On MSNBC, Senior Trump Adviser Says “Nothing Wrong” With Trump's Birther Attacks On Obama

Jack Kingston: “I Don't Think He Did Anything Wrong”

From the August 19 edition of MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes:

Video file

JOY-ANN REID (GUEST HOST): Joining me now is senior adviser to the Trump campaign Jack Kingston, former Republican congressman from Georgia. Congressman, thank you so much for being here, appreciate it.

JACK KINGSTON: It's great to be with you, Joy.

REID: So, let's talk about that. Donald Trump said he regrets anything he may have said that has caused personal pain. And then Kellyanne Conway, who's the new campaign manager, said that he may reach out to those that feel offended.

So, let's just go through some of the things he's said that have caused not just personal pain, that have actually hurt him. Probably the thing that has hurt Donald Trump the most with African Americans who don't know his, you know, personal history, things like housing discrimination, is the birtherism. Saying that Barack Obama is not an American citizen, which he started saying as far back as 2011. “Why doesn't he show his birth certificate?” Demanding to see his papers. Do you think that's something that Donald Trump regrets?

KINGSTON: I don't know. I'm wondering if Hillary and the Democrats regret calling on Mrs. Trump's citizenship. Maybe that's the same.

REID: I don't think the Democrats have questioned Mrs. Trump's citizenship.

KINGSTON: Oh, absolutely. Joy, absolutely, they have.

REID: Wait hold on a second, hold on a second sir, that's an excellent tactic.I have to tell you, I used to do campaign communications, so I know shifting the subject to something else is a great tactic. But you didn't answer my question.

KINGSTON: Let me say this, let's talk about --

REID: Let me go to the next one. Let me go to the next one --

KINGSTON: But, Joy, -- but Joy, my job is to present our side, and now you just had a panel that agreed with you, so --

REID: Right, but I'm asking you a question and you didn't answer.

KINGSTON: I just -- well, okay, we're going to reset. You go ahead.

REID: I just want to ask you, do you think that he regrets the birtherism? You can just say yes or no.

KINGSTON: I don't think he did anything wrong. I think he raised a question, but the reality is --

REID: Wait, do you still question whether the President of the United States is a citizen?

KINGSTON: I think the press -- let me say this, I think you guys should accept an apology and just go with it. I mean, this is what the left has been demanding. He made an apology. Now, I frankly would love to see Hillary Clinton apologize to the family of the dead soldiers from in Benghazi, when she told them that it was caused by a video, which was an absolute, positive lie. Wouldn't it be nice if she said “You know what? I was Secretary of State, I am responsible, your sons' deaths as not -- were not caused by a video.”

Previously:

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

CBS' John Dickerson: “Trump Was The Chief Birther In America"

Roger Stone Said He Previously Advised Trump That “There’s A Lot Of Questions” About Obama’s Birth Certificate