Poll: 14 percent believe Obama was born abroad; Washington Post: 'Birther' theory remains widespread despite debunking

By Jon Cohen

updated 7:07 a.m. PT, Fri., May 7, 2010
Asked an open-ended question about where President Barack Obama was born, 14 percent of Americans say he was born abroad - giving an incorrect answer that shows how widespread the misunderstanding of his birthplace is nearly a year and a half into his presidency.

Fully 68 percent of those surveyed in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll say, unprompted, that he was born in the United States, including 48 percent who accurately cite Hawaii. Another 9 percent say it's their "best guess" that he was born in this country, bringing the total saying he is U.S.-born to 77 percent.

Obama made light of the fuss over his nativity last week at the White House Correspondents