Former Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) took a walk on the birther side this week, saying on a radio show that “we don’t have enough information about this president” to say whether or not he’s a Muslim or was born in the U.S., according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Thursday morning on a radio show on WBCK, a caller asked Walberg if he believed that Obama was a Muslim and not an American citizen:
“You know, I don’t know, I really don’t know,” Walberg responded. “We don’t have enough information about this President. He was never given a job interview that was complete.”
“But that’s not the issue now,” Walberg went on. “He is President. Right now, we need to make sure that he doesn’t remain as President. Whether he’s American, a Muslim, a Christian, you name it.”
Walberg is running in Michigan’s 7th district, for the seat Rep. Mark Schauer (D) wrested from him in 2008.
The Patriot Citizen reports that Thursday evening, Walberg released a statement walking back his comments.
“The issue is that President Obama is not doing what our nation needs to prosper,” Walberg wrote, according to the Patriot Citizen. “I take the president at his word that he’s a Christian and he’s certainly an American citizen and my president.”
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Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpointsmemo.com
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