-
Source: Reuters
To be the President of the United States of America, you have to be born here.
Putting aside the terrible job Arnold Schwarzenegger did of being governor of California, that's why - unless the law is changed - the ex-Governator will never be the Commander in Chief.
And it's why the issue (a dignifying term, to say the least) of President Obama's birth certificate has achieved such traction amongst those who dislike the President's policies, and perhaps - one can't help thinking - the colour of his skin.
During the campaign candidate Obama released a shortened version of his birth certificate in the hopes of quelling rumours that he wasn't a US citizen.
'Not good enough!' said his opponents, 'Show us the full version!'
Mr Obama had the independent organisation FactCheck.org vet the thing, and sign affidavits to the effect that it was genuine. 'Insufficient!' cried those who have come to be known as 'Birthers', a group of people who don't believe that Mr Obama is an American citizen.
Up until now, Mr Obama held out against them and their demands that he release the long form of the birth certificate.
But, bowing to the pressure - so Donald Trump asserts - from Donald Trump, US President Barack Obama today unsealed the full birth certificate, and held a news conference on the matter. As he is fond of doing, Mr Obama chided the press for their preoccupation with a scurrility that should be the preserve of conspiracy theorists and rodeo clowns.
"We are not going to be able to solve our problems if we allow ourselves to get sidetracked by side shows and carnival barkers," the President said.
Clearly he hasn't met that many people in the media.
The argument could be made that once again, Mr Obama has underestimated his political enemies' capacity for magical thinking, and talking. Donald Trump immediately claimed credit for something that Hilary Clinton and 'everybody else' couldn't do.
Meanwhile Birther-originator, dentist and lawyer Orly Taitz, raised doubts as to the documents' validity. She wondered why Mr Obama's father, who was born in Kenya, is called 'African' on the certificate, rather than 'Negro' the term she believes more likely to have been used when Obama was born.
Ms Taitz later said the certificate's release - assuming it is verified by experts as real - puts to rest claims about whether he was born in the US, but not his right to hold office.
Which is essentially the core of the Birther plaint: even if it's legit, Obama doesn't belong in the White House.
But the appearance that Trump has trumped the President may be that alone. The Christian Science Monitor has a great piece suggesting that this release is to give Trump even more momentum than he already has.
Obama's people - so this piece says - believe that Trump is unpalatable to the average voter, and that his popularity will spike the chances of more serious Republican candidates. It's a clever theory. It may have merit. Now if only the President could do something about unemployment.
World News Video
-
Dangerous rush to Everest summit (1:59)
-
Dozens killed in Syrian massacre (2:09)
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
