Obama skeptics wish president a 'happy birther day'

Poll: More than 25% still doubt Obama born in United States

It could be worse. Orly Taitz could be popping out of a cake to croon "Happy Birthday, Mr. President."

"It's surely not what the leader of the free world wants for his birthday," CNN's Political Ticker notes. "But, for a stubborn group of Americans, conspiracy theories about President Obama's birthplace are the gifts that keep on giving."

The president celebrates his 49th birthday Wednesday. On the same day, a new national poll indicates some Americans continue to doubt the president was born in the United States. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, more than a quarter of the public have doubts about Obama's citizenship, with 11 percent saying Obama was definitely not born in the United States and another 16 percent saying the president was probably not born in the country.

Forty-two percent of those questioned say they have absolutely no doubts that the president was born in the U.S., while 29-percent say he "probably" was.

"Not surprisingly, there are big partisan differences, although a majority of Republicans thinks Obama was definitely or probably born here," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Eighty-five percent of Democrats say that Obama was definitely or probably born in the U.S., compared to 68 percent of independents and 57 percent of Republicans. Twenty-seven percent of Republicans say he was probably not born here, and another 14 percent of Republicans say he was definitely not born in the U.S."

Full PDF of the poll can be accessed at this link.

The Hill's Briefing Room notes,

Obama has released his certificate of live birth, though that didn't completely satisfy the doubters. The governor of Hawaii, among numerous fact-checking organizations, has verified publicly that Obama was born in Hawaii and has a valid birth certificate stored in the state's Department of Health.

Politico's Andy Martin adds,

A certificate of live birth from the state of Hawaii confirms that Wednesday is indeed the president’s 49th birthday spent as a natural-born American citizen, yet the so-called “birther” conspiracy theory that he was born in Kenya or another country has persisted since the 2008 campaign.

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh floated the theory during his show Tuesday, mentioning that the next day was the president’s birthday, though he hasn’t “seen any proof of that.”

At Huffington Post, "A Birther's Birthday Card For Obama," is on display:

It's the president's birthday! And what better way to celebrate than to give the birther movement even more media attention. Of course, we don't really know that Obama was born on August 4th, because he refuses to show his birth certificate to anyone but factcheck.org and dozens of other politicians and reporters. The scoundrel! We thought to celebrate Barack's big day, we'd show you how the birthers are celebrating. Sean Kelly, an award-winning illustrator for the New York Times and the Washington Post, has created a card for the President from our favorite conspiracy theorists.

"Receiving a birthday card isn't proof that you were actually born," the cartoon mocks. "Cake. Rhymes with fake. Call us crazy, but...coincidence?"