Kansas editorial writers weigh in on the Kansas State Objections Board’s consideration of a “birther” challenge to President Obama’s listing on the Kansas Election Ballot.
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The Garden City Telegram, Sept. 15
‘Birther’ bunk
At least Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is consistent.
The conservative Republican has doggedly pursued ways to interfere with the election process, such as pushing for a Voter ID requirement when there’s no proof of a voter fraud problem.
And this week, he was involved in the public airing of a complaint from a Kansas-based “birther” looking to prove President Obama isn’t a natural-born citizen and have his name removed from Kansas ballots in November.
But rather than simply dismissing the Manhattan resident’s claim, Kobach and other state officials acted as if there was something to investigate.
Reasonable people have moved past the “birther” nonsense regarding Obama. But Kobach, in particular, suggested there was some credence to the complaint.
“I don’t think it’s a frivolous objection,” he reportedly said. “I do think the factual record could be supplemented.”
Seriously? Apparently Kobach and others still aren’t satisfied with a factual record that includes a certificate of live birth authenticated by Hawaiian officials, and verified by the doctor who delivered Obama. Local newspaper birth announcements provide more proof.
Instead, the State Objections Board – Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer – saw fit to request that Hawaii, Arizona and Mississippi officials submit copies of the president’s birth records.
If the “birther” conspiracy theory embraced by extremists wasn’t so disturbing, it would be downright laughable. It figures that Kansas officials would be willing to be front and center in such absurdity.
Interestingly, the Kansas “birther” withdrew his challenge Friday. The State Objections Board was scheduled to consider the complaint on Monday.
Regardless of the claim being dropped, there never was cause to question Obama’s eligibility. And the all-Republican board should have known there was nothing to gain politically in doing so (other than pandering to extremists), as Obama has practically zero chance of winning the Republican stronghold of Kansas.
The latest “birther” episode was a ridiculous waste of taxpayer time and money. By taking up the outlandish claim in such a way, state officials only gave the rest of the nation yet another reason to have a good laugh at Kansas’ expense.
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The Kansas City Star, Sept. 14
No conspiracy theory is too batty to examine
We hereby object to the Kansas State Objections Board.
This three-member panel of statewide officials invited ridicule by entertaining a question of whether President Barack Obama’s name can appear on the November ballot because – here we go again – maybe he isn’t really an American citizen.
Never mind that Obama has produced his original birth certificate on television, and officials in Hawaii, his birthplace, have confirmed its authenticity.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer seemed keen to pursue an objection brought by Joe Montgomery of Manhattan, who claimed to be privy to “substantial evidence” that parts of Obama’s birth certificate have been forged or doctored.
Members seemed to feel slighted that Obama’s campaign didn’t dignify their dog-and-pony show by providing them with extensive documentation. Kobach told reporters he thought the “factual record” could be “supplemented.”
Montgomery backed off on Friday, saying he faced harassment and animosity.
That is unfortunate. The problem isn’t that a citizen brought forth a ridiculous objection, but that elected officials pursued it so strenuously.
Without an objection, the objection board’s work would seem to be finished, though Kobach has scheduled a meeting for Monday.
Obama’s name will almost surely appear on the Kansas ballot. But Kobach, Schmidt and Colyer have dragged the state back into laughingstock territory with their venture into birther territory.
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