Obama’s Birth Certificate Reveals Citizenship

By Wendy Osher

Copy of a portion of Obama's long form birth certificate. The full document is posted on the White House website.

The birther debate surrounding the President’s official birth certificate took a new turn, with the release of certified copies from the Hawai’i State Health Department.

In compliance with a request by President Barack Obama, the state Health Department granted release of certified long form copies of the document.

“We hope that issuing certified copies of the original Certificate of Live Birth to President Obama will end the numerous inquiries related to his birth in Hawai‘i,” said Loretta Fuddy, Hawai‘i Health Director.  “I have seen the original records filed at the Department of Health and attest to the authenticity of the certified copies the department provided to the President that further prove the fact that he was born in Hawai‘i,” she said.

“At a time of great consequence for this country – when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue,” said Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director in the official White House Blog. “The President’s hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country,” he said.

President Obama sent a letter to Director Fuddy, dated April 22, 2011, requesting two certified copies of his original Certificate of Live Birth.  On the same day, Judith Corley, the President’s personal attorney, made the same request in writing on behalf of the President.

Pursuant to President Obama’s request, Director Fuddy said she personally witnessed the copying of the original Certificate of Live Birth on April 25, 2011, and attested to the authenticity of the two copies.  Dr. Alvin Onaka, the State Registrar, was on hand to certify the copies.

Corley appeared in person at the Hawai‘i State Department of Health building in Honolulu on the same day, paid the requisite fee, and was given the two certified copies, a response letter from Director Fuddy to President Obama, and a receipt for payment.

President Obama had released the short form birth certificate in June 2008.  Both short and long documents, according to the DOH, are legally sufficient evidence of birth in the State of Hawai‘i.  Both documents state that President Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawai‘i at 7:24 p.m. on August 4, 1961, to mother Stanley Ann Dunham and father Barack Hussein Obama.

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health began computer-generating vital statistics records in 2001.  Since then, policy and practice has been to issue and provide only the computer-generated Certifications of Live Birth, and to not produce photocopies of actual records to fulfill requests for certified copies of certificates.

Director Fuddy made an exception for President Obama by issuing copies of the original birth certificate. The departmental policy to issue only computer-generated Certifications of Live Birth remains in effect for all birth records that have been computerized.

“Director Fuddy exercised her legal authority in a completely appropriate manner in this unique circumstance,” said Attorney General David Louie.  “We will continue to maintain the strict confidentiality requirements afforded to vital statistics records, such as birth certificates. These requirements help protect the integrity of the records, and keep us all safe from crimes, such as identity theft,” he said.

“We have found a way – once again – to confirm what we already knew: the President was born here in Hawai‘i,” said Governor Neil Abercrombie.  “President Obama’s mother and father were dear friends of mine, and we must respect their memory. It is an insult to the President, his parents and to the Office to suggest that he was not born in Hawai‘i,” said Gov. Abercrombie.

“We granted the President’s request for certified copies of his birth certificate so we can all move on from this unfortunate distraction and focus on the real issues affecting people today,” he said.