Arizona Passes Birther Bill

Arizona's legislature has passed its latest controversial piece of legislation, this time its so-called birther bill requiring presidential candidates to prove their citizenship before their names can appear on the state's ballot. The bill is a national first, and could force a showdown in court to decide whether the president's certificate of live birth is sufficient for him to seek re-election, notes the AP.

Democrats opposing the bill were incredulous: "Arizona is in the midst of a fiscal crisis. We've cut school funding. And they pass a bill questioning Obama's citizenship? For real?" said one. The bill's author, Republican Carl Seel, denied that partisanship motivated the bill: "Mr. Obama drew the question out, but it's not about him," he said, adding that Obama would need to demonstrate further proof of citizenship. Gov. Jan Brewer, who has until Thursday to sign the bill, called it "an interesting piece of legislation. I certainly have not given it a whole lot of thought with everything that's been on my plate." (More birther stories.)