Figured after congress certified the vote (http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2009Jan...lVotes,00.html) and the Supereme Court threw out a law suit against Obama, McCain (born in Panama), and a third party candidate (don't remember the name) stating that none were natural born citizens; therefore, ineligible to serve as president (http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Dec...sObama,00.html) most folks would not buy into the rumors. Similar to after the 2000 election when some far left dems bought into the Michael Moore conspiracy that Bush had stolen the election (I didn't buy that one either).

As far as for why the birth certificate was held back the first time around, I don't know. My guess would be that given that the election commission had accepted his application, he was legit. If he had spent the time/money/energy to address what seemed like an obvious rumor, then he would have ended up spending a good deal of time and money debunking every ridiculous claim what some wacko thought up rather than spending the time trying to get his message out.

Believe what you want to believe, I just fine it hard to accept that someone could pull off an scam to get the White House. Too many folks from both parties (and third parties) that they would have to have on board to do it. Also hard to post a birth announcement in the paper almost 50 years after the fact, something dug up by the Clinton campaign while digging for dirt to discredit him.

If the rumor helps folks to do as Geo suggests and get more involved in politics, then the debate is not in vain. Let the pols know what you think about them and the policies they are supporting. Find a candidate that you can support, regardless of party affiliation. Its not a dem/repub or conservative/liberal thing, its an AMERICAN thing. Do what you feel is best for the country and stop buying into all the crap that either party tries to feed you.

Andrew