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Don't Worry, America: Donald Trump Will Get To The Bottom Of Obama's Mysterious Origins
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 7, 2011
Modified Apr 7, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 7, 2011
Modified Apr 7, 2011
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Usually when Donald Trump appears on the Today Show, it's to promote Celebrity Apprentice. But now, as he's apparently a surging potential 2012 Republican candidates, the "You're Fired!"-er took the time to promise he's going to figure out the biggest "mystery" of 2008: Where President Barack Obama was born. Born again-birther Trump said, "Three weeks ago when I started, I thought he was probably born in this country. Right now, I have some real doubts," and added that he's got investigators on the ground in Hawaii, "I have people that actually have been studying it and they cannot believe what they’re finding."
Yesterday, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found he was tied with Mike Huckbee for second place (after Mitt Romney); a Public Policy Polling poll from Tuesday had second after Romney. Wily Republican operative Roger Stone, who is a friend of Trump's, wrote on his website:
Romney is widely expected to pass on the Iowa caucuses hoping to begin a winning streak in New Hampshire. Trump could frustrate his plans by doing better than expected in Iowa and beating Romney in Granite State.
In the Romney finance call Spencer Zwick, who is Romney's Finance Chairman responded to a question saying that Trump "is an interesting prospect in the race and has high name recognition which is what explains his poll numbers. When the voters take a closer look at his actual business record as well his personal life, then Trump will be on the defensive. He isn't facing any scrutiny now and is able to get on a lot of TV exposure. In some ways, we are happy because even against Trump, Gov. Romney remains as the front runner with a lot of room to grow. Trump has a ceiling of support in the primary."
But, anyway, back to issues that matter, Trump went on about Obama's birth certificate to Today's Meredith Vieira, "His grandmother in Kenya said he was born in Kenya, and she was there and witnessed the birth. He doesn’t have a birth certificate or he hasn’t shown it. He has what’s called a certificate of live birth. That is something that’s easy to get. When you want a birth certificate, it’s hard to get."
When Vieira spoke to a later Today show guest, Bill Cosby, about Trump's potential presidential chances, Cos said the developer was "full of it" and "You run or shut up." Vieira mentioned that if Trump did run, "you’ve got to take it seriously," but Cosby said, "No, I don’t. Not him, not him. Look, people have run for president for any reason. Come on, open your mouth — run!"
Tagged
bill cosby
birther
donald trump
election 2012
hawaii
mitt romney
president obama
Roger Stone
today show
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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