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OBAMAS CITIZENSHIPDeb Bhattacherjee, Katherine Dinges,

Carolyn Harvey & Mrinal Khullar

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RecoveryResponse

PrimaryResponse

Initial

Response

June 2004DNC Speech

Feb 2007AnnouncesPresidentialCampaign

June 2008 EstablishesFightthesmears.com &Releases Short FormBirth Certificate

April 2011 HawaiiReleases LongFormBirth Certificate

Right WingRepublican &Tea PartyAttention

August 2008 BergFiles Lawsuits

Timeline

November 2008 ObamaElected President

Warning Acute Chronic Resolution

April 2011Obama CriticsReject the LongForm

September 2011Rick PerryAttention

April 2008Clinton SupporterSuggests Obama

was born in Kenya

November 2012Re-electioncampaignintensifies

...

MuslimCampaign

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Audiences

Independents

AmericanPublic

Republican Base

Conservative

Republicans/Tea Party

Democrat Base

Is this a legitimate issue?

Will this affect Obamas candidacy??

Will this affect Obamas leadership?

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Warning PhasePrevious Citizenship Speculation

Since 1787, has been confusion as to the precise meaning

of natural-born citizen.

Other Presidential Candidates Questioned

McCain Born on a military base in Panama

Muslim Whisper Campaign June 2004 - Obamas DNC speech

Andy Martin in a press release Obama is a Muslim who has

concealed his religion.

December 2006 - Obama Considering Presidential Run

Ted Sampley posted a column suggesting Obama is a Muslim

Kenya Born Email Clinton Supporter circulates an email suggesting Obama was

born in Kenya

Trouble is brewing...

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Initial Response

Obama launches fightthesmears.com June, 2008 launched an aggressive and innovative campaign

Trigger was alleged Michelle Obama racial slur video

Interactive tool allowed supporters to fight back

Published birth certificate on website born in Hawaii in 1961

American Sentiment

Mixed response

Rumors about fake certificate

Tell your side of the story...

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Acute Phase

2008 Phillip Berg sued the DNC and Obama,stating

Obama is not a natural-born citizen

Lost his citizenship when he was adopted in Indonesia;

and/or

Has dual loyalties because of his citizenship with Kenya

and Indonesia

Filed injunction to suspend the election

White House Response Filed a motion to dismiss Bergs lawsuit.

As his lawsuit remainsoutstanding, the public

will talk...want Obama to

quickly prove me wrongor the court to quickly

prove me right.

- P. Berg

Crisis is most intense...

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Hawaii Reprints Birth Announcement August 2008

In response to persistent rumors, theAdvertiserposted a screenshot on its website

Rumors spread was planted to intend to clearthe way for the baby to someday be electedPresident of the United States. Star-Bulletin

Obama Elected President November 2008

Increased the coverage of the issue...

Political Media/Celebrity Media WorldNetDaily Published more than 200

articles by July 2009

Charlie Sheen to Chuck Norris

Acute Phase

Crisis is most intense...

"Refusing to post your original birth certificate is an

unwise political and leadership decision that is

enabling the 'birther' controversy.

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Acute PhaseRepublican Split Views

Tea Party & Right-Wing Republican Attention Sarah Palin December 2009

Fair question to ask. Rush Humphries Radio

Likened it to questions about her maternity to her son, Trig.

Donald Trump March 2011

Would not let go of the issue, because he was not satisfied that

Obama had proved his citizenship

Moderate Republics Michael Castle July 2009

Booed at town hall"if youre referring to the president there,he is a of the United States.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele

Believes that this is an unnecessary distraction and believes

that the president is a U.S. citizen.

Crisis is most intense...

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Primary Response

White House Secretary Robert Gibbs stateshis distaste for the citizenship buzz

Primary Spokesman for Obama citizenship debacle

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Primary Response

Long form birth certificate released April 27 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agXtTQyehRE

Critique

Length of time to release the long form Addressed long-term issues

Addressed a wider audience

American Sentiment

April 20-23, 2011 -24% of Americans Obama "definitely" born

in another country(2011 USA Today/Gallup poll)

May 5, 201170% of Americans Obama was born in Hawaiiup from 48% a year

ago (Washington Post Poll) Reach a wider audience...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agXtTQyehREhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agXtTQyehRE

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Chronic PhaseMixed Reactions

Many assume the crisis is over...

Phil Berg Good first step

He is naturalized citizen, and a naturalized citizen cannot be president."

Trump

I am really honored and I am really proud, that I was able to do somethingthat nobody else could do.

But, is also getting ready to file a new suit that asserts Obama is an illegal

alien.

WorldNetDaily The Presidents place of birth isnt the issue the issue is where the

Presidents father was born.

Other Birthers Certificate of live birth and not birth certificate

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Chronic PhaseObama Reply

April 20, 2011

"I know there is going to be a segment of people for which nomatter what we put out this issue will not be put to rest....Wedo not have time for this kind of silliness. Weve got betterstuff to do.

White House Correspondents Dinner April 30, 2011

Obama, who said he would "go a step further" in proving hewas born a U.S. citizen, revealed his "official birth video.

2011 Re-election Campaign October 25, 2011

Rick Perry Attention Stated the birtherissue is fun and agood issue to keep alive.

Many assume the crisis is over...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TwRmX6zs4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TwRmX6zs4

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Centers of Gravity

Receives more attention than the event itself...

Muslim &

ConcealingReligion

Born inKenya

Fake BirthCertificate

Adopted inIndonesia

DualCitizenship

White Houses

Lack of

Communication

Shifting Center of

Gravity

Over time became

the White Houses

Lack of

Communication with

the media/public

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Analysis & Evaluation

Overall Grade B

Initial Response - Effective

Used online media

Addressed multiple issues

Primary Response - Ineffective

Poorly Timed

Lost track of center of gravity

Was there a choice?

Would it all be settled if Obama released his "long form" birth certificate?

Would it be disadvantageous?

1. Speculation about why it took so long

2. Embolden adversaries demands

3. Open the door for more demands

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Key Takeaways

Time lapse added additional speculationCenter ofGravity

Democrat Base, Independents &Republican BaseMonitor KeyStakeholders

Be susceptible to questions

Keep communication open withfightthesmears.com

Transparency/

Quick Actions

Credible Sourceof Information

Make the White House the primary source

of valid information

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45% of Republicans surveyed said

Obama born outside the U.S.

57% said Obama was born in the

U.S.

19% believed that Obama born

outside the U.S. or were unsure wherehe was bornDemocratBase

48% of the independents believedthat Obama born outside the U.S. orwere unsure where he was born

Independents

AmericanPublic

Recovery Response

Keep Key Audiences in Mind -

Keep Key Issue in Mind - To maintain transparency in order to decrease media attention and rumors

about Obamas place of birth.

Republican

Base

Utilize Effective Media Online engagement

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Appendix

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PhasesWarning

Trouble is brewing.Acute

Crisis is most intense.Chronic

Many assume the

crisis is over.

ResolutionSupport your

organization's recovery.June 2004Obama delivers DNCSpeech

June 2008Fightthesmears.comestablished & ReleasesShort Form BirthCertificate

April 2011Long Form BirthCertificate is released

CurrentNon-believers still notconvinced seek moredocumentation

June 2004

Andy Martin Obamais a Muslim.

August 2008

Phillip Berg sues DNC

Post April 2011

Critics reject therelease

2004/2006Muslim WhisperCampaign

August 2008Hawaii reprints birthAnnouncement

Post April 2011News outlets notcovering necessaryissues, focus on birthcertificate

February 2007Obama Announcesrunning for USPresident

November 2008Obama ElectedPresident

April 2008Clinton SupporterSuggests Obama wasborn in Kenya

2008Tea Party & Right WingRepublicans Attention

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Ethical ConcernsNot presented b/c of time constraints, but wanted to address the

ethical issues

Ethnical Concerns of spreading rumors

The rumors spread against President Obama were many times unsubstantiated

and based on false facts.

The birth certificate issue is often brought up by celebrities or political candidateslooking to seek media attention.

Ethical Response

The White House had to respond in an ethical manner and not participate in rumor

spreading. TheFactCheck.org was an effective way to respond to the rumors without

participating in unethical actions.

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Sources

Roember, Bob. When the Balloon Goes Up: A Communicators Guide to Crisis

Response.

Obama Presidential Eligibility An Introductory Primer.

http://people.mags.net/tonchen/birthers.htm

A Hint of New Life to a McCain Birth Issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/us/politics/11mccain.html

Washington Post Poll. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-

srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.html

Half of Birthers Call it Suspicion;A Third Approve of Obama Anyway.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13martin.html?pagewanted=all

Obama Hits Back at Internet Slanders

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQ After-Birthers: How Conspiracy Theorists Reacted to Obamas Long-Form Birth

Certificate http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-

birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.php

One in four Americans think Obama was not born in the U.S.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.html

http://people.mags.net/tonchen/birthers.htmhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/us/politics/11mccain.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13martin.html?pagewanted=allhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.htmlhttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/after-birthers_how_conspiracy_theorists_reacted_to_obamas_birth_certificate.phphttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5juMJpMhCS5TDzEF2Ds-frHSuHQLQhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13martin.html?pagewanted=allhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13martin.html?pagewanted=allhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_05052011.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/us/politics/11mccain.htmlhttp://people.mags.net/tonchen/birthers.htm