President Obama natural born citizen flap: Fla. judge holds hearing on 'birther' ballot challenge

President Barack Obama says he's 'just okay' at debating, as his campaign continued trying to lower expectations ahead of his first face-off with Republican Mitt Romney.
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Posted: 06/18/2012

By: Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE — A judge is holding a hearing today on a ballot challenge alleging President Barack Obama is not a "natural born citizen."

The plaintiff represented by conservative legal activist Larry Klayman questions Obama's birth certificate showing he was born in Hawaii. It also argues that even if Obama was born in the United States he still is not a natural citizen because his father was a foreign national.

Lawyers for the president and Florida Department of State are asking Circuit Judge Terry Lewis to dismiss the case Monday.

They say the suit challenging Obama's placement on the 2012 Florida ballot as the Democratic presidential nominee fails to state a cause of action because he hasn't yet been nominated.

The suit describes plaintiff Michael Voeltz, as being a registered Democrat.