人兽性交

Over the past month, New York City real estate mogul and TV reality show host Donald Trump has turned himself into the nation鈥檚 biggest promoter of the alleged 鈥渃ontroversy鈥� over President Obama鈥檚 nationality. He claims to have ordered investigators to scour the globe in search of records of the president鈥檚 birth and, for good measure, now even questions how Obama, who he called "a terrible student," got into Harvard or if he ever attended.

Just this Monday, Trump appeared on CNN, the latest in a series of self-promoting public appearances, to insist that the president鈥檚 birth certificate does not exist. He said to host Anderson Cooper: 鈥淚鈥檝e been told very recently, Anderson, that the birth certificate is missing. I鈥檝e been told that it鈥檚 not there, and it doesn鈥檛 exist.鈥� Pressed by Cooper to identify his sources 鈥� or even some of the officials his investigators have supposedly talked to 鈥� Trump refused to provide a single name.

But Trump鈥檚 little game may have been checkmated today.

This morning, the Obama Administration released what has long been described as the missing puzzle piece by the so-called 鈥渂irther鈥� movement 鈥� his 鈥渓ong-form鈥� birth certificate. The certificate notes that Barack Hussein Obama was born on Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu on Aug. 4, 1961. His parents are identified on the certificate as Stanley Ann Dunham, born in Wichita, Kan., and Barack Hussein Obama, born in Kenya 鈥� precisely what the president has said clearly for his entire life. During his news conference, Obama referred to Trump, although not by name, as a "carnival barker."

But that didn鈥檛 slow down The Donald. Ever an adorer of the limelight, Trump held a news conference this morning in New Hampshire to congratulate himself for ending the supposed controversy that actually had been repeatedly debunked by news organizations 鈥� not to mention the fact that Obama鈥檚 birth in Hawaii was announced in the Honolulu Advertiser in 1961. 鈥淭oday,鈥� a boastful Trump intoned, 鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of myself, because I鈥檝e accomplished something that no one else has been able to accomplish.鈥� Still, the man who has led several companies into bankruptcy while claiming to be a genius businessman wasn鈥檛 100% convinced. 鈥淚 want to look at it,鈥� Trump said of the certificate, 鈥渂ut I hope it鈥檚 true.鈥�

Conspiracy theories surrounding Obama鈥檚 birth certificate have painted the president a 鈥淢anchurian candidate鈥� of sorts, some kind of sleeper agent placed years ago by foreign, often 鈥淚slamic,鈥� interests that now have finally managed to seize control of the nation鈥檚 highest office. Major political figures including conspiracy theory-mongering U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.) have questioned the president鈥檚 nationality (although even she backed off slightly in recent days). Right-wing attack dog Jerome Corsi 鈥� best known for his 鈥淪wift Boat鈥� twisting of the Vietnam war record of then-presidential candidate John Kerry 鈥� wrote two books questioning the Obama story, one of them going on sale this May 17. (No word yet on whether the title 鈥� Where鈥檚 the Birth Certificate? The Case That Barack Obama is not Eligible to be President 鈥� is facing any changes.) In his first book, Corsi claims without any evidence that the president鈥檚 autobiography was 鈥渕ost likely written by Bill Ayers,鈥� a one-time member of the extreme-left Weather Underground.

Polls have shown huge numbers of Americans have been taken in by these fairy tales. This March, a Harris poll found that 25% of respondents believed Obama was not born in the U.S. Last July, a CNN poll found that 27% doubted Obama was born in the U.S. or were certain that he was not. All polls have shown that these beliefs are far higher among Republicans than Democrats.

The release today of the certificate presumably will change some of these people鈥檚 minds, and make clear that many of the president鈥檚 critics are simply lying.

In a public statement this morning, Obama said he hopes the nation can now finally move beyond this issue. 鈥淥ver the last two and a half years, I have watched with bemusement,鈥� he said in brief remarks. 鈥淚鈥檝e been puzzled by the degree to which this thing just kept on going.鈥� Obama acknowledged there would be a 鈥渟egment of the people for which, no matter what we put out, this issue will not be put to rest,鈥� and ended with a blunt chastisement of those who continue to press the issue. 鈥淲e do not have time for this kind of silliness,鈥� he said.