President Obama released his long-form birth certificate

Even before President Obama released his long-form birth certificate Wednesday morning, it was obvious to anyone who had examined the evidence that the president was born in the United States. Yet that didn't really matter: The "birther" movement, like the "truther" movement alleging U.S. complicity in the Sept. 11 attacks, was never really grounded in evidence. It was about distrust of the president. Which is why no amount of evidence will make it go away.

Already, well-known birther Orly Taitz, who has had lawsuits challenging the president's birth dismissed, is raising questions about the new document. She is suggesting that his race should be listed as "negro," not "African," and saying she maintains that the president isn't a "natural born citizen," as mandated by the Constitution, because both parents need to be , (That's not true.) Taitz also suggests the president is using a false social security number.


Another well-known birther, Phil Berg, also argued after the release that "the issue" is that Mr. Obama is not a natural born citizen. "Let's see his records coming back through immigration," he said.

The conservative news aggregator The Drudge Report is asking in its headlines, "is it real?" and "Composed of layers?" At the top of the site is a picture of potential GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and the words "NOW LET'S SEE THE COLLEGE RECORDS." After reinvigorating the birther debate, the reality show host has recently pivoted to questioning whether Mr. Obama deserved to get into Ivy League schools. Like birtherism, it's an ostensible serious question that is ultimately a veiled attack on presidential legitimacy.