Trump Birther Comments Overshadow Romney Event
Comments (2)
Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2011 in Washington, D.C. (Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons)
In the past, Romney has nearly avoided the issue entirely by instead focusing his campaign efforts on the economy.
Romney's comments on the birther movement have been sparse, saying Sunday, "You know I don't agree with all the people who support me and my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Romney has tried to downplay his relationship with the real estate mogul, along with the topic, by carefully constructing his public appearances and limiting the visibility of Trump's involvement.
Trump first appeared on CNBC and raised doubts once more on whether or not Obama was born in Hawaii. The controversial mogul called out the press for refusing to cover "major questions," saying if it was anyone else the media would be attacking the topic.
Later, just hours before Romney went live at a Nevada rally, Trump turned to CNN and engaged in a heated battle with Wolf Blitzer on the birther topic.
From Talking Points Memo:
BLITZER: Donald, you’re beginning to sound a little ridiculous, I have to tell you.
TRUMP: You are, Wolf. Let me tell you something, I think you sound ridiculous, and if you’d ask me a question and let me answer it.
BLITZER: Here’s the question, did the conspiracy start in 1961 where the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the Advertiser contemporaneously published announcements that he was born in Hawaii?
TRUMP: Many people put those announcements in because they wanted to get the benefit because of getting so-called born in this country. Many people did it. It was something done by many people even though they weren’t born in the country. You know and I know it.
Media frenzies like today have been nothing, if not, beneficial for the Obama campaign.
In a statement released Tuesday, Obama's deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter criticized Romney for "his complete lack of moral leadership."
From the Los Angeles Times, Cutter's statement continued:
“Now he’s even standing by silently as Trump assails John McCain’s courage in standing up to the most extreme and hateful voices in the Republican Party — all in order to raise money for himself. If Mitt Romney lacks the backbone to stand up to a charlatan like Donald Trump because he's so concerned about lining his campaign's pockets, what does that say about the kind of president he would be?”
The statement reiterated the message of a new campaign video contrasting Romney's leadership with Sen. John McCain, who the Obama administration paints as a nominee who "stood up to the voices of extremism in his party."
Late Tuesday Romney's campaign stated directly that the presumptive GOP nominee does not share Trump's viewpoint on the authenticity of the president's birth certificate.
Reach Amanda Martinez here
Check out more of Neon Tommy's coverage of Trump and Romney below:
