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AZ Secretary of State Satisfied That President Obama is a US Citizen

AZ Sec. of State Ken Bennett at a rally for Mitt Romney in 2012
Gage Skidmore
AZ Sec. of State Ken Bennett at a rally for Mitt Romney in 2012

One hurdle to Barack Obama being on the November ballot has been removed. 

That came late Tuesday when Secretary of State Ken Bennett got an e-mail from Hawaii officials confirming for him that they do, in fact, have an original birth certificate for the president on file.

"There's 12 points," he noted. "The first one says a birth certificate is on file with the department of health indicating that Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. And then the second through 12th points each deal with a different point that we asked in the request."

That includes things like the names of the parents, the hospital and the time of birth. Bennett said all he was doing is responding to the concern of  constituents who asked him to verify that the president is a natural born citizen and eligible to hold the office. Bennett said what he got is good enough for him. But he said he does not expect this to quell the controversy.

(I'm sure there are some on that end of the spectrum who will never be convinced," Secretary Bennett said. "Just as I'm sure that there are others on the other end of the spectrum  who could never be convinced that he isn't or wasn't born in Hawaii."

But Bennett said the certification should satisfy at least some in the middle who simply have questions.  He said all that remains now is for Obama to submit the same paperwork required of all candidates.