George Stephanopoulos and Anderson Cooper Go for Trump on Birtherism

I don't have any doubt that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural born citizen fully qualified under the U.S. Constitution to be President of the United States. I could be proven wrong of course, but I don't have any real doubt. The band played Hail to the Chief and that's good enough for me.

Still, it was fun watching George Stephanopoulos attempt to stamp down the birther controversy in interviews with 2012 Republican hopefuls Donald Trump and Michele Bachmann.

George's stamp down was only partly successful with Donald Trump:

George Stephanopoulos: No, those are the facts sir.

Donald Trump: George, they’ve co-opted you.

George Stephanopoulos: Who’s they?

Donald Trump: Obviously, Obama and his minions. They have co-opted you. A certificate of live birth is not the same thing by any stretch of the imagination as a birth certificate.
...
George Stephanopoulos: You said that you sent investigators to Hawaii and you said quote, "They cannot believe what they’re finding."

Donald Trump: We’re going to see what happens, George.

George Stephanopoulos: What have they found?

Donald Trump: That’s none of your business right now.

Personally, I think what Trump's minions report back is my business. Also, Trump announced that he would release his tax returns when Obama releases his birth certificate. A certificate of live birth is a birth certificate, so let's see those tax returns.

George got a little further in his Michele Bachmann interview:

George Stephanopoulos: Well I have the President's certificate right here. It's certified, it's got a certification number. It's got the registrar of the state signed. It's got a seal on it. And it says 'this copy serves as prima facie evidence of the fact of birth in any court proceeding.'

Michele Bachmann: Well, then that should settle it.

I don't think this is going to settle it. Were the Kennedy assassination theories ever settled? And how did George Stephanopoulos of all people get a copy of the President's birth certificate complete with the official seal?

Anderson Cooper at CNN also took a run at Donald Trump:

Donald Trump: Well I've been told very recently, Anderson, that the birth certificate is missing. I've been told that it's not there or it doesn't exist. And if that's the cas e it's a big problem.

Anderson Cooper: Who told you that?

Donald Trump: I just heard that two days ago from somebody.

Anderson Cooper: From your investigators?

Donald Trump: I don't want to say who.

If President Obama's birth certificate is missing, here's a hint: Maybe George Stephanopoulos has it, or Anderson Cooper. They both showed the certificate on their shows. Again, Donald Trump is just stalling on releasing his tax returns.