Rick Perry, Birther
It’s the right wing delusion that absolutely refuses to die.
Rick Perry tells Parade Magazine that after having dinner with Donald Trump, he’s suddenly “undecided” whether President Obama is really an American citizen.
Governor, do you believe that President Barack Obama was born in the United States?
I have no reason to think otherwise.That’s not a definitive, “Yes, I believe he”—
Well, I don’t have a definitive answer, because he’s never seen my birth certificate.But you’ve seen his.
I don’t know. Have I?You don’t believe what’s been released?
I don’t know. I had dinner with Donald Trump the other night.And?
That came up.And he said?
He doesn’t think it’s real.And you said?
I don’t have any idea. It doesn’t matter. He’s the President of the United States. He’s elected. It’s a distractive issue.
Who knows whether Perry really buys this racist paranoia himself — but he definitely recognizes its appeal to a right wing base that’s utterly disconnected from reality.