Relieved that birther issue is over: Obama

Barack Obama on Sunday took a dig at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying he is relieved that the birther issue is over after the real estate tycoon admitted that the outgoing American President was born in the US.

“There’s an extra spring in my step tonight,” Obama said in his address to the Congressional Black Caucus dinner here as the invited guests at the dinner burst into laughter.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I am so relieved that the whole birther thing is over,” he said.

Trump had on Friday said Obama was born in the US, putting an end to the controversy surrounding his birth place. Obama had earlier said he is “shocked” that a question of his birth place would come up at a time when other pressing issues are facing the nation. “I mean, ISIL, North Korea, poverty, climate change -- none of those things weighed on my mind - like the validity of my birth certificate,” he said on Sunday amidst another round of laughter. 

“To think that with just 124 days to go, under the wire, we got that resolved. I mean, that’s a boost for me in the home stretch. In other breaking news, the world is round, not flat,” he said as the audience again burst into laughter.

Obama’s second and last four-year term comes to an end January 20, 2017, when he would be replaced by either Trump or Hillary.