Trump's new charity drive
(CNN) - In a much-hyped announcement, real estate mogul and reality television star Donald Trump pulled yet another flashy move on Wednesday offering a monetary incentive in exchange for private information from President Barack Obama's past.
Trump, in a stunt designed to draw media attention and set afire the conservative blogosphere, said he would donate $5 million to charity if the president released his college records and passport applications.
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"I have a deal for the president, a deal that I don't believe he can refuse, and I hope he doesn't. If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications and if he gives his passport applications and records, I will give to a charity of his choice - inner city children in Chicago, American Cancer Society, AIDS research, anything he wants–a check immediately for $5 million," Trump said.
He added that the check will be written "within one hour" of the documents' release and set a deadline of 5 p.m. on October 31, one week before Election Day…and also right as children are heading out the door to begin trick or treating on Halloween.
"Frankly it's a check that I very much want to write," he said. "I absolutely would be the most happy of all if I did in fact make this contribution through the president to the charities."
In an interview set to air Wednesday night on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," Trump argued his offer wasn't a publicity stunt and further challenged the president.
"If there's nothing wrong with his applications – if everything's fine, why wouldn't he do it to pick up $5 million for a charity?" Trump asked. "I think that would be outrageous, personally."
This isn't the first time Trump has called for Obama to make public such records. The conservative, who flirted with a presidential bid last year, has long been at the steering wheel for the so-called birther movement, questioning the president's place of birth.
Last year, Obama released his long-form birth certificate from Hawaii to quell speculation that he was not a U.S. citizen and may be constitutionally ineligible to serve as president. He has previously released a certification of live birth during the 2008 campaign. Both documents show that he was born in a Hawaii hospital on August 4, 1961. Contemporaneously published newspaper announcements also noted the birth in the Aloha State.
In his announcement, Trump took credit for last year's release of the certificate.
"I am very honored to have gotten him to release his long form birth certificate, or whatever it may be," he said.
Trump has said before he wants to see Obama's college records, saying the documents contain students' place of birth.
"I'd like to see what he said. It would be very interesting. I don't care what his marks were. I don't care if he had good marks, I'd just like to see 'place of birth'," Trump said in June at the North Carolina state Republican convention.
Asked about Trump's announcement, David Plouffe, a senior adviser to the president, told reporters on a campaign bus to "direct those questions to Boston because Donald Trump is Mitt Romney's biggest supporter so he owns everything he says."
CNN's Wolf Blitzer held Trump to account on "The Situation Room" in a May interview, as Trump continued to maintain that "a lot of people do not think" the live-birth certificate was "authentic" a year after the document was released. Trump also declined to offer names of experts in agreement with him.
The millionaire maintained in the interview that Obama's birthplace is a matter of opinion, rather than fact.
"Everybody's entitled to your opinion," he said. "You know my opinion and you know his opinion and that's fine. We're entitled – as he said yesterday in the airplane – we're all entitled to our opinions and he's entitled to have his opinion. I don't happen to share that opinion, it's wonderful."
Confronted with 1961 newspaper announcements of Obama's birth, Trump accused Blitzer of defending Obama. Trump then alleged that the practice of filing U.S. birth announcements for an overseas birth was commonplace and done for "the benefits of being so-called born in this country," though he offered no evidence.
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Why can't the Secret Service shut him up? he is a bully and a racist. If this were a white president he would not be disrespecting him in this way!! and I hope The White House does not produce any of what he asking such as they did the birth certificate, if they do they are as much the president's enemies.
Trump takes a DUMP. He's FULL of it.
We can never get rid of bullies, can we?
Hey Trumpet, even a "binder" full of checks can't help the Retardicans now....oops. I forgot about that word...must be Romnesia.
Why can't he just write the check?
Why should the president provide this information when no other candidate for president ever has, including Mitt Romney? Donald Trump is an embarrassment, and I can't help but conclude that his insistence that only this particular candidate provide such records has little to do with anything but his own shallowness and bigotry. He may have money, but he wears his ignorance on his sleeve.
What a load. A birth certificate, for example, is not an opinion. Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you can make reality fit your prejudices. DumpTrump!
And the conservative 3-ring circus continues.
Getting desperate are we? geez
Trump: The millionaire maintained in the interview that Obama's birthplace is a matter of opinion, rather than fact.
Really? We're back to the "BIRTHER" stuff again...? seriously Trump?
Just another publicity stunt by an insecure Trump. What a whiney cry baby who is blindly following the right-wingnut policy of NOT listening to FACT-CHECKERS. He is a coward, even afraid to admit that he's bald with that stupid combover that fools nobody but himself... ooooh wait... I get it!
So sad, Trump trying to stay relevant... like Palin.
Srsly? Why is this man given a platform?
Again "The Donald" continues to prove that in some cases, abortion should be retroactive. The man is insane!
Why doesn't he give $5mii for Romney's tax records? They'd be WAY more entertaining...and damning!
Please he dont need your CROOK it MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why doesn't he offer 5 million if Romney releases his tax return?
Getting desperate are we? geez
Mitt Romney should be ashamed that he ever had anything to do with this wingnut. It just goes to show that Mitt will do and say anything, and associate with anyone to get elected. Even Romney supporters with even an ounce of sense must see this by now.
Seriously, what a moron. Please stop covering what he has to say, he's proven over and over again what a bafoon he is.
Does this guy look completely nuts out of his mind or what?
News flash,
The Apprentice gets dropped from a major network and will now move to Bravo with Donald Jr. hosting.
Meanwhile,
Donald Trump SR is taken out of Trump Tower to a mental hospital where he bangs his head against the wall repeatedly chanting “show me your papers”, “Show me your papers”, “Show me your papers”….
And how much would the Trumpster pay to see Mitt's tax records made public ?
Why can't this idiot get hit by a bus or something?
Trump, if you really believed in a charitable cause, you would give it without attaching ridiculous conditions. All this means is that you are a cynical, shriveled old man trying to be relevant
Why is a respected news source still giving this idiot space on your website, your television broadcasts and your social media outlets? I understand you are required to be profitable, but really?
How about a trifecta and throw in the last 10 years of Romney's tax returns.
Oh yeah – this paragon of virtue and fidelity should be listened to by everyone. He is such a creep!