24% Of Americans, 37% Of Republicans, 41% Of Tea Partiers Don’t Think Obama Was Born In The United States

In case you’re wondering why Donald Trump is pushing birtherism so much, this would be why:

Four in 10 American voters think there is “cause to wonder” whether Barack Obama was born in the United States — and nearly one in four believes outright that he wasn’t.

Only “natural born citizens” are eligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution.

A Fox News poll released Thursday found 24 percent of voters believe President Obama was born somewhere other than the United States.

As one might expect, there are huge partisan differences on this issue. Still, 12 percent of Democrats think the president was born elsewhere, as do 21 percent of independents. That percentage climbs to 37 percent among Republicans. Among those who consider themselves part of the Tea Party movement, 41 percent think the president was born outside the U.S.

The entire poll as released earlier this week can be found here (PDF), and it phrases the question quite simply: “Do you think Barack Obama was born in the United States, or not?” Pretty straightforward and no real chance of confusion there. And, oh yea, it’s a Fox News poll.
There’s an audience out there for this nonsense, and if there’s one thing Trump knows, it’s how to give the unwashed masses what they want even when it means appealing to their own innate racism.
FILED UNDER: Public Opinion Polls, US Politics, , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Wiley Stoner says:

    Doug, do you know what it took to get a certificate of live birth in Hawaii? No actual witnesses. If he has a birth certificate. Why not produce it? Might it say Frank M. Davis is the father or might it say unknown father? If it names Barack Hussein Obama Sr. as a British citizen that would make Obama Jr. a child born with duel citizenship. That would eliminate the possiblity of him being a “NATURAL BORN CITIZEN’. Which he is not because his father was a British citizen and his mother was under age at the time of his birth. You are very good at misdirection, but let us examine the real issue. Here, let me help. Google natural born citizen. See what it says. Notice the difference between natual born citizen and natual citizen. A natural citizen in born in the United States. A Natural Born Citizen is born in the United States to citizens of the United States. A natualized citizen is one who goes through the process of becoming a citizen. That is what they taught me in school Dougie.

  2. MM says:

    That is what they taught me in school Dougie

    Then you need a refund.

  3. Wiley Stoner says:

    Further, Black people in the 60’s were referred to as Negro, not African. Africa was is a continent. In 1961 people from Africa were referred to as Negros. Looks like your document is phoney.

  4. G.A.Phillips says:

    That’s a pretty crappy looking birth certificate. Mine has footprints on it and the name off the hospital.

    And lets see. I think I have probably lost then gotten one that looks exactly like the original like four times.

    And I am just a scrub from Racine WI. Not a Nobel transparency prize winner! Or the president of the Unions!

  5. Fog says:

    Tell me how his birth notice appeared in the local papers in 1961 or STFU.

  6. Mine has footprints on it and the name off the hospital.

    Yeah, it’s like there’s different states that have different looking birth certificates or something.

  7. Wiley Stoner says:

    No, you need an education. lop!

  8. wr says:

    Ah, the birth certificate. Fly paper for morons.

  9. Wiley and G.A.,

    Read this, and learn:

    http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/08/05/birther_faq/

  10. Wiley Stoner says:

    For all of you in the echo chamber. In 1961, Hawaii did issue Birth Certiicates exactly like the one you were given at birtth. Feet prints and all. Obama has one but there is something written on it which must be kept from the putlic as quite a cost. The Obama water carriers and those who do not think much of constitutional requirements believe the lying sack of sh*t Obama about his place of birth. Fog, to get an announcement in the local newpaper, either a newpaper reporter was there or someone called it in. How many birth noticies were in that paper on the day Barack started running for President way back in 1961? No wonder you guys are donks. You believe anything. Why you believe Marx was accurate. Obama will have gulags for you.

  11. mantis says:

    Doug, do you know what it took to get a certificate of live birth in Hawaii? No actual witnesses.

    You don’t have to bring witnesses to get a birth certificate in any state, birthtard.

    If he has a birth certificate.

    It’s posted at the top of this page, birthtard.

    Why not produce it?

    It’s posted at the top of this page, birthtard.

    Might it say Frank M. Davis is the father or might it say unknown father?

    Maybe you’re the father!

    If it names Barack Hussein Obama Sr. as a British citizen that would make Obama Jr. a child born with duel citizenship. That would eliminate the possiblity of him being a “NATURAL BORN CITIZEN

    No it wouldn’t, birthtard.

    Notice the difference between natual born citizen and natual citizen.

    There is no difference, birthtard. There’s two types of citizens, natural (born) and naturalized. Obama is a natural born citizen. He was not naturalized as a citizen of another country.

    A natural citizen in born in the United States. A Natural Born Citizen is born in the United States to citizens of the United States. A natualized citizen is one who goes through the process of becoming a citizen. That is what they taught me in school Dougie.

    Your teachers were morons, just like you.

  12. jwest says:

    Fog,

    The most plausible explanation for the newspaper notices is that they were placed by Obama’s grandparents’ lawyers to help establish proof of citizenship.

    Why would they think of this? Because they had a rebellious, hippy daughter that married an older Kenyan just to show them how open-minded and anti-establishment she was. She naturally ends up pregnant and has the child somewhere outside of the U.S. The grandparents, concerned about custody of their grandchild when the marriage falls apart (as they surely knew would happen) would speak to their lawyers for advice.

    Lawyers, as Doug can tell you, would tell them that if the black father refused to give up the black child and both were in Kenya or some third country little could be done. The prevailing feelings at that time would be to let the child stay with the father because it would be better if he was raised with “his own kind’. One way to establish a case that the State Department could pursue would be to invent a story that he was born in the U.S.

    In order to do this, the lawyers would claim a home birth, make the proper notations in the birth records of the (new) state and place birth announcements in the local papers.

    Easily done.

  13. G.A.Phillips says:

    Yeah, it’s like there’s different states that have different looking birth certificates or something.

    lol….that looks crappy forgery of a certificate for an arugula patch doll…..

  14. mantis says:

    In 1961, Hawaii did issue Birth Certiicates exactly like the one you were given at birtth. Feet prints and all. Obama has one

    How do you know that? I don’t have my original, I have a COLB very similar to Obama’s (from a different state). Does that mean I’m not a citizen? The State Department, which gave me a passport based on my COLB, don’t think so. Birthtard.

    Fog, to get an announcement in the local newpaper, either a newpaper reporter was there or someone called it in.

    “Someone” being the hospital. That’s how it works, birthtard.

    Obama will have gulags for you.

    Anyone else doubt the birthtards are absolute lunatics? See above.

  15. Wiley,

    Obama has one

    How do you know that? How do you know that it hasn’t been lost over the past 40-odd years and, when he requested a record from Hawaii in 2007 they gave him the official certified document from the Dept. of Vital Statistics reproduced above?

    That’s certainly a more logical explanation than any of the conspiracy theories.

    Barack Obama is a natural born American citizen. Deal with it.

  16. mantis says:

    The most plausible explanation for the newspaper notices is that they were placed by Obama’s grandparents’ lawyers to help establish proof of citizenship.

    Or they were sent over by the hospital. No, that’s just crazy talk!

    Birthtard.

  17. Wiley Stoner says:

    Doug could you find a more left wing blog to cite than Salon. Why not Daily Kos? How about Meada Matters? You and Beck have something in common. I personally don’t care where he was born, but there is some reason he has spent big bucks to keep us from seeing his birth certificate. Greenwald is full of it up to his ears. When they wrote the Constitituion, they distinguished the requirement for a Natural Born Citizen from all others. One must look at what was law and intended at the time of the writing. And Cherster A. Arthor is not the President now. If that were overlooked get in a time machine and go back and fix it. The reason they made that exception is best demonstrated by the behavior of Barack Obama. He has no love for America.

  18. G.A.Phillips says:

    A Natural Born Communist…..lol…..

  19. Wiley Stoner says:

    Mantis, it is not very surprising you do not have a birth certificate. I can imagine no one wanting to take responsibility for bringing you into the world. I would say the same the doctor who delivered you must have been immense. Probably committed suicide after a long period of depression and drug use.

  20. mantis says:

    Mantis, it is not very surprising you do not have a birth certificate

    Actually, I do, birthtard, as I pointed out.

    I would say the same the doctor who delivered you must have been immense.

    You’re babbling. Time for your meds.

  21. matt says:

    About 25% of the human population consists of morons (statistically speaking not everyone can be the brightest). I’m reasonably sure you would get similar results if you asked people if they believed that lizard people were ruling this country or if you asked them if the world is flat…

  22. sam says:

    @Wiley Zels Stoner:

    For all of you in the echo chamber. In 1961, Hawaii did issue Birth Certiicates exactly like the one you were given at birtth. Feet prints and all.

    Wiley is Zels. Zels always, always, talks about “feet prints” on his birth certificate. And he always goes on and on about that bullshit natural born vs native born “distinction”. He has to be Zels because the odds of two people being that stupid beggars the imagination.

  23. tom p says:

    The most plausible explanation for the newspaper notices is that they were placed by Obama’s grandparents’ lawyers to help establish proof of citizenship.

    Or they were sent over by the hospital. No, that’s just crazy talk!

    You are both wrong…

    George Soros has a time machine ensconced in a super secret location in the Black Hills. I can’t tell you where but the letters TR might be involved in some way…

  24. So do you think Zels welfare checks are going to be cut off during the shutdown?

  25. Scott says:

    Why is there no videotape of the insemination? Why did the hospital immediately discard all traces of the placenta? Why did Obama travel to Hawaii to poison his grandmother right before the election?

  26. wr says:

    How to tell you’re dealing with a dishonest moron:

    “I don’t really believe he was born in Kenya, but why does he spend all this money hiding his birth certificate?”

    “I don’t really care about race, and besides, he’s only half black.”

    “They’re going to steal this election by magically coming up with votes days after the counting is done. Hey, look, they just found thousands of Republican votes on a Republican’s computer. Clearly this means the system is honest and there’s no fraud!”

  27. wr says:

    Sam — I agree that Wiley is Zels, but how you could read the comments on this blog by jwest and Jay Tea and not believe there are two people in the world as stupid as him is beyond me.

  28. Jay Tea says:

    Wow, Doug scored a twofer. A new poll saying bad things about Republicans, AND yet another chance to tar a bunch of Obama detracters with the “birther” BS. If he’d only managed to work Sarah Palin in here, he’d have scored the fabled Triple Lindy.

    J.

  29. mantis says:

    AND yet another chance to tar a bunch of Obama detracters with the “birther” BS.

    Pointing out crazy stupid people believe crazy stupid things (including Jay) is BS. Sure Jay. Sure it is. Sorry you’re embarrassed by yourself and your brethren, but thems the breaks. Suck it up and embrace your birthtard nature.

  30. deathcar2000 says:

    I hear it told that Obama’s mom was knocked up by aliens. the baby was then delivered in a space ship located over the African land mass. oh and he’s a FreeMason…oh and a Lizard Person I think they’re called reptillions or sumthing. Allinsky’s and Farakan’s love child, yeah that’s it.

    wait?what? what do mean crazy!!! it’s all over the internet.

    well i’d love to tell you more but the CIA has installed transmitters in my teeth. there’re tracking my every move and if they find me I’ll end up in one of those FEMA re-education camps.

    Crazies of the world unite.

  31. Janis Gore says:

    My “official” birth certificate is in the attic. I have a driver’s license, a passport, and a marriage certificate. I’d likely pay the $? certificate of birth to not go up there.

    Yes, it should be in the file cabinet.

  32. PJ says:

    May I point out, that a birth certificate (CB), a COLB or any other document doesn’t prove anything.
    The paper may say that person A is the father to person B and person C is the mother.

    But the persons signing the BC or the COLB weren’t there at the conception. How do they know that person C wasn’t having an affair with person D which led to person B? Or that person B wasn’t switched at the hospital? Or that person B was inseminated into person C?

    For all I know the mothers of every Republican president may have all cheated with foreigners.

    (Just want to point out that sooner or later, Birthers are going to demand that Obama’s father, mother, and Malcolm X should all be exhumed and DNA tested…)

  33. Taiko Drum says:

    Okay, all I have is a COLB. The same thing Obama has. In fact, it looks pretty similar. It states on my COLB that it is the only documentation I will get. They won’t release my “official” BC. It also states that my COLB has the same legal status as my BC.

    Yet, somehow, I was able to join the Air Force, pass several FBI background checks so that I could work with nuclear weapons, get PRP certified and a secret/noforn clearance (notice the noforn designation which means not releasable to foreign nationals). I’ve used it to get drivers licences and to get passports. And by the way, my mom was not a US citizen when all this occurred.

    It was also used to obtain a top secret clearance at DARPA. Please explain why it was adequate for all these agenceis but not for you guys.

  34. PD Shaw says:

    Janis, when the levy breaks, it’s nice to have your important paperwork in a convenient spot.

  35. mantis says:

    Taiko,

    You need to get away from your Kenyan anti-colonial mindset, which is clearly muddling your memory. Your real father is Malcolm X. Sorry you had to find out this way.

  36. Janis Gore says:

    I do live on the Madrid fault, Mr. Shaw, but upriver from the lock.

  37. jwest says:

    I’ve noticed that although the liberals have degenerated into hysterics and name calling, not one has given any rebuttal to the scenario I laid out.

    Obama’s grandparents were just doing what anyone of us would do in the same circumstances. At least, that’s how the bulk of voters will see it as the election draws closer. Here’s the math for the slower members of our little community:

    Plausible + Grandparents + Hippy daughter + Black Kenyan = Obama born elsewhere

    Original Birth Certificate + Blocking court challenges + Not releasing it = Obama lying.

    Geometric logic. Some of you will still be at the precincts the day after Obama’s Mondalesque loss, telling each person that passes by:

    “But…but… the COLB is the legal document from Hawaii.”

    People will continue walking, glancing back with concerned looks and saying, “I hope that guy doesn’t hurt himself”.

    Compassionate conservatism.

  38. Taiko Drum says:

    “Taiko,

    You need to get away from your Kenyan anti-colonial mindset, which is clearly muddling your memory. Your real father is Malcolm X. Sorry you had to find out this way.”

    LOL.

    “I’ve noticed that although the liberals have degenerated into hysterics and name calling, not one has given any rebuttal to the scenario I laid out.”

    There’s no hysterics or name calling in my post above. Instead of focusing on hypotheticals, how about respond to the real facts in my post.

  39. G.A.Phillips says:

    I hear it told that Obama’s mom was knocked up by aliens

    I don’t believe in Obama, aliens or that that is a birth certificate.

  40. deathcar2000 says:

    but. Jwest you have not provided any plausible documents that prove your assertion, and the burden is on you. Not Obama. so lets see your proof, lets have it man. not all this black helicopter mess. tangible proof of your assertion.

  41. jwest says:

    Taiko Drum,

    You’re allowed to do all those things without an original birth certificate because the Constitution of the United States doesn’t mention any of the jobs or the requirement of being a natural born citizen to hold them.

  42. G.A.Phillips says:

    http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/08/05/birther_faq/

    LOL!!!! A link to the salon and a popup ad to subscribe the NYT, Uber fail…..

  43. G.A.

    You can make jokes, or you could read the article which is heavily sourced and addresses every single birther “argument”

    Your choice.

  44. jwest says:

    Deathcar2000,

    Proof? What’s this “proof” stuff you’re talking about?

    I’m playing the game of politics, elections and power. What game are you playing? In my game, perception is reality. If something can be tossed out for public consumption that to most people sounds reasonable and believable, that’s the truth.

    Where were you when Bush was lying us into war for oil and Halliburton? Did you miss that memo?

    You go get you some of that proof and smear it all over your body. See if it feels good.

  45. deathcar2000 says:

    Hey Doug i read it. Nothing in it addressing the “fact” that Obama could be, might be a Alien/Human hybrid. Pretty funny them leaving that out. Nowhere did it disprove that Obama is an Alien Overlord bent on the destruction on the American(tm) way of life…..

    The truth is out there

  46. mantis says:

    I’m playing the game of politics, elections and power.

    All in your tiny, tiny mind.

  47. deathcar2000 says:

    mmmmmmmm thats sum tasty trolling Jwest, oh yeah

  48. Taiko Drum says:

    “Taiko Drum,

    You’re allowed to do all those things without an original birth certificate because the Constitution of the United States doesn’t mention any of the jobs or the requirement of being a natural born citizen to hold them.”

    I don’t think that is the point. The USAF is pretty discerning in who they allow around their nuclear weapons (or used to be anyway). In fact, part of the whole PRP certification program is to ensure that only those determined to have no conflict of allegiance are allowed access to them. My secret/noforn clearance was specifically prohibited for foreign nationals. Not even to mention the TS at DARPA. You honestly don’t think that any question of my citizenship (and thus allegiance) would have disallowed me from any of that– whether mentioned in the Constitution or not? I was never even asked for any further information or clarification of my citizenship status.

  49. wr says:

    jwest — Sorry that no one wanted to play your little game of “I can make up a story and now you have to prove that it’s wrong.” But really, the secret to effective trolling is not to brag you’re a troll.

  50. jwest says:

    Wr,

    You and your friends should read the polls that Doug is so fond of printing. The “birther” thing is not dying, it’s picking up new people every day. You’ve got 11% of democrats and 23% of independents who don’t believe he was born in the U.S., and that’s just today. Wait until Trump gets rolling with “campaign”.

    Who’s the public going to believe? Snake oil politicians and the lying liberal media, or a billionaire businessman with a Wharton education and a reputation for being a straight shooter?

    All the liberal babbling and Mika Brzezinski eye rolling isn’t going to save Barry from this.

  51. mantis says:

    I too look forward to the all-birther 2012 campaigns from the Confederate Republican Party, jwest, but not for the same reason you do.

  52. jwest says:

    Mantis,

    Why do you think Chris Mathews works himself into a spittle flaked frenzy each evening trying to disprove the birther stuff?

    He’s seen the effect of this type of campaign when he almost single-handedly screwed George Allen with the “macacca” bullshit. He twisted a word that means mischievous and troublemaker into a racial slur to beat down a potential presidential candidate.

    Trump knows exactly what he’s doing.

  53. mantis says:

    Why do you think Chris Mathews works himself into a spittle flaked frenzy each evening trying to disprove the birther stuff?

    I don’t watch TV news because I have a brain in my head, but I’m guessing that’s not true.

    He’s seen the effect of this type of campaign when he almost single-handedly screwed George Allen with the “macacca” bullshit. He twisted a word that means mischievous and troublemaker into a racial slur to beat down a potential presidential candidate.

    Racist shitbird Allen screwed himself. Amusing, and not surprising, that you defend that asshole.

    Trump knows exactly what he’s doing.

    Yep, boosting the ratings of his stupid TV show.

  54. Jay Tea says:

    mantis, I’ve probably killed three times as many pixels as you have kicking the birthers in the nads and telling them — to their cyber-faces — that they’re nuts and showing how they’re doing Obama a favor. I understand you get your jollies and see a benefit in encouraging them, but don’t get all high-and-mighty on me about them.

    J.

  55. wr says:

    jwest — Donald Trump is a clown, and one of the most loathed people in the country. People watch The Apprentice to make fun of him. Only a group as dumb as the Birthbaggers would take his word for anything.

  56. mantis says:

    mantis, I’ve probably killed three times as many pixels as you have kicking the birthers in the nads and telling them — to their cyber-faces — that they’re nuts and showing how they’re doing Obama a favor. I understand you get your jollies and see a benefit in encouraging them, but don’t get all high-and-mighty on me about them.

    As I’ve explained to you several times now, you traffic in birther lies. You talk about Obama “hiding” records he has actually released to the public. You talk about him “spending millions of dollars” to “hide” records he has released to the public. You talk about birtherism being part of his genius plan (while you call him an idiot in other places). These are all birther lies. I don’t care how cynical you are, or how much of the crap you actually believe. Don’t like being called a birther? Don’ push birther bullshit anymore. It’s just that easy.

  57. G.A.Phillips says:

    G.A.

    You can make jokes, or you could read the article which is heavily sourced and addresses every single birther “argument”

    Your choice.

    Well I like the “Your Uncle Floyd” references. which one of you wrote it? Now I want to see this Alex dudes birth certificate!

  58. Janis Gore says:

    But you know, Mr. Shaw, I have seen more in my lifetime than I would have expected. I’ll look it up.

  59. David says:

    I have the document handed to my parents after I was born. It is legally worth nothing. I had to order a COLB from my birth state to renew my drivers license. The document above is legal proof of the President’s place of birth and confirms his eligibility to hold the office the American people elected him to.

  60. Janis Gore says:

    I actually have the negative print somewhere. But I was born in 1957. Y’all, things change.

    25% of people in tis country are as old or older than I am.

  61. An Interested Party says:

    In my game, perception is reality.

    Indeed…let’s watch as perception plays out that teabaggers are nuts and Republicans will be blamed if a government shutdown occurs…leading to the president winning reelection against whoever survives the freakshow known as the 2012 Republican primaries…funny thing, perception…

  62. Jay Tea says:

    mantis, I want the Birthers to STFU and go away. I’m tired of hearing from them. And I’m really sick of them giving various and sundry dipshits an excuse to hold them up as exemplars of Obama critics and focus on them, to the exclusion of all the other, legitimate criticisms of the Community Organizer In Chief.

    And considering how you’ve torched pretty much all the good will I held for you, I wouldn’t object if you joined them in going away.

    J.

  63. mantis says:

    mantis, I want the Birthers to STFU and go away. I’m tired of hearing from them. And I’m really sick of them giving various and sundry dipshits an excuse to hold them up as exemplars of Obama critics and focus on them, to the exclusion of all the other, legitimate criticisms of the Community Organizer In Chief.

    Indeed, that must be annoying for you. Maybe you should stop repeating their bullshit then, eh? Give it a thought.