Overheard on CNN.com: Readers respond to birth certificate
President Barack Obama says the country does not "have time for this kind of silliness."
April 27th, 2011
01:36 PM ET

Overheard on CNN.com: Readers respond to birth certificate

Comment of the morning: "(President Barack) Obama just pulled out his Trump card." - Cavemullah

Obama releases original long-form birth certificate

Doubters that President Barack Obama was born in the United States, led recently by possible Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, got their answer Wednesday when the White House released Obama's original birth certificate. "Birthers" have insisted that Obama was born overseas - possibly in his father's home country of Kenya - and therefore may be constitutionally ineligible to serve as president. Obama said Wednesday that he released his original birth certificate because the country does not "have time for this kind of silliness."

Many CNN.com readers expressed frustration that the president was put in the position of having to show his birth certificate at all.

CrunkSwaggaG said, "I think Donald Trump and about half of the Republican Party owe President Obama a sincere apology." flatbushfred said, "Obama shouldn't have had to do this. It's blatant racism." LPLove said, "No president in history has ever been treated this way. The birthers are nothing more than racists wrapping themselves in the flag. Disgusting." harryball said, "I feel bad for this guy. When was the last time a president was forced to show his birth certificate two years into his presidency? Oh that's right, never. Even as president, black people are still being treated as second-class citizens."

Watch an iReporter's response

About Trump’s role in the controversy, CNN.com readers had plenty to say:

icecold12 said, "Now Trump has to live up to his end of the deal and deliver his income tax information and net worth. Obama called his bluff and I bet he folds." BobSacamano said, "I'd like to know how much debt Trump has discharged throughout his life by claiming bankruptcy. How many millions has he stiffed his investors and creditors for?"

USAlegend said, OBAMA: "On Your Face Sucker, Here is my Birth Certificate.’ TRUMP: "Well......huh.....hmmmm....But this doesn't prove that you are not a Muslim."

And now that the original certificate has been released, many CNN.com readers said it still won’t be enough for birthers.

W2ATL said, "This really won't matter. These clowns will have some new madness to cry about in three hours." livingston1 responded, “Really, do you think it will take that long? That kind of hate blinds them to any sense of reason.” Nagaina said, “Countdown to someone claiming the long form birth certificate is an 'obvious forgery'...3...2...1.” BubbaSponge said, “Now hopefully the birthers will give it a rest once and for all!!” TikiGawd said, “Nah, they'll start a movement saying Hawaii isn't really part of the United States because it's 'overseas.' " iroshi said, “It's a shame the ‘birthers’ can't focus on an issue that is actually important. For instance, the national debt, unemployment, taxes, etc. What an incredible waste of time and money this has been.”

Do you feel your views align with these commenters' thoughts? Post a comment below or sound off on video. 

Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.

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soundoff (1,022 Responses)
  1. krenz

    Its not just rednecks who believe this crap. Racists come from ALL walks of life, all states and both parties.

    April 30, 2011 at 12:54 pm | Report abuse |
  2. krenz

    Renea: "While spending millions of taxpayer dollars to keep this piece of paper secret. Why? This is not a leader, this is an immature man that is a wanna be"
    Taxpayer dollars? He spent campaign dollars to wrap up legal issues connected with the campaign, among them stupid lawsuits by you birthers.. He was not president yet when he began addressing these lawsuits, so tax money wasn't even at his disposal! Immature man? Why? because he played along with your stupid little games and beat you? Because he refused to stoop to your low level a long time ago? If you want to have some kind of 'conspiracy' going. Why not investigate why the CIA didn't tell us he was born in HI 2 1/2 years ago when They found out?

    April 30, 2011 at 1:18 pm | Report abuse |
  3. TomFoolery

    Blowhard after blowhard after blowhard denouncing huge groups of their fellow citizens as racists, without evidence. This petty bs is no less asinine than the focus on the birth certificate, it's actually worse. At least the so called "birthers" had a position that was based in legitimate questions of eligibility. They've carried it too far, to be sure, but it was a valid question, and one raised not by the current crop, but by the Democratic opponents in the primaries.

    This slander now, though, is completely without basis in even weak facts. Calling people one does not know, and has never met, racists, with no evidence at all other than the correlation of having a black president and a president that is being challenge, is shameful and ugly.

    There are no words strong enough to describe how reprehensible it is to make this slanderous claim.

    May 2, 2011 at 3:06 pm | Report abuse |
  4. neilo1

    HALLELUJAH!!! & PRAISE BE! NOW Mission accomplished' is appropriate. THRILLING NEWS & HISTORY MADE!!! MAGNIFICENTLY DONE MR PRESIDENT -WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU & OF THE V.P, LEON PANETTA & THE C.I.A. & of course all on the great action team!! –As a Brit-born proud citizen for many years of the U.S –I want to say–YES!!!!! CHALK A HUGE ONE UP FOR A JUSTLY PROUD & TRULY STANDING TALL PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA -a great AMERICAN CITIZEN & PATRIOT (eat dirt Trump you sleazy CHUMP!)
    You have proved Sir to these slimy birthers-the same cheap transparent racists that the crass ego-maniac Trump & other greasy ne'er-do-wells were toadying to-that BARACK OBAMA IS NOT ONLY a GREAT AMERICAN CITIZEN & PATRIOT BUT A VERY FINE LEADER!!
    SO MUCH was dared & put on the line with this kind of bold but high-risk clandestine operation into the unknown -in uncertain virtually blind conditions on what was emptily claimed as friendly -but clearly not trust-worthy -foreign soil!!-SO MUCH could have gone wrong for all concerned & for the President -as Jimmy Carter's rescue hopes sadly 'crashed & burned' for him in Iran! With all the fears & questions that must have raised YOU TOOK THE BOLDEST COURSE WITH CARE & FAITH!! THIS WAS -& IS -TRUE LEADERSHIP AT IT"S FINEST!!! PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA -YOU ARE THE 'RIGHT STUFF!"
    (Now let these slimy 'birther' whacko's -the same cheap transparent racist fringe that ego-maniacal Trump was toadying to- go sit at the back of the bus–preferably with their big-fat mouths over the tail-pipe & eat sh-t!! -while the rest of us celebrate this gutsy President & his team's truly bold, brave & brilliantly executed achievement!!)

    May 3, 2011 at 2:14 pm | Report abuse |
  5. neilo1

    OH BUNK Tomfoolery it is race-based & you damn well know it–evil-minded, back-biting begrudging race-baiting NOW THIS PRESIDENT HAS SHOWN THEM WHAT HE"S MADE OF –WELL DONE MR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AMERICAN CITIZEN & TRUE PATRIOT!! BUT NOW lets start bringing 'em home & work to mend the somewhat tattered home front!! After 8 yrs of sheer self-serving neglect & greed & pushing the jobs overseas stashing tax-free profits abroad while conducting two unnecessarily costly wars WE NEED THE HOME FRONT ATTENDING TO!! YOU CAN DO IT MR PRESIDENT -YOU HAVE MY VOTE!!

    May 3, 2011 at 4:38 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Debbie

    Let's see, he is the President of the USA. His birthplace has been in question since the day he announced he was running for President. His 4 year term is coming to an end. Birth Certificate shows up out of no where's. We are suppose to believe it's legit. Hello, he's the President of the USA. All he has to do, is call the certificate place and have them make one up for him.

    May 4, 2011 at 2:46 pm | Report abuse |
    • Quest

      "Out of nowhere?"

      Hardly.

      It came from the SAME PLACE that his legal Certificate of Live Birth came from.

      The government of the state of Hawaii.

      May 4, 2011 at 5:10 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Lori

    Yep... this guys racist...
    http://youtu.be/gQ4S8O8_LvM

    May 6, 2011 at 8:14 pm | Report abuse |
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