BRIT HUME (HOST): Trump tried to put an end to [the birther] issue. It was part of the debate. And here it is again. And the critics of Mr. Trump and others like to say that the birther idea is racist. Is it racist? 



MARA LIASSON: [Michelle Obama] didn't say that. Michelle Obama didn't say that. What it did do -- I don't necessarily think it's racist -- what it did though was it definitely undermined the legitimacy of President Barack Obama by suggesting that he wasn't constitutionally qualified to be president. And they kept on doing it even after he produced his long form birth certificate and, you know, up until just even this year Donald Trump, who supposedly put it to rest in that press conference brought it up again. Was asked about it but didn't apologize for it and instead of backing away from it blamed it on Hillary Clinton. 

[...]



FRED BARNES: It's an issue now that the Democrats want to use, Hillary does. Mrs. Obama does as well. Because they think it will help with that one group we have been talking about so much. That's African-Americans. When you say it's a racist thing that he did, then that's the group you are aiming at. Now, I don't think it's racist at all. The whole birther thing is not a matter of race. It's a matter of nationality. Of where he was born. Whether he was a citizen or not. Now, look, I'm not blaming Obama for this. But I've always wondered why it took so long for him to release his birth certificate. Now maybe he realized that this was going to hurt these people raising this and to some extent it has hurt Donald Trump. 

Previously: 

Watch Trump Spokesperson Get Education On Racist And Disgraceful Nature Of Trump's Birther Movement

Birtherism: Trump’s Original Sin And The Media’s Latest One

Trump And How The Media's Birther Blind Spot Keeps Getting Bigger

CNN's Corey Lewandowski Revives Trump's Birther Claims That Obama Got In Harvard As Non-Citizen