Tuesday night on The Ed Show, conservative syndicated talk show host Michael Medved claimed that no prominent Republicans have argued that President Barack Obama might not be a citizen. According to Medved, only "fringe Republicans" ever partook in birther-ism. In fact, the list of Republican officials and bigwigs who questioned Obama's nation of birth include Reagan administration official Alan Keyes, 2008 vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, as well as several GOP state Senators and Representatives. And, of course, onetime GOP candidate Donald Trump has been around stirring up spurious claims about the president's origins.
It was not the only falsehood Medved peddled in his segment on The Ed Show. According to Medved, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney rejected Trump's claims that President Obama was not born in the United States. "He does," Medved said, in response to host Ed Schultz's query about why Romney hasn't criticized Trump's birther-ism. In fact, questioned by reporters about Trump's lies, Romney has said only, "You know, I don't agree with all the people who support me and my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in. But I need to get 50.1 percent or more and I'm appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people."
In September, Romney met with Trump to "kiss his proverbial ring," as the New York Times put it. While Romney has said he knows that Obama was born in the United States, he has not only failed to repudiate Trump, he appeared at a fundraiser with The Donald on Tuesday night, in Las Vegas.
Indeed, it was highly symbolic that Romney met with Trump the very night he clinched the Republican nomination, with a big primary victory in Texas.