Trump again questions Obama's birth, 'embracing the issue'

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Double down? This was more like triple down.

The Donald was at it again, offering a full-throated defense of birtherism and birthers this morning on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown with Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie.

Asked if he wants to be taken seriously, why he continues to defend the false conspiracy theory that President Obama was not born in the United States, Donald Trump said, “Well, I do think it’s a serious issue. ... I am embracing the issue. I’m proud of the issue.” He claimed it is “not that much of a conspiracy… it’s really not.”

Trump, who says he's considering a run as a Republican for president in 2012, went further, chastising the media for using the term “birthers,” calling it “derogatory” to lots of “intelligent” people.

He said if it were true that the president weren’t born in the United States it would be the “greatest scam in the history of this country” and that there’s “certainly a chance” he’s not born in the U.S. He claimed Obama “could have come in after birth and could have been registered for purposes of hospitalization” or even “welfare.” “Excuse me,” he said, “I’ve grown up watching some of the great thieves of the world… this is peanuts compared to what these people do.”

He deadpanned later: “We all agree he was born.”

NBC’s Pete Williams reported on the birth announcement that appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser in 1961. Trump dismissed that, claiming the notice was “three days later. … Lots of things could happen.”

He added that “no nurses, no doctors, nobody came forward.” And he said that about 50 percent of Republicans “think he wasn’t born in the country” – and they’re “intelligent” people.

He even went so far as to almost question if Chuck Todd’s children were born in the United States after Todd said that he has “certificates of live birth” from DC. He contended that Todd could go down to the hospital where they were born and get authorization to get a more official “birth certificate” from the Department of Health -- provided they were born in the U.S., “which I assume they were,” Trump said.

Trump was also asked if he’s prepared for the financial scrutiny that would come with running for president. Official candidates for president are required to file financial disclosure forms. Asked, in particular, about his companies that have filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Trump became defensive.

“I never went bankrupt,” Trump said, trying to draw a distinction between personal bankruptcy and putting a company into Chapter 11. “Many of the biggest people in this country, many times have filed Chapter 11s on various companies in order to reduce debts.” He added, “I’ve done an unbelievable job” and used the laws of the country to help his companies.

Asked then if the United States should file for bankruptcy, Trump said no. “I wouldn’t recommend that,” he said, because the United States has more leverage.

On Libya, Trump said he didn’t “know enough” about the rebels to arm them.

On his decision to run for president, he said, “I will make a decision sometime prior to June.

“We’ll all have a lot of fun together.”

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44 presidents 43 BC

    Reply#137 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:04 PM EDT

    Non of our presidents were born before Christ.

    • 1 vote
    #137.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:07 PM EDT

    Proof !! I wanna see proof !

    • 1 vote
    #137.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:13 PM EDT
    Reply

    “Excuse me,” he said, “I’ve grown up watching some of the great thieves of the world… this is peanuts compared to what these people do.”

    He does look in the mirror at least once a day.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#138 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:04 PM EDT

     I quess we could say the same thing about the Donald... If the theory he is using is to be accepted then perhaps he wasn't born in the US either.  As for the Bankruptcies ... just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done.  Of course why should he worry about how it affected the lives and businesses of those that he owed money to;  He come out ahead.

      Reply#139 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:04 PM EDT

      Trump has made better decisions in two minutes on his show than Obama has in two years in office.....

        Reply#140 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:08 PM EDT

        you are exactly correct.

          #140.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:02 PM EDT
          Reply

          I have only a certificate of live birth and it is a certified photo copy provided by the state of Minnesota, no doctors names nor is the address of my (parents) anywhere on the form. Am I not a US citizen? It was good enough for the US Navy back in 69.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#141 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:08 PM EDT

          Neil Abercrombie, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., came to Hawaii in 1959 to study sociology at the University of Hawaii. As a teaching assistant, he met and befriended Obama's father, a native of Kenya. Obama's mother was born in Kansas and met and married his father while the two were college students in Hawaii. Obama was born at Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu on Aug. 4, 1961. But in 2008, as Obama ran for president, allegations appeared online among "birthers" claiming, without proof, that he was born in Kenya. That June, the Obama campaign released a Certificate of Live Birth - an official document from the Hawaii Health Department certifying the facts of a person's birth - as proof of his birthplace.

          Investigations by two prominent fact-checking organizations, PolitiFact and FactCheck.org, concluded that the certificate was authentic. FactCheck also turned up a 1961 birth announcement in a local newspaper, The Honolulu Advertiser, marking the birth of a son to "Mr. and Mrs. Barack H. Obama of Kalanianaole Hwy."

          Now, this might be enough for most people, but not for the "birthers", some of whom were surprised to find that Hawaai is a state.

          • 3 votes
          Reply#142 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:11 PM EDT

          Many of the birthers think that the sun revolves around the earth. Wouldn’t you love to see the results of a literacy test given to a bunch of birthers.

          • 2 votes
          #142.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:16 PM EDT

          Jim...don't forget...many of them also think that the earth is only a few thousand years old. It's not like they've given us a lot to work with in terms of our view of their intelligence level.

          • 2 votes
          #142.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:25 PM EDT

          Yep, science is very confusing for them. They are a superstitious lot and violent too. Guns and bibles.

            #142.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:13 PM EDT
            Reply

            If Barack Obama had red hair and blue eyes and was named Brendan O'Brien, and if his father were Irish instead of Kenyan, and if he spent part of his childhood in the UK instead of Indonesia, I seriously doubt there would even be a "birther" movement. Oh sure there might be a few people running around screeching "Where's his birth certificate??!?!? How do we know he wasn't born in Ireland?!?!!? He's not qualified to be POTUS?!?!?!?! It's a conspiracy I tell you!?!?! A conspiracy?!?!?!" but they would be regarded as the tin-foil-hat-wearing crazies that they are, and they would be ignored, as they should be.

            The "birther movement" to discredit Barack Obama and somehow prove that he is not a citizen, despite all REASONABLE evidence to the contrary, represents an unfortunately large segment of society who refuse to accept the fact that for the first time in our history, we have elected a non-white POTUS.

            Their narow minds cannot process the reality that Barack Obama represents: America is changing. We are inexorably approaching the day when white europeans will no longer be the majority population this country. America is becoming multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious (and for as many as 1 in 5 of us, non-religious.) No longer will white, christian males dominate the culture.

            The birthers cannot wrap their pointy heads around this reality, and desperately cling to a past that no longer exists, desperately wanting to cling to the notion that we can somehow go back to the 1950s, when minorities and women were seldom seen, and never heard, in the corridors of power.

            In short, the birthers cannot handle the truth.

            And Donald Trump is a douchenozzle.

            • 3 votes
            Reply#143 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:13 PM EDT

            let me assure you Howitis, that if it was red hair, green hair, blue hair, or from greece, italy, whereever the POINT is we don't know for the absolute TRUTH that OBAMA is American! It's a simple statement. We DO NOT want a 'foreigner' in the White House no matter where the hell they're from or what color their hair or skin is. I for one am not real keen on jeparodizing my country's well being nor it's people because some empty suit backed by a global governance movement is sitting in the WH. Got it!

            • 1 vote
            #143.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:22 PM EDT

            howitis-What a predictably racist diatribe ....but typical of someone who has no facts on his side, so accuse, accuse, accuse.........LOL

            • 1 vote
            #143.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:23 PM EDT

            A newspaper annoucement, certificate of live birth (birth certificate) and the assurance of those who knew his mother that he was, in fact, born in Hawaii are not enough for you? Sounds like your minds are made up and you refuse to be detered by facts.

            • 3 votes
            #143.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:26 PM EDT

            annirich

            Go ahead and say it. You don't want a Black Man in the White House.

            • 2 votes
            #143.4 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:34 PM EDT

            Howitis, That's exactly the problem.

            • 1 vote
            #143.5 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:58 PM EDT

            I think annirich would be ok with a black man in the white house as long as he doesn't use the front door.

            • 1 vote
            #143.6 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:15 PM EDT
            Reply

            keep drinking that kool aid therman...

            obamalamadingdong need to step down....come on down barry lol

              Reply#144 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:14 PM EDT

              Donald Trump is an egotistical liar who is rich because of his daddy's money. next

              • 1 vote
              Reply#145 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:14 PM EDT

              Are you people comfortable with Obama's 1997 membership to the American Democratic Socialistic Party? Now that one I can verify; I started researching Obama in 2007; that was one of the sites that came up. Photo and all of Obama accepting his membership card. He was the "newest member". Of course it's been scrubbed since as has various reports on him.

              Let me ask you something else; doesn't it bother you that his czars were pretty much all either socialists or marxists? And that Bill Ayers has recently admitted that he wrote "Dreams of My Father'...not Obama. And that even though all of Obama's school transcripts have been 'frozen' and the Dems pushed him as being "supremely bright"....word is out that in fact he wasn't? Doesn't it seem strange that he runs unopposed for the IL senate seat, serves 42 months, votes 'present' 102 times and becomes President??? Strange very strange. And all the while you've got people like Cass Sustein, (radical), Carole Browner, self-professed socialist, Harold Koh, Sharia Law, Donald Berwick, proponent of health rationing...I mean, it's like there's not one single person around Obama who isn't either a socialist, marxist, or muslim? Is that okay with everyone????

              • 1 vote
              Reply#146 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:18 PM EDT

              Do you have any links to share?

                #146.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:21 PM EDT

                Bill Ayers wrote "Dreams of My Father"!!!! Wow, you believe anything, don't you. Where did you hear that load of BS? I'd love to see the link to the lie factory that produced that one. Anni, you take the cake.

                  #146.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:22 PM EDT

                  Sounds pretty fox-ish. Are you being paid to spread this drivel or are you trully convinced that what you are saying is true. You might want to research that University of Maryland study about fox and reality

                  • 1 vote
                  #146.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:23 PM EDT

                  Do you have any links to share?

                  He doesn't people have asked before.

                    #146.4 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:23 PM EDT

                    I think if you would get off of here and get out there and READ instead of cloistered within your leftie lib circle you might learn a whole big bunch but I realize that it's easier to hide your head for the "sake of the party"!

                    • 1 vote
                    #146.5 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:24 PM EDT

                    Still waiting for the link about Bill Ayers, Anni.

                      #146.6 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:29 PM EDT

                      annirich: And so, please provide links to your "facts" so we will be able to read what you are claiming is true.

                        #146.7 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:29 PM EDT

                        I think if you would get off of here and get out there and READ instead of cloistered within your leftie lib circle you might learn a whole big bunch but I realize that it's easier to hide your head for the "sake of the party"!

                        Again: the burden of proof is on you. Put up or shut up. Personally, I think you're a bitter, old and angry person overfull of self-deceit.

                        There is no consipracy.

                          #146.8 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:30 PM EDT

                          That site was scrubbed which again was another red-flag for me. I didn't want McCain but after researching Obama there was absolutely NO way I was voting for him. Not only was it what I found out about him, but what I didn't! If a person isn't up-front with information forget it especially when it comes to the presidency for cripes sake. What did you people think of Rev Wright? 20 years in the pew Obama was; married, kids baptised the whole nine yards. Go out there; have you found the videos yet? Obama's words: "I know because I am Muslim"...Michelle's words..."and while on vacation we stopped off in my husband's birth place Kenya"....... get off here and start your research.

                            #146.9 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:37 PM EDT

                            annirich

                            You are indeed in need of an education. I feel sorry for you.

                              #146.10 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:38 PM EDT

                              Still waiting on your research links, annirich.

                              By the way, how many copies of The Catcher in the Rye do you own?

                                #146.11 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:41 PM EDT
                                Reply

                                Job1

                                You are black, right? You are also the biggest racist here. You have been so busy calling everyone else racist that I am starting to wonder what your point is. Why don't you just kick back and read some of the comments with an open mind and you may realize how childish your comments sound. If you have a grievance for being black that is an issue you should take up with your parents.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#147 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:18 PM EDT

                                Rangewolf

                                I'm not black. I'm a person who is start enough not to fall for all of the crap that you birthers and Tea Baggers fall for. You are just acting stupid.

                                • 2 votes
                                #147.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:42 PM EDT
                                Reply

                                Donald Trump can't produce his own birth certificate. Google

                                Donald Trump's 'birth certificate' stirs controversy

                                for details.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#148 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:19 PM EDT

                                I believe BO was born in Hawaii. That said, I'm a little perplexed why he doesn't just release his birth certificate, and put this to bed. I don't understand why BO would want this kind of distraction.

                                  Reply#149 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:21 PM EDT

                                  good question. Why do you think? Ask him for his school transcripts and see what you get? All the other presidents put theirs out there but not this guy??

                                    #149.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:29 PM EDT

                                    ALL the other presidents? Did you see George Washington's birth certificate? Wasn't he born in another country? OH OH!!!

                                      #149.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:30 PM EDT

                                      anni: Love to see your birth certificate that proves you were born in this galaxy.

                                        #149.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:31 PM EDT

                                        Lakerman-actually I was referring to school transcripts. You know the Dems kept telling us how stunningly bright Obama was yet we have nothing to indicate that????

                                          #149.4 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:39 PM EDT

                                          Waiting on your fact-finding links, annirich.

                                            #149.5 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:00 PM EDT
                                            Reply

                                            Question for birthers: Do you believe that OJ Simpson killed his wife and her boyfriend, or was it conspiracy involving the LA Police to frame him?

                                              Reply#150 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:26 PM EDT

                                              This Trump thing is a bigger flop than his own toupée. Why would anything he says be in the news?

                                                Reply#151 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:27 PM EDT

                                                I want proof Trump was born on this planet!

                                                  Reply#152 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:28 PM EDT

                                                  If you don't care where your pResident was born, why would you care about Trump?

                                                    #152.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:42 PM EDT
                                                    Reply

                                                    The birthers are almost as stupid as the members of the Flat earth Society.

                                                      Reply#153 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:30 PM EDT

                                                      Well, well, The quantity of negatives the Commies have thrown at the DON seem to have them jittery already and the 2012 election battle lines is way up front. Loons, blowhard, assinine, ass, jerk, dickhead and a host of unpolitical stinkies, sure shows the Lefties are drooling over the DON. I wonder why? Is it that he represents Capitalism and that means millions of jobs, is it that he will tell China to get lost? Is it that Obamba's dream of a Socialist society has been deflated. Seems like the end of the world is coming down on the empty heads of the Dems and they are screaming mad. The DON seem to have touched a raw, rough nerve ending of the Dems. Other than Clinton and his Monica, Obamba and his birth certificate are the talking points of the day.I'd like to know and millions would like to know why Obamba spent millions to seal his academic records, his birth records and what is in those records. I'd like to know wouldn't you? Can anyone take an educated guess? Let's try a few: Born a Muslim, Foreign born, Mother's profession :Hippie, Anchor Baby, Father's profession: Hobo, No name on the Birth paper. And lastly, lligetimate. Come on guys lets have some fun at this jigsaw puzzle.

                                                      • 2 votes
                                                      Reply#154 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:31 PM EDT

                                                      You're joking, right?

                                                        #154.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:36 PM EDT

                                                        Yup! The Tea Baggers are here!

                                                          #154.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:42 PM EDT

                                                          Juven: I'm with ya'....2012 is going to be interesting no doubt! No One but No One has PROVEN who this guy Obama is?? He's been Kenya's "Son of the Soil"...their soil...now President of the United States and how proud they are. Google Kenya's Parliamentary Meeting Minutes Nov 5 2008 and READ.

                                                            #154.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:42 PM EDT

                                                            Ann -- oh, it's going to be interesting, all right. With all the whack jobs coming forward to throw their name into the ring for the Repubs? I CAN'T WAIT to watch those debates! But, you know what's going to be even more entertaining? Watching all of you guys cry in your cornflakes when Obama wins his second term and Dems gain back the majority in both houses of Congress.

                                                            Pass the popcorn...I can't wait for 2012!

                                                            • 1 vote
                                                            #154.4 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:58 PM EDT
                                                            Reply

                                                            Oh, annirch ... in regards to your Occidental BS. I didn't need to scour google. snopes was a one-stop-shop.

                                                            http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/occidental.asp

                                                              Reply#155 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:34 PM EDT

                                                              and who is behind Snopes? They were discredited quite some time ago.

                                                                #155.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:43 PM EDT

                                                                You are unbelievably full of sh*t. Link please for the discrediation of snopes. Factcheck.org seems to think they're on the up-and-up.

                                                                http://factcheck.org/2009/04/snopescom/

                                                                • 1 vote
                                                                #155.2 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:57 PM EDT

                                                                Snopes=David and Barbara Mikkelson; Sand Fernando Valley CA. Started Snopes 13 years ago as a hobby. Left Democrats.

                                                                  #155.3 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:05 PM EDT

                                                                  Youjustsaid --

                                                                  Well, ann does have a point. As Stephen Colbert said "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

                                                                  • 2 votes
                                                                  #155.4 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:05 PM EDT

                                                                  Little Orphan Anni,

                                                                  Did you bother reading the factcheck link, or are they too liberal, as well?

                                                                  • 1 vote
                                                                  #155.5 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:55 PM EDT

                                                                  LOL!

                                                                    #155.6 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:24 PM EDT
                                                                    Reply

                                                                    hows this for your hope and change?? this guy barry wants illegals to succeed in this country!! you know why? because hes illegal him self!!!

                                                                      Reply#156 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:35 PM EDT

                                                                      Lostplanet????????? Well that explains you.

                                                                        #156.1 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:44 PM EDT
                                                                        Reply

                                                                          Reply#157 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:36 PM EDT

                                                                          Here's the beauty part: Birthers think that Obama's parents conspired to put a birth announcement in the Hawaaian paper two days after he was born. Maybe they jumped on a plane with a day old baby and rushed down to the news office with a faked birth certificate. His father said to his mother, "Thank God we did this, because one day he will run for President of the United States."

                                                                            Reply#158 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:36 PM EDT

                                                                            EVERYONE should be asking to see an official birth certificate, if one even exists. If he was born in the U.S. he should have NO problem showing it. But obviously he does have a problem with that. It should be a law if you do NOT show your birth certificate when asked you WILL be sent to Gitmo as a terrorist. I bet he would show it then, or step down. Problem solved. NEXT!!!!

                                                                            • 1 vote
                                                                            Reply#159 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:37 PM EDT
                                                                            kkrimmerDeleted

                                                                            It's obvious why you don't get to see his long form birth certificate because it lists his religion as Muslim

                                                                              Reply#161 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:38 PM EDT

                                                                              idk why the wont post my link? but he just did a speech few days ago when illegal immigrant ask him a question about why he getting a deportation letters from INS...look it up they wont let me post the link for some reason

                                                                                Reply#162 - Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:39 PM EDT
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