about the doctor who delivered Obama no longer exists, they reported. The shorter Certificate of Live Birth noting Obama’s birth on Aug. 4, 1961, that has been made public is the official record.

“It seems to definitively answer the question,” Klein wrote, according to TVNewser. “Since the show's mission is for Lou to be the explainer and enlightener, he should be sure to cite this during your segment tonite. And then it seems this story is dead -- because anyone who still is not convinced doesn't really have a legitimate beef.”

In his show Thursday, Dobbs did note the explanation from Hawaiian officials, though he went on to devote another segment to the topic, interviewing CNN contributor Roland Martin and Rep. Ted Poe, a co-sponsor of a bill that would require future presidential candidates to produce their birth certificates.

Here's Dobbs' opening:

“President Obama promised transparency and openness in his administration. Yet, he's chosen not to release his original birth certificate or a copy of it. And a number of Americans are asking, why not? The left-wing media has attacked me because I simply asked the question. Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii says it can't release a paper copy of the president's original birth certificate because they say the state government discarded the original document when the health department records went electronic some eight years ago. That explanation, however, has not satisfied some critics.”

In the segment, Dobbs stressed that he has said repeatedly that he believes Obama is a citizen, something that he said his critics in the “left-wing media” ignore.

But he continued to press the question of why Obama has not shown a long-form birth certificate. “When this could be dispelled so quickly, and -- and simply by producing it, why not do it?” Dobbs asked.

-- Matea Gold

Comments

[Teleprompter Man]

Of course Joe Klein would say that. He is part of the state run media. It's like Al Sharpton screaming racism.

[Bob Daredevil]

First: "explainer and enlightener"

Are these words used by someone of intelligence? I think not!

Second: While Hawaii may not have the original "paper" documents, they DO have the microfilm images of the original "paper" documents. Otherwise, the people born in Hawaii are undocumented residents subject to deportation. Hawaii's own website refer to the COL (Certificate of Live Birth) as a substitute in some instances, but NOT when a valid document of birth must be presented.

Think about it... the original "paper" census records were destroyed long ago, yet the microfilm copies live on. Just ask Ancestry.com or LDS.

[thomas]

CNN should fire Dobbs for making them look like the network of lunatics.

[Leslie]

Wait, are you saying Dobbs asked why Obama hasn't shown the long form birth certificate after he reported that Hawaiian officials told him they discarded all such documents in 2001? This makes no sense.

[Bill Morgan]

Lou is using an old game book. "Let's make the bastard deny it!" —LBJ, 1946

[KJac]

Now if only someone whose records should have been destroyed (someone born before 2001 in Hawaii who has since obtained a long-form copy of his or her own) can produce one, the president will be shown to be a liar. Anyone got one?

[Kerry]

Now, someone who obtained the long form of their own birth certificate after 2001, please step forward.

[Obtuse]

Yep, the story is dead, that's why the Times continues to publish updates on it.

[Sasha]

But he continued to press the question of why Obama has not shown a long-form birth certificate. “When this could be dispelled so quickly, and -- and simply by producing it, why not do it?” Dobbs asked.
Because doing so would stop Obama's political opponents from gleefully shooting themselves in the foot over and over again.

[BJ]

Lou needs to focus on real news instead of playing to his right-wing gallery and wasting viewer's time. The US and world have far more serious issues and problems that are worth spending his and his staffer's time on.

[FrankleeMiDeer]

This won't stop it. They hate That One worse than even Bill Clinton.

Very sad.

[althusius]

"The researchers contacted the Hawaii Health Dept. and confirmed that paper documents were discarded in 2001 when the department went paperless. That reportedly includes Pres. Obama's original birth certificate."

It has been widely reported that the State of Hawaii will not release a copy of the long form without Obama's permission. Why is Jon Klein, the President of CNN, making up this stuff after all this time?

[Greg Sabine]

Why wasn't this information released last year, when the COLB (which is NOT an official birth certificate) was placed on the internet? Why all of a sudden is there this Nixonesque attempt to pretend that the TRUTH we earnestly seek just isn't there?

Remember the important and incriminating "missing" segments of the Watergate tapes?

I ask all Americans to call upon Barack Obama to show the evidence of natural-born citizen status NOW or vacate the White House.

Immediately!

Greg Sabine, Massachusetts teacher

[Claire]

Interesting tho that since this issue came to light and all the talking back and forth by everybody and their grandma the only person NOT personally offering up an explanation on this issue is 0bama himself. Even his website doesn't display the refutable "Certification of Live Birth". And its not like he hasn't been holding daily news conferences during which he could openly and finally address the issue once and for all. Yet he does make time to offer up an opinion about things he ADMITTEDLY knows nothing about such as his own healthcare plan and the Gates arrest.

[JOhn]

Documents destroyed eh? As someone else has said the actual document may have been destroyed but the original copy is on microfilm. Our documents were also destroyed some time ago in my state but oddly enough I was able to walk in and have a certified original copy printed off for $15 just last week. Produce the copy from microfilm. This isn't going to go away just because the President of a government controlled media outlet says so. Covering for these acts of fraud and treason, and there are many, will only make you an accomplice to those acts and you will get the same sentences as those who participated in the acts. We will make sure of it.

[John]

Stop deleted opposing comments. I know how to take screen shots and will have them plastered all over the web.

[Sour Grapes]

Obama hasn't proved he is a natural born citizen, period. He needs to release his other records as well school records and passport(s).

He was NEVER properly vetted!

[Geeja]

The election of President Obama is really bringing out the true Amerikkka.How sad.

[mike]

Well if Josh Klein says it's a dead story it must be true.

Who the hell is Josh Klein anyway????

[mike]

You don't need to see his original birth certificate.

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

You can go about your business....move along......move along.........