'Birther' backs Hayworth, assails McCain

Andy Barr -
Feb. 25, 2010 12:45 PM
POLITICO.COM .

One the leaders of the so-called "birthers" is stepping up to defend former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Olry Taitz – a California dentist and lawyer who has filed lawsuits alleging that Barack Obama is not a citizen and therefore ineligible to be president – is taking offense at an ad McCain's campaign released Wednesday linking Hayworth with her .

The ad, titled "Identity," begins with the text, "These are serious economic times. Yet some are consumed by conspiracies," before cutting to video of Taitz, another prominent birther, Phillip Berg, and Hayworth all questioning Obama's citizenship.

"The only difference between these three people? Only one is running for the U.S. Senate," the narrator of the ad concludes.

Taitz responded a post on her Web site, attacking McCain, who is being challenged by Hayworth in the GOP primary, for "ignoring the most important issue the country is facing today."

Taitz called the ad – which she misspelled as "add" throughout the post – "despicable" and "appalling."

She went on to challenge the four-term senator to a televised debate on the president's citizenship.

"Senator McCain owes me and my clients an apology and an opportunity to discuss this matter with him on the merits on the national TV, as his add was shown all over the national TV and all over the internet, on a widely watched show, such as Sean Hannity['s] show," she wrote.

Hayworth has not outright declared that the president is not a citizen, but has flirted with the line in numerous recent occasions.

In January on MSNBC's "Hardball," he urged Obama to "come forward with the information" and last week he told CNN's "Campbell Brown" that he would like to see candidates across the country compelled to present their birth certificates so "people can confirm who they said they are."

Hayworth's statements have clearly endeared him to Taitz, who urged her supporters to "help" the former Congressman and radio host in two posts on her site.

The Arizona Republic is a member of the Politico Network.

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