Mar 29, 2011

Pawlenty: Obama's birth certificate no issue

02:40 PM

At least one Republican isn't interested in President Obama's birth certificate.

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, a likely GOP presidential candidate next year, said today on MSNBC's Morning Joe, "I, for one, do not believe that we should be raising that issue. ... I think President Obama was born in the United States."

That puts Pawlenty somewhat at odds with another potential Republican candidate, billionaire real estate mogul and television personality Donald Trump.

Trump is increasingly challenging Obama's citizenship, telling Fox News, "All of the sudden, a lot of facts are emerging, and I am starting to wonder myself whether he was born in this country."

President Obama departs the White House today for New York City.CAPTIONBy Carolyn Kaster, APThe Donald went so far as to produce his own birth certificate -- though Politico says it's not an "official" birth certificate.

Pawlenty had nothing but nice things to say about Trump: "I think he's talented. I think he's funny. I think he's interesting." And he "might be" a serious candidate, Pawlenty added.

Pawlenty cited CNN's coverage of the "birther" issue.

The network said:

It should be noted that CNN and other news organizations have thoroughly debunked the rumors about the president's birthplace. Hawaii has released a copy of the president's birth certificate - officially called a "certificate of live birth" -- and the hospital where he was born took out ads in two Hawaiian newspapers in 1961 announcing the birth.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... no-issue/1