Michigan Congressman John Conyers joined the chorus of politicians calling on Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump to apologize to President Barack Obama and the American people after coming out on Friday and conceding that Obama was born in the U.S.
Trump offered no apology after pushing his birther theory for five years.
Political observers believe that it was politically beneficial for Trump, who is trying to court the African American voters, to do an about-face and stop pushing the birther talk. Some have equated the birther talk with racism.
Conyers issued a statement:
“Donald Trump, the father of the birther movement, has for years pushed misstatements against our nation’s first African American president. Today, Trump continued to issue fabrications at his press conference and disrespect both President Obama and the American people. Today’s press conference settles nothing -- he owes both an apology.
“Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit to lead our country. He has amplified hate groups and incited fear in some Americans. There is so much at stake in this election. Donald Trump cannot become president.”
Hillary Clinton, according to a report in USA Today, said Friday:
“For five years, he has led the birther movement to delegitimize our first black president. Donald’s advisers had the temerity to say he’s doing the country a service by pushing these lies. No, he isn’t."
“He is feeding into the worst impulses, the bigotry and bias that lurks in our country. Barack Obama was born in America, plain and simple, and Donald Trump owes him and the American people an apology.”
