Is Howard Kurtz a "Reliable Source"? Not so much.

24AheadDotCom/Youtube ^ | 7/26/09 | self

[lonewacko_dot_com]

If you think Howard Kurtz is a reliable source, please read the following. On the linked video, Kurtz says:

Is it responsible for Dobbs and others to go on the air, talk about these claims, demand proof, when we have seen a copy of the birth certificate? When Hawaii officials say that Barack Obama was born there in 1961?

Howard Kurtz is, at best, being very misleading. First, all we've seen is a picture of a "Certification of Live Birth", not a "birth certificate" as Kurtz claims. No government agency has ever confirmed that what's shown on that picture matches what's on file.

More importantly, only one Hawaiian official (broadly defined to include Janice Okubo, spokeswoman for the Hawaii Dep't of Health) has ever said he was born there. However, Okubo is not a credible source and she refuses to confirm what she supposedly said before. The only possible thing that Kurtz could hang his hat on is a statement that the maker won't confirm.

And, despite what Kitty Pilgrim of CNN says, Hawaii's governor has never said Obama was born there. A form letter her office sends out can be seen at that link. In the letter, they point out that it would be a violation of Hawaiian law to disclose such information. If she said Obama was born there, then she's broken Hawaiian law. Would Kurtz like to accuse Hawaii's governor of breaking the law?

Finally, the 10/31 statement from the director of Hawaii's Department of Health doesn't say anything about where he was born or the picture of a COLB shown on his sites (one of which has since disappeared). All that statement says is that they have a valid certificate on file for him; they don't say anything about what's on it. My attempt to get them to clarify what they meant by that statement failed. It can't be assumed that simply because they have his certificate that means he was born there since those born outside Hawaii can get valid Hawaiian birth certificates via a law that, while passed in 1982, was clearly meant to apply to those born before that date.

In summary, Howard Kurtz is being very misleading if not outright lying, and after verifying the above he should print and broadcast a correction.

And, we need to help force him to print and broadcast a correction. Please send polite emails that are only about this specific issue to rick.davis *at* turner.com and ombudsman *at* washpost.com. You can also contact Kurtz at twitter.com/HowardKurtz and using this form.

And, if you have a website, please link to this post using terms that include his name: "Howard Kurtz of CNN", "Washington Post's Howard Kurtz", "Reliable Sources' Howard Kurtz", "Howard Kurts", "Howard Curts", etc.

P.S. The goal of this post is to force Howard Kurtz to do some real reporting and broadcast a correction. Please concentrate on just that goal.

[martin_fierro]

Here it is.

Let's move on dot org.

[Red Steel]

In summary, Howard Kurtz is being very misleading if not outright lying, and after verifying the above he should print and broadcast a correction.

Another guy without integrity.

[kjo]

I’m not surprised he’s lying...it’s what the MSM does best; they will tell any lie to cover for The Messiah.

[Spaulding]

We need to keep the issue in focus: If Obama’s father is the Kenyan by that name, Barack Jr. is ineligible for our presidency - he is not a natural born citizen. I've provided many citations legal and otherwise. The most convincing for Obama supporters might be Patrick Leahy, McGaskill, Hillary, and HSA Chief Chertoff, a former federal judge, here http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200804/041008c.html
Obama supporters want you to stay confused, waiting for this or that authority from the media to tell you what to believe. Read the constitution. Read ‘The Venus’, a USSC case from 1812. The definition for natural born citizen has never changed, though many think it should, including Obama associates (find Chicago-Kent Law Review on Natural Born Citizens from 2006, written by Sarah Herlihy)

[EggsAckley]

I admit that I have purposely not been tuned in too much lately, but apparently that expression “not so much” is the new “at the end of the day” popular phrase. I’m sick of it already.

[TBP]

Kurtz knows all this; he just doesn’t care. Honesty is not welcome in teh mainstream media.

[jarofants]

State run media!!!

[ArtyFO]

I’ve noticed two different statements on some COLB’s. One says “date accepted by registrar” other Colb’s say “date filed by registrar”. I believe the difference in the two statements on the different COLB’s mean that the registrar accepts the information because it is from absolutely credible sources (like a known local hospital) when it is “accepted”, and is possibly from not as credible a source (like an unmarried parent) when it is “filed” only.

[Redwood Bob]

Mine says “date received by registrar.” Even though I was born in the county seat and the registrar was in easy walking distance of the hospital, it was eleven days after I was born that they received the info.

[danamco]

Have I not seen somewhere here on FR that someone from Hawaii said they have never sent out the COLB to anyone???