At the White House press briefing today, left-wing Air America radio talk show host Bill Press asked Robert Gibbs, "Is there anything you can say that will make the birthers go away?"
To which Gibbs replied, Oh, please, please don't make me talk about an issue that makes conservatives look like a bunch of nutjobs.
I paraphrase. You can read the full exchange after the jump.
But I thought it was curious that Helen Thomas seemed to think that concerns that Obama is not really a U.S. citizen are legitimate (some of the following exchange was left out of the official White House transcript, but see the 30:50 mark of this video):
GIBBS: ... no, nothing will assuage them. But there are 10,000 more important issues for people in this country to discuss, rather than--
HELEN THOMAS: A violation of the Constitution.
GIBBS:--whether or not the President is a citizen. ...
THOMAS: Why do you think it keeps coming up?
MR. GIBBS: Because for $15, you can get an Internet address and say whatever you want.
Bill Press: Is there anything you can say that will make the birthers go away?
MR. GIBBS: No. (Laughter.) I mean, the God's honest truth is no. I mean, Bill, let's understand this -- and I almost hate to indulge in such an august setting as the White House -- and I mean this in seriousness -- the White House briefing room discussing the made-up, fictional nonsense of whether or not the President was born in this country. A year-and-a-half ago I asked that the birth certificate be put on the Internet because lord knows, you got a birth certificate and you put it on the Internet, what else could be the story?
Here's the deal , Bill. If I had some DNA, it wouldn't assuage those that don't believe he was born here. But I have news for them and for all of us: The President was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the 50th state of the greatest country on the face of the earth. He's a citizen.
But I have no doubt that Lester will ask me soon, and that I will receive e-mail --
Q You're wrong -- I've got another question. (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: I'm not entirely sure about that, Lester. But let's not --
Q Let me prove it. Let me prove it. (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: I'm happy to wager that you'll never ask me another birth question again.
Q No, no, no -- I didn't say "never again," I said, "not today."
MR. GIBBS: See, there we go. I'll take my winnings and put it in my son's college fund. But no, nothing will assuage them. But there are 10,000 more important issues for people in this country to discuss, rather than whether or not the President is a citizen.
Helen Thomas: Why do you think it keeps coming up?
MR. GIBBS: Because for $15, you can get an Internet address and say whatever you want.
