Ken Bennett, Arizona’s Secretary of State, has indicated that he is not a birther , but merely interested in proof of President Barack Obama’s citizenship before he’ll allow Obama’s name to appear on the Arizona ballot.
Bennett indicated during a radio interview that he is simply doing his job in ensuring “that those people whose names are on the ballot have met the qualifications for the office in which they are seeking.” He has been attempting to acquire documentation from Hawaii for eight weeks.
In a recently released statement, Bennett stated:
“First, I have been on the record since 2009 that I believe the President was born in Hawaii. I am not a birther. At the request of a constituent, I asked the state of Hawaii for a Verification in lieu of certified copy. We’re merely asking them to officially confirm they have the President’s birth certificate in their possession and are awaiting their response.”
“I’m not a birther. I believe the president was born in Hawaii — or at least I hope he was,” Bennett informed Mike Broomhead during a radio interview on KFYI, “but my responsibility as secretary of state is to make sure that the ballots in Arizona are correct and that those people whose names are on the ballot have met the qualifications for the office they are seeking.”
If Hawaii does not go through with giving Bennett the gratification of receiving his records, Bennett will take strong consideration in keeping Obama out of the Arizona state ballot. Bennett insists that this is not a political move, despite the fact that he plans on running for governor in 2014.