On several Sunday shows, those on Donald Trump’s team blasted the media for focusing on the birther issue, which Trump himself made a focus of his campaign in recent days.
On Sunday’s CNN’s State of the Union, Jake Tapper asked New Jersey Governor Chris Christie about Trump’s birther comments. Christie said that “the birther issue is a done issue,” and in the same breath admitted Trump has just wrapped up the issue now and complained Tapper was still focusing on it.
Gov. Chris Christie: “The birther issue is a done issue” https://t.co/VmJEsbLVre #CNNSOTU https://t.co/EgU4f1Mbbz
— CNN (@CNN) September 18, 2016
Trump’s campaign intentionally made the birther issue a focus of his campaign this week, so it is unclear why Christie was frustrated with the media focusing on it. See statements for the Trump campaign on September 16th and 15th.
.@mike_pence on Trump’s birtherism: “Our campaign just really isn’t focused on the past.” https://t.co/U9K27wcz8i https://t.co/cju6FRM1eN
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 18, 2016
On ABC’s This Week, Governor Mike Pence also berated the media for focusing on birtherism days after he says Trump “brought the issue to an end this week.”
Confronted with the idea that Trump “could have put this issue to bed a long time ago,” and asked why it took “him so long to say the president was born in the United States,” Pence attacked “the national media” and “Hillary Clinton.” He later added that the American people are not focused on birtherism.
Watch that full exchange here:
.@mike_pence on Trump’s birtherism: “Our campaign just really isn’t focused on the past.” https://t.co/U9K27wcz8i https://t.co/cju6FRM1eN
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 18, 2016
On ABC’s This Week, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway was more willing than other surrogates to discuss the birther issue. Asked why Trump promoted “a lie” for five years, she replied, “you’re going to have to ask him.”
