TVNewser has learned CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein sent an email to a handful of "Lou Dobbs Tonight" staffers last night regarding the coverage of the so-called birthers and the validity of Pres. Obama's birth in the U.S.

In part, Klein writes, "It seems this story is dead- because anyone who still is not convinced doesn't really have a legitimate beef." Klein asked CNN researchers to dig into the question of why Obama couldn't produce the original birth certificate. The researchers contacted the Hawaii Health Dept. and confirmed that paper documents were discarded in 2001 when the department went paperless. That reportedly includes Pres. Obama's original birth certificate.

Last night on Dobbs' show, CNN analyst Roland Martin and Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), one of nine co-sponsors of a bill that would certify Presidential candidates' U.S. births going forward, debated the issue. A very fired-up Martin who thinks the whole issue is "hilarious" got a bit of a scolding from Dobbs: "Roland, I would like you to remember, if you would, and I'm trying to be as nice as I can be, but you are yelling and getting awfully excited about something that doesn't require this." By the way, Dobbs has said over and over and over again that he believes Obama was born in the U.S.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who has also been covering this story extensively, has been showing his viewers a "Certificate of Live Birth" validated by the state of Hawaii. But that's not enough for some people who still believe without an original birth certificate, that Pres. Obama was not born in the United States, a qualification to be president.

> Earlier: CNN Separates Itself From Lou Dobbs' Birther Commentary...

> More: TVNewser has obtained the email which Klein sent just as last night's show was starting, and how Dobbs' producers included the information into the segment. Click continued...

----- Original Message -----
From: Klein, Jon (CNN)
Sent: Thu Jul 23 19:00:44 2009
Subject: Important re birth certificate

I asked the political researchers to dig into the question "why couldn't Obama produce the ORIGINAL birth certificate?"

This is what they forwarded. It seems to definitively answer the question. Since the show's mission is for Lou to be the explainer and enlightener, he should be sure to cite this during your segment tonite. And then it seems this story is dead - because anyone who still is not convinced doesn't really have a legitimate beef.

Thx

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*In 2001 - the state of Hawaii Health Department went paperless.*Paper documents were discarded*The official record of Obama's birth is now an official ELECTRONIC record Janice Okubo, spokeswoman for the Health Department told the Honolulu Star Bulletin, "At that time, all information for births from 1908 (on) was put into electronic files for consistent reporting," she said.

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Transcript from Lou Dobbs Tonight - 07.23.09

DOBBS: ....And a number of Americans are asking, why not? The left-wing media has attacked me because I simply asked the question. Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii says it can't release a paper copy of the president's original birth certificate because they say the state government discarded the original document when the health department records went electronic some eight years ago.

That explanation, however, has not satisfied some critics. Joining me now, Roland Martin. He's CNN contributor, syndicated columnist. And joining us as well, Congressman Ted Poe.