Only a natural born citizen can become the president of the United States. President Barack Obama had a father from Kenya and some people believed that Obama was born in Kenya, making him ineligible to become president. Obama’s August 1961 newspaper birth announcements stated a Hawaiian birthplace. People skeptical of Obama’s true place of birth (and who demanded to see the full, original birth certificate that President Obama ultimately released in April 2011) were dubbed “birthers.” The term “birther” has a similar suffix as “truther” (a 9/11 conspiracy theorist) and is similar to “Bircher” (a member of the right-wing John Birch Society).
 
The term “birther” is usually derogatory. Dave Weigel used the term on December 5, 2008, and wrote this on December 7, 2008:
 
“Also: I think I originally coined the term ‘Birthers’ to describe the people who think the state of Hawaii and its time travel machine are concealing the truth about Obama’s birth on the roof of a mosque in Kenya. It’s not just the reference to 9/11 ‘truthers’ that I like. It’s the callback to the John Birch Society, id est the ‘Birchers.’”
 
“Biirfer” (a childish pronunciation, like “trufer” or “troofer” for “truther”) is cited in print from at least June 2009. The term “deather” was coined on May 2, 2011, to describe those skeptical about the death of terrorist Osama bin Laden.
 
   
Wikipedia: Barack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories about the citizenship of Barack Obama are ideas that reject the legitimacy of President Obama’s citizenship and his eligibility to be President of the United States. Some of these conspiracy theories allege that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii, and that his birth certificate is a forgery. Others allege that Obama is a citizen of Indonesia, or that because he had dual citizenship at birth (British and American), he is not a natural born citizen of the United States, which is a requirement to be President of the United States under Article Two of the United States Constitution. These conspiracy theories received attention in mid-2008 following Obama’s victory in the Democratic primaries, in late 2008–early 2009 with regard to the Electoral College vote and Obama’s inauguration, and again in mid-2009 following a lawsuit by Army reservist Stefan Cook.
 
These claims are promoted by a number of fringe theorists and political opponents who filed lawsuits that sought to disqualify Obama from standing or being confirmed as President, or to obtain additional proof that he is qualified. Three were filed with and dismissed by the Supreme Court of the United States. None of the cases have prevailed in lower courts. Although Obama was confirmed as president-elect by Congress on January 8, 2009, and sworn in as President on January 20, litigation continued into his presidency. Those promoting these conspiracy theories are frequently called “birthers”, a moniker that parallels the nickname “truthers” for adherents of 9/11 conspiracy theories.
 
The Obama campaign released a 2007 certified copy of his short form birth certificate (in this instance referred to as a “Certification of Live Birth”) that states Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961. Frequent arguments of those questioning Obama’s eligibility are that he has not released a photocopy of his “original” birth certificate, and that the use of the term “certification of live birth” on the document means it is not equivalent to one’s “birth certificate”. These arguments have been debunked numerous times by media investigations, every judicial forum that has addressed the matter, and Hawaiian government officials, a consensus of whom have concluded that the certificate released by the Obama campaign is indeed his official birth certificate. Asked about this, Hawaiian Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo stated that Hawaii “does not have a short-form or long-form certificate.” Moreover, the director of her Department has confirmed that the state “has Sen. Obama’s original birth certificate on record in accordance with state policies and procedures.”
 
Urban Dictionary
Birther
July 28, 2009 Urban Word of the Day
A conspiracy theorist who believes that Barack Obama is ineligible for the Presidency of the United States, based on any number of claims related to his place of birth, birth certificate, favorite birthday, or whether or not he has heard the song Africa by Toto.
“Did you know that Barack Obama’s parents concealed the location of his birth because they knew he would grow up to be President? What? Of course it makes sense, I’m a birther!”
by Brent Elliott Dec 8, 2008
 
Urban Dictionary
Birfers
Crazy people who think Barack Obama was not born in Hawaii, USA. They Claim his Birth Certificate (COLB) is a fake, he was born in Kenya, making him ineligible to be President.
Groups that fall under Birfers: PUMA, Fringe Right-wing Blogs, Conspiracy people, Bigots, Sore Losers and mentally unstable.
by Krownick Jan 28, 2009
     
Dave Weigel
Remember the “Obama Waffles” guys?
This thing was constructed on December 5, 2008, and it was categorized as Politics.
You remember them, right? The guys who sold waffle mix in a box that featured a slave-y looking Obama, and who were not racist at all?
 
Yeah, they’re Obama Birthers.
 
Dave Weigel
Radio Two: WIN
This thing was constructed on December 7, 2008, and it was categorized as Politics.
(...)
Also: I think I originally coined the term “Birthers” to describe the people who think the state of Hawaii and its time travel machine are concealing the truth about Obama’s birth on the roof of a mosque in Kenya. It’s not just the reference to 9/11 “truthers” that I like. It’s the callback to the John Birch Society, id est the “Birchers.”
       
Salon.com
Friday, Mar 6, 2009 16:00 ET
Obama “Birthers” slapped around by federal judge
In an opinion that features unusually scathing language, a judge dismissed a lawsuit about the president’s birth and eligibility for his job.
By Alex Koppelman
Finally, a judge has given the “Birthers”—the people who argue that President Obama is not eligible for the presidency—the spanking they so sorely deserve.
     
Stocks Go Up. Stocks Go Down. 
June 19, 2009…10:03 pm
Birfer
I will not accept that Angelina Jolie is a woman until I see her boobs & vagina! And photo-shopped pictures just will not do.
 
There’s a term some use for people like Taitz, and she doesn’t like it. It’s “birther”—or, if you want to be really mean, “birfer.” (The controversy was born on the Internet, so naturally the Internet gave it a goofy name.) While rumors about Obama’s background and citizenship simmered throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, after Election Day, those rumors coalesced into a near-religion for a group of true believers.
 
New York (NY) Times
The Buzzwords of 2009
By MARK LEIBOVICH and GRANT BARRETT
Published: December 19, 2009
(...)
birther
A person who believes that Barack Obama was not born in the United States and therefore can’t be president.