[In Maryland]

If it were to be proved that Eldridge Cleaver was Obama's father (by birth certificate, DNA or whatever) there would be no doubt he was a natural born citizen - he would be the child of two U.S. citizens and born in the US. (That is unlikely to happen; but in trying to think of why Obama went to such expense to hide his birth certificate, I was trying to think of what could have been so embarrassing to be worth all the trouble, and yet leave the jus sanguinis question open?)

There are, of course, other possibilities. He could be listed on his birth certificate as "White", which would have probably sunk his chances of election.

My point is not to rehash the NBC thing again - my point if that if the republicans nominate someone who is not the child of citizens, Obama may prove he is the child of 2 citizens and the press and democratic position that NBC means born in the country would INSTANTLY change to one requiring being the child of citizens.

P.S. The last U.S. President born before the 20th century was Eisenhower.

[Johnny B.]

If it were to be proved that Eldridge Cleaver was Obama's father (by birth certificate, DNA or whatever) there would be no doubt he was a natural born citizen

OK, I see your point.

I agree that there is probably something on his birth certificate that would be embarrassing to him (quite possibly his real father), since otherwise why fight so hard to avoid revealing it.

P.S. The last U.S. President born before the 20th century was Eisenhower.

It would be interesting to know which Presidents (if any) did not have actual birth certificates.