GOP Rep: I Haven’t Seen Enough Evidence That Obama Is Citizen
Updated below.
This town hall meeting in North Carolina didn’t appear to get swamped by the Tea Party brigade, but at least one birther did make an appearance: The meeting’s host, GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry. The Charlotte Observer reports:
At a town hall forum in Lincolnton Wednesday night, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry said he was unconvinced that President Obama is a U.S. citizen.
During a three-hour question-and-answer session, primarily on health-care reform, Lincolnton resident Alan Hoyle asked if McHenry thinks Obama is a citizen. McHenry answered, “I haven’t seen enough evidence one way or the other.”
As far as I can tell, McHenry is a new convert to the birther cause. Searching for audio or video, and will update if I find…
Update: McHenry’s office says the paper mischaracterized his remarks, and sends over this statement:
“As I stated last night, I have not carefully reviewed the evidence as a jurist would. However, from what I have read, I have absolutely no reason to question President Obama’s citizenship. I anticipate that as a legal matter the courts will continue to come to the same conclusion.”
Update: Ask and ye shall receive. McHenry’s spokesman confirms that he has absolutely no doubt whatsoever that Obama was born in the U.S. and is legitimately president.
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So yesterday we see GOP Senator Chuck Grassley and chairman
Alan KeyesMichael Steele stand behind Palin’s “death panels.” Now we have another Republican signing on to the conspiracy theory our president is a foreign-born enemy of our country.And these are the people we are supposed to have a serious and honest national discussion with to come up with a bipartisan plan to reform health care in America?
Chris, see update…
The update does indeed include a walking back of McHenry’s townhall comment. This is a textbook case of GOP plausible deniability. Say something in front of a large group of constituents, and if questioned on it retract or clarify (in which case, the message has already been sent and few actually see the retraction–this blog notwithstanding)
Thanks GS.
That’s the same clarification they all give. It’s a crock. This dude saw that PPP poll showing that most of the GOP loonybirds in his state don’t think Obama was born here and re-acted as he thinks they would want him to react. It’s a wink and a nod – the birthers will look at both statements and say, “He’s really with us…he just has to say what he said in that clarification so the liberal media doesn’t crucify him.”
I simply cannot believe this **** anymore. This has been one depressing week for anyone who cares about this country at all.
“However, from what I have read, I have absolutely no reason to question President Obama’s citizenship. I anticipate that as a legal matter the courts will continue to come to the same conclusion.””
That’s a chickenshit reply if I ever heard one. It’s denying while not denying.
Well, he’s from NC, and on Rachel’s show last night she showed the results of a poll (can’t remember which polling organization) that showed that something like 12% of North Carolinians don’t think Hawaii is a state. THAT’S who we’re dealing with! Talk about low information voters. . .
“that showed that something like 12% of North Carolinians don’t think Hawaii is a state. THAT’S who we’re dealing with! Talk about low information voters. . .”
I saw that.
The only thing I can say is that when you have a poll that shows a large majority – in this case I think 54% total knew Hawaii is a state, I’m not sure why people come down talking about the minority who are idiots.
But I saw it and I get the point.
Sorry but that new statement isn’t really a rebuttal of what the paper reported. He said “one way or the other” according to the paper and its in quotes. He doesn’t dispute he said that. And that inherently meant that he wasn’t willing to state in front of the crowd that he believes Presidetnt Obama is a native born citizen.
That he is now trying to come back and fix it from the comfort in his own office is just cowardly. Hell if you are gonna say it, stick to your guns birther!
@Greg:
Can you please call McHenry’s office and comment on the fact that his “clarification” still uses the qualifier “from what I have read”.
I’m sick and tired of these half-***ed apologies and clarifications that merely muddy the waters enough to move on. It’s time for those who would feed the racist underbelly of this country to be held accountable.
I haven’t looked at the evidence like a juror? Are you ****ing kidding me? You either a) believe Barak Obama is a citizen of this country and therefor President of the United States, or b) a foreign born imposter who is illegally running the country.
If it’s (A), then he better say so \unequivocally. If it’s (B), then why in the world is he not doing something about it?
The allowing of this sort of wiggling means only one thing – they’ll keep doing it and keep going further. Next thing you know, we’ll have claims of death panels and euthanasia!
@Greg: Correction to above comment.
“Can you please call McHenry’s office and REQUEST A comment on the fact…”
Greg, I’m BBQ – you think you can get anywhere with this?
His walk back really isn’t too reassuring on what he believes. It’s worth mentioning again, however: These are the people we are supposed to have a serious and honest discussion with about health care reform???
okay, I’ll push McHenry’s office…
Chris – The Fold – Right. Obviously, there is no serious and honest discussion to be had. It is the same dynamics with some of those who post comments here.
But I can keep reading, and keep learning more and many of the comments help me in that endeavor. Truth will out, as they say.
Hell if you are gonna say it, stick to your guns birther!
Meh, it’s just more of the same pandering to the base that they’ve been doing since the days of McCarthy.
“Obviously, there is no serious and honest discussion to be had.”
The loudest ones don’t want to discuss anything – they want the whole thing shut down, right now.
But the more serious underlying problem here is the divide in the country. We’ve not been so divided since the 60s, I guess. I’m tempted to say the 1860s, but I’ll just take it back to the 1960s. We won’t be able to bridge this divide as long as words have different meanings depending on whether you are on the right or the left. When we try to talk these days we are not commumnicating – we’re speaking different languages. As long as that is the situation, we’re going to be divided and it’s getting worse.
@Greg: Very appreciated!
Tena – I’m not sure it is getting worse, I think it is just more in the open. And that is progress, as painful as it is.
Liam just made a really good point on the 60-plus thread: that the Republicans were bellyaching about how Medicare spending had to be reined in, but now for expediency’s sake, they’ve flipped to be the defenders of all that is sacred in Medicare, and god forbid we try to economize,
Angela – You know, I already said I like you and I just keeping liking you more. Thank you – I’m having a bad week. I’m usually far more hopeful than this.
McHenry’s spox says he has no doubt whatsoever that Obama was born in US:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/breaking-gop-rep-mchenry-has-absolutely-no-doubt-whatsoever-that-obama-was-born-in-us/
Tena – i like you too. I have this thing for feisty woman, being one myself.
I was in tears last night. I get it.
But if someone like me can wake up and get it, then there really is hope.
Now, I’m not saying Rep. McHenry’s much-loved same-*** interracial rape with a can of imitation whipped topping by members of a foreign military is taking place, but I have also seen NO evidence that Rep. McHenry’s much-loved same-*** interracial rape with a can of imitation whipped topping by members of a foreign military is NOT taking place, so…it’s clear that there are questions the American people deserve to have answered, and Rep. McHenry’s silence is a clear indictment.
republicans …
Democraps…