The Daily Gamecock

Donald Trump’s rants harm image in presidential candidacy

‘Birther’ issue moot point, unworthy of debate

Something is wrong when Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly think a potential Republican presidential candidate is crazy.

Donald Trump, who is considering a presidential run, recently set off a media storm when he brought up the “birther” debate by suggesting that not only is President Barack Obama’s birth certificate not real, but that his birth announcement in the local newspaper was a forgery.

michellefantonewebThe claims suggest there was some conspiracy to put young Obama in the White House back in 1961. It’s just plain weird that Trump has chosen to reignite this issue, which almost all conservative politicians have conceded is no longer a concern.

Beck went as far as to say Trump made him feel “uncomfortable,” calling him a “showboater” and saying “we could get serious candidates who could shake things up by not saying provocative things” — an ironic statement coming from Beck.

O’Reilly called Trump out during an interview, saying that not only does he disagree with Trump’s birth certificate nonsense, but he doesn’t believe Trump believes it himself.

It is this notion that really sheds light on Trump’s act. His latest crusade is simply an act to get attention from the media and the public, and it is this false attitude that cheapens everything else Trump could possibly stand for as a potential candidate. Despite what you may think of this notion, any good qualities Trump may have to be a good president are going to be overshadowed by his raising Cain over a moot point.

While the idea of Trump as a candidate was intriguing at first, I’ve come to agree he does not actually believe this birther nonsense.

His rants are contrived and ridiculous, and in the end they will backlash on him.

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