In an April 27 editorial headlined, “Birth certificate isn't Obama's only secret,” The Washington Times falsely claimed that "[f]or over two years, the president has resisted pressure to divulge" that he was born in Hawaii. In fact, Obama released his birth certificate in June 2008.

Moreover, the Times misleadingly suggested that Obama “has refused to release his college and law-school transcripts, information recent presidential candidates have openly shown the public.” However, as CNN's Anderson Cooper reported on April 26: “The truth is, we don't know what kind of grades Mr. Obama got. College records are private. Schools aren't allowed to release them. And few, if any, modern presidential candidates have released their own grades. George W. Bush didn't, John McCain didn't, and Barack Obama didn't.” Cooper added that "[s]ome candidates' college grades have been leaked."

From the Times' editorial:

Barack Hussein Obama II was born on Aug. 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. For over two years, the president has resisted pressure to divulge this simple biographical information, which proves he's a natural-born citizen. The belated White House release of the “long form” birth certificate answers one constitutional issue, but a host of other questions remains about the most mysterious president in modern history.

Mr. Obama's hostility to openness drives the public's curiosity about the most basic facts of his life. For example, he has refused to release his college and law-school transcripts, information recent presidential candidates have openly shown the public despite some embarrassment over decades-old bad grades. What is there for this president to hide? Maybe he flunked government classes or got busted for dope. He has openly discussed his past drug use, but is there more to it? Secrecy breeds speculation.