Watch CBS News

Reality Check: Bachmann And Birther Movement

By Pat Kessler, WCCO-TV

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann appears to be backing off previous statements questioning whether President Obama is actually a United States citizen.

As recent as Tuesday, Bachmann was raising questions about the president's citizenship on FOX News.

"All the president has to do is show it," said Bachmann, a Minnesota Republican. "All the Republicans are being asked to attest to the authenticity and all I'm saying is there's only one person who can attest to the authenticity and that's the clerk of court."

But IN FACT...

Twenty-four hours later, Bachmann backed off the birthers.

On ABC's Good Morning America, she flip-flopped after GMA host George Stephanopolous showed her a copy of the president's birth certificate.

"I have the president's certificate right here," said Stephanopolous. "It's certified; it's got a certification number. It's got the registrar of the state signed. It's got a seal on it. And it says 'this copy serves as prima facie evidence of the fact of birth in any court proceeding.'"

"Well, then that should settle it," said Bachmann.

"I take the president at his word and I think I would have no problem and apparently the president wouldn't either," she said. "Move on."

Here's the political REALITY.

Possible Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump jumped to the top of public opinion polls questioning the president's birth certificate.

But other Republicans are distancing themselves from the "birther" movement, including former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

"I, for one, do not believe that we should be raising that issue," said Pawlenty on MSNBC. "I think President Obama was born in the United States."

Here's what you NEED TO KNOW.

Numerous independent sources (FactCheck, Politifact, Snopes) confirm that the president was born in the United States and he has a birth certificate to prove it.

No matter how many times a politician tries to say otherwise.

That's Reality Check.

To check the resources for this Reality Check, click on the links below.

Fox News: Michele Bachmann on the 'Birther' Debate
ABC News: Bachmann Says Obama's Certificate 'Settles' Birther Issue
NBC/WSJ poll: Trump tied for 2nd in 2012 GOP field
FactCheck.org: Born in the U.S.A.
FactCheck.org: Trump repeats false claims about Obama's birthplace
FactCheck.org: Does Barack Obama have Kenyan citizenship?
Obama's birth certificate: Final chapter
Barack Obama Birth Certificate

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.