Looks like Arizona's Secretary of State Ken Bennett finally got the memo about the whole birther craziness. Less than a week after saying that it could be "possible" that President Obama would not be on the state's ballot in November, Bennett went on radio again to say the following:
“If I embarrassed the state, I apologize, but that certainly wasn’t my intent,” Bennett said. “[Obama will] be on the ballot as long as he fills out the same paperwork and does the same things that everybody else has.”
Ah, yes, the classic "If I did something that might have been disagreeable to someone, I am sorry, that wasn't my intent," apology. We have heard it so many times, it it has become the standard for politicians.
However, even though Bennett said what he said, according to the following report by KTAR.com, he just can’t let it go. Dude, let it go. Seriously. Here is what KTAR reported:
"I don't see anything wrong with verifying something so that as many Arizonans as possible have confidence that the people that appear on the ballot are entitled to be there," Bennett said in an interview with News/Talk 92.3 KTAR's Mac & Gaydos.
Bennett said the decision to request proof of Obama's citizenship was driven by the emails he received, though he is not personally party to the birthers.
"I believe he was born in Hawaii," he said. "I'm not a birther, which means I do not subscribe to the opinion that he was born somewhere else."
Bennett compared his inquest into journalists double-checking with other sources or patients seeking a second opinion from a different doctor and said that his request has not been made before by the birther movement.
"What is so sacred or untouchable about this question that you can't even ask the question," he said. Bennett, the head of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's Arizona campaign, said he has looked into obtaining Romney's birth certificate from Michigan, but that he is not requesting the actual documents.
Instead, Bennett is asking each state to validate the documents.
"I can ask for this little verification thing from Michigan, just like we did with Hawaii," said Bennett.
Bennett defended himself when accused of pandering to birthers and said the situation puts him in a tough spot either way, as people will think he is either going too far or not far enough. Bennett expects the verification from Hawaii to come through by Wednesday or Thursday.
