Bachmann abruptly drops birtherism on GMA

Image has not been found. URL: http://images.americanindependent.com/2010/08/MahurinElephant_Thumb.jpgU.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) no longer appears troubled about President Barack Obama’s place of birth.

In fact, in an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America Wednesday, Bachmann, a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2012, told George Stephanopoulos that the certificate of live birth issued by Obama presidential campaign more than three years ago “should settle it” and that she “takes the President at his word.”

Upon further follow-up by Stephanopoulos, Bachmann replied that Obama’s place of birth “is not the main issue facing the United States right now” and that the focus should be on the national deficit.

Earlier in the week, however, Bachmann, appearing on Fox News with Jeanine Pirro, seemed to place importance on the ongoing “birtherism” conspiracy, saying that “all [Obama] had to do is just answer some questions.”

“I think the president has neglected to focus on answering that question for people, and that’s why a lot of people still have it lingering in their minds,” she added.

The assertion that Obama had not done enough to alleviate concerns about his place of birth was also a topic Bachmann discussed during another interview this week with Sean Hannity of Fox News.

“This has to be the easiest problem to solve,” Bachmann told Hannity. “All the President has to do is show [his birth certificate].”

A poll released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling found that 48 percent of Iowa Republicans continue to question Obama’s place of birth.

One of those Iowans is state Sen. Kent Sorenson, a key Bachmann 2012 supporter, who filed a bill that hoped to require all presidential candidates to place their birth certificate on file. Bachmann, questioned by Stephanopoulos about the Iowa proposed legislation, seemed to agree with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that such state-level laws were not appropriate, but that she would support a change in federal law.

“There is a federal piece of legislation that hasn’t gone anywhere that would also require that candidates put forward their birth certificate. I have no problem giving my birth certificate, it wouldn’t bother me at all. I’ve got one, it’s authenticated, take it,” Bachmann said.

The ABC News exchange from Wednesday morning is embedded below:

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