Obama Released Certificate Of Live Birth In June 2008

Obama Released Certificate Of Live Birth In June 2008; Experts Confirmed Validity. In June 2008, Obama's campaign made public a copy of Obama's certificate of live birth, which was published on the Internet by numerous media outlets. Many experts, including a team from FactCheck.org, reviewed the document in person and determined it was authentic. On July 27, 2009, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the Hawaii State Department of Health, certified that she had personally seen Obama's birth certificate in the original records maintained by the Hawaii government. [Los Angeles Times, 6/16/08; FactCheck.org, 8/21/08; USA Today, 7/28/09]

Yet Fox Ignores Campaign's Release To Hype Trump's Call For Obama's Birth Certificate

Hannity: “Can't They Just Produce [Obama's Birth Certificate], And We Move On?” On the March 23 edition of Fox News' Hannity, host Sean Hannity played a clip of Trump speaking on ABC's The View and then discussed his comments with a panel of guests. At one point, Hannity said, “Can't they just produce [Obama's birth certificate] and move on?” Neither he nor his guests noted that the Obama campaign released Obama's certificate of live birth in June 2008. From the broadcast:

HANNITY: All right. Donald Trump -- you know what I like about Donald Trump, iconoclastic. He hits hard. He speaks his mind, when he took on Rosie [O'Donnell], I was, like, amen, hallelujah. He may be getting into this race.

He was on The View today -- and watch what he said.

[begin video clip]

TRUMP: I can't rely on some newspaper that they showed that --

BARBARA WALTERS (co-host, The View): In order to become president of the United States --

[crosstalk]

TRUMP: I want him to show his birth certificate. I want him to show his birth certificate.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG (co-host, The View): Why?

TRUMP: There's something on that birth certificate that he doesn't like.

GOLDBERG: Oh, my God. That is just --

WALTERS: That's a terrible thing to say.

[crosstalk]

TRUMP: Whoopi, I love you. I'm telling you.

GOLDBERG: Donald, I love you, too. I think that's the biggest pile of dog mess I've heard in ages.

[crosstalk]

TRUMP: Let him show --

[crosstalk]

GOLDBERG: It's not cause he's black, is it?

TRUMP: That has nothing to do with it.

GOLDBERG: OK -- because I've never heard any white president asked to be shown the birth certificate.

TRUMP: Everybody does. Everybody does.

GOLDBERG: When you become president of the United States of America, you know that he's American.

[end video clip]

[...]

HANNITY: What do you think about this birth certificate issue? I mean, 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? [Fox News, Hannity, 3/23/11]

Hannity Says “Don't Bring Up Race,” Then Suggests Birtherism Is OK Because Obama Lived “In Indonesia As A Kid.” During the panel discussion, guest and television host Jerry Springer began asking Hannity why “of all our 43 presidents” was it only Obama who faced questions about his birthplace. Hannity responded: “Don't bring up race. Do not bring up race. Do not bring up race. It is a constitutional requirement.” After Springer responded, Hannity suggested that calls for Obama's birth certificate are OK because "[Obama] lived in Indonesia as a kid." From the show:

SPRINGER: I understand, but why have not of the 43 people we had run -- be president of the United States, never once were you asking, “Where is your birth certificate?”

REP. MICAHEL BURGESS (R-TX): It was an issue -- it was an issue for John McCain.

HANNITY: Because he lived in Indonesia as a kid. He talked about, you know, the prayer at sunset being one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen.

SPRINGER: And?

HANNITY: 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?

SPRINGER: Well, I might do it -- I would do it. But I'm not going to be angry at him because he doesn't. And I -- you know --

HANNITY: Isn't it odd? The whole issue goes away.

SPRINGER: You know very well -- this is an issue for all those people that would love to -- that keep making, “Well, his name is Hussein” --

BURGESS: It has nothing to do with his name.

HANNITY: He said it. “I, Barack Hussein Obama.” We weren't allowed to say it until he said it. [Media Matters, 3/24/11]

Fox Nation Promotes USA Today Article On "'The View' Erupt[ing] After Trump Demands Obama's Birth Certificate." On March 23, Fox News' blog Fox Nation posted a video clip of Trump speaking on The View along with a few quotes from a USA Today article about the interview. [Fox Nation, 3/23/11; USA Today, 3/23/11]

Van Susteren Uses Trump's Comments To Promote The Idea That “There Are Too Many Missing Pieces” Surrounding Obama's Birth Certificate. On the March 23 edition of Fox News' On the Record, host Greta Van Susteren introduced a segment on Trump's View comments by saying, “Is Donald Trump a birther? Donald Trump is putting President Obama on the spot, telling him, 'Show the birth certificate.' But why is Trump doing that? Well, he tells the ladies on The View there are too many missing pieces.” After playing a clip of Trump's comments, Van Susteren said, “Barbara Walters tried to change the subject, but as you saw, it didn't quite work,” before moving on to the next story. Van Susteren did not question Trump's comments and failed to mention the June 2008 release of Obama's birth certificate. [Fox News, On the Record, 3/23/11]