Trump takes credit for Obama birth certificate release, but wonders "is it real?"
Donald Trump
/ AP Photo/Richard DrewUpdated: 10:59 a.m. ET
Donald Trump took credit on Wednesday for President Obama's decision to release a copy of his long-form birth certificate, and said he felt "really honored" to have "played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully getting rid of this issue."
Obama: Media must stop focusing on "sideshows"Obama releases long-form birth certificate
Speaking to reporters after arriving in New Hampshire via helicopter, Trump emphasized that "we have to see, is it real?" but noted that he hopes the birth certificate "checks out."
"I am really honored frankly to have played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully, getting rid of this issue," he said. "We have to look at it, we have to see is it real, is it proper, what's on it, but I hope it checks out beautifully. I am really proud, I am really honored."
"It is rather amazing that all the sudden it materializes, but I hope it's the right deal," Trump added. "I'm really proud that I was able to bring this to a point."
The real estate mogul, who is considering a bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, has made a splash in recent weeks by pushing "birther"-inspired claims that the president may not have been born in the United States and thus may not be a U.S. citizen.
That theory had been thoroughly debunked by a number of sources, but nevertheless, Mr. Obama on Wednesday released his long-form birth certificate in an attempt to shift the debate away from the issue.
"Now, normally, I would not comment on something like this, because, obviously, there's a lot of stuff swirling in the press at any given day and, you know, I've got other things to do," said Mr. Obama. "But two weeks ago, when the Republican House had put forward a budget that will have huge consequences potentially to the country, and when I gave a speech about my budget and how I felt that we needed to invest in education and infrastructure and making sure that we had a strong safety net for our seniors even as we were closing the deficit, during that entire week, the dominant news story wasn't about these huge, monumental choices that we're gonna have to make as a nation, it was about my birth certificate. And that was true on most of the news outlets that were represented here."
"We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," he added.
Trump said Mr. Obama "should have [released the birth certificate] a long time ago" but declined to answer questions based on the hypothetical situation that Mr. Obama's birth certificate does not check out.
The business magnate did, however, reiterate questions about Mr. Obama's educational history, repeating recent claims that "the word is [the president] wasn't a good student and he ended up getting into Columbia and Harvard." (When a reporter asked for his source on the allegation that Mr. Obama did poorly in school, Trump said he had read things in the media.)
Throughout his appearance, Trump cited recent poll numbers putting him at the top of the GOP presidential pack, and attempted to dispel the notion that his recent political efforts were merely part of a publicity campaign for his television show, NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice."
"A lot of people think I'm having a good time," he said. "I'm not having a good time."
Trump said he would announce his political intentions before June and after the May 22 season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice."
"I think you're going to be very surprised," he told reporters. "I think if I do run, I'll do very well... I'm already leading the polls and I'm not running."
"I think I'd beat Obama," he added.
Trump also attempted to address policy issues, hitting Mr. Obama on the economy, Libya and China, and generally arguing that "the president doesn't know what he's doing."
He did not, however, say whether or not he would now be releasing his tax returns - despite recently suggesting that he would make those public when Mr. Obama produced his long-form birth certificate.
Trump is reportedly scheduled to make eight stops in his day-long tour of New Hampshire, a crucial early primary state.
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The bottom line in all this Trump/birther nonsense is simply their unbridled hatred for the President. They all want to erase him from history. They refuse to accept his legitimacy as a citizen of the United States, his legitimacy as our President, or even as human being.
All this garbage demonstrates just how desperate the GOP has become overall. They KNOW that not ONE of their potential candidates can defeat President Obama, so they will try to have him removed from office by any means, at any cost.
This is what the GOP has become. That's the dirty politics they will play; however, I think the harder they try to defame the President, the harder they are going to fall in 2012. They are so logic challenged apparently they cannot even see their impending implosion.
by Mmmrng April 27, 2011 11:43 PM EDT
I always thought he was and wondered why he would not show the real thing. I thought it showed him as all white or a different papa or some reason he refused to show it.
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You admitted your desire to see Obama's birth certificate had nothing to do with determining legal qualifications. As you have yet to badger white candidates for the same information you; clearly believe non-whites are on this earth for your own amusement allowing you to harass them solely because of their race in order to invade their privacy again for nothing more than your own racist amusement, Mmmrng
Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20057812-503544.html#ixzz1KokZvMMX
own amusement.
Making bets that you can't afford to lose...even when you're CERTAIN that the other guy won't call your bluff...
Is how this loud-mouthed, egotistical jerk managed to lose 3 casinos in a business where the house NEVER loses.
Of course, all they did to him for that was take his casinos away...
In this case, aside from showing himself up as a lying con-man whose word is entirely worthless by not releasing his tax records as he promised (and he most definitely won't)...
What penalty will Trump pay for reneging on a pledge he made sure the entire world heard about?
He'll probably suffer nothing worse than the universal disdain reserved for one who is found to be totally devoid of honor...just as he always came out unscathed in his various bankruptcies.
I guess he just didn't care what all the investors, contractors and suppliers who foolishly had faith in him to keep his word and fulfill his contracts and agreements...and were left holding the bag and often ruined while he walked away intact...thought about his "honor"
You called the tune, Trump...why ain't you dancin'?
Making bets that you can't afford to lose...even when you're CERTAIN that the other guy won't call your bluff...
Is how this loud-mouthed, egotistical jerk managed to lose 3 casinos in a business where the house NEVER loses.
Of course, all they did to him for that was take his casinos away...
In this case, aside from showing himself up as a lying con-man whose word is entirely worthless by not releasing his tax records as he promised (and he most definitely won't)...
What penalty will Trump pay for reneging on a pledge he made sure the entire world heard about?
He'll probably suffer nothing worse than the universal disdain reserved for one who is found to be totally devoid of honor...just as he always came out unscathed in his various bankruptcies.
I guess he just didn't care what all the investors, contractors and suppliers who foolishly had faith in him to keep his word and fulfill his contracts and agreements...and were left holding the bag and ruined while he walked away intact...thought about his "honor"
You called the tune, Trump...why ain't you dancin'?