No. Please hurry. A chilling life or death call. A woman calling 911 with his kidnapper and now accused killer just inches away. Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper. For years against all evidence and rope, donald trump has been the most prominent pusher of the birther lie, repeatedly questioning whether barack obama was born in the United States. Spoiler alert, he was. Today in a few sentences, donald trump finally acknowledged obama was born here five years after the president released his long form u. S. Birth certificate to try to quiet conspiracy theyre theoris theorists. What mr. Trump did not to is explain why he perpetuated it for so long and he determine did not apologize as ben carson suggested that he she to. In fact today trump claimed Hillary Clinton and her cam pin first raised questions about where the requested was born. There is no evidence for that. Clinton called trumps remarks deplorable and a disgrace. He cant just take it back. Trumps staff desperately wanted todays statement to be the end of the story, but by saying even more things today that are not true, he might seem to have guaranteed that it will not be the end. Donald trump said three things about the birther lie. Hillary clinton and her campaign of 20008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. Heres what i mean. President barack obama was born in the United States, period. Lets unpack all three. Well start with this. President barack obama was born in the United States, period. That is accurate. And has been since 1961. Proven years ago with contemporaneous birth announcements in hawaiian newspapers and the certification of live birth. But until late this morning, donald trump refused to publicly acknowledge this fact. Im shocked that a question like that would come up at a time when we got so many other things do. Well im not sha shothat shocke actually. I was pretty confident about where i was born. I think most people were as well. Reporter in fact pushing this lie is how trump became a Political Force back in 2011. Why doesnt he show his birth certificate . I want him to show his birth certificate. There is something on that birth certificate that he doesnt like. There is something that maybe religion, maybe it says hes a muslim. I dont know. Its one of the greatest scams in the history of politics and in the history, period. You are not allowed to be a president if youre not born in it country. He may not have been born in it country. Reporter Many Americans especially many in the Africanamerican Community perceive this effort to state falsely that the nations first africanamerican president may have been born in africa and thus ineligible for the presidency as nothing short of racist. But mr. Trump today as he has before attempted to blame birtherism on his current rival Hillary Clinton. Hillary clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. Reporter now, back in 2008, there was ugliness. A top clinton strategist suggested the campaign highlight lack of american roots of bochl. And in 2007, obama confronted clinton about a volunteer of hers suggested that he was a muslim, but there is no evidence that clinton or anyone in her campaign ever questioned whether obama was born in this country. Clinton fired back today. He is feeding in to the wor worst impulses, the bigotry and byes on that lurks in our country. Barack obama was born in america plain and simple and donald trump owes him and the American People an apology. Reporter trumps third claim today is that he is responsible for ending the birther controversy by pressuring the president to release his birth certificate in 2011. I finished it. I finished it. You know what i mean. Reporter that is also patently false. Here is obama on april 27th, 2011. Weve had every official in hawaii, democrat and republican, every news outlet that has investigated it, confirm that, yes, in fact i was born in hawaii august 4, 1961. Reporter here is trump more than a year later. A lot of people do not think it was an authentic certificate. Reporter here he is in august of 2013. Some people say that was not his birth certificate. Im saying i dont know. Nobody knows. Reporter in january of this year who knows about obama. His mother was a u. S. Citizen. Was and he natural born citizen . Who knows. But who cares right now . Were talking about something else, okay . I have my own theory on obama. Some day ill write a book. One new bit of information in this developing story, while there remains no evidence that clinton or anyone on her campaign pushed the birther lie, this afternoon a former Washington Bureau chief tweeted that sydney blumenthal pushed the obama was born in kenya lie to him. A top source tells me that plume shal was not officially on the cam pin, because blumenthal is certainly an ally of the clintons. Neither blumenthal nor the Clinton Campaign respondeded to a request for comment. Lets talk about all of this with maureen dowd, out with a great new book titled the year of voting dangerously. Thanks so much for being here. What a great day to be here. What did you make of the press Conference Today and the fact that this issue is back in the news . Well, i thought it was funny that the press was getting upset that they were horn swagled into getting trump publicity. Because it they thought that they werent doing an infomercial for the new trump hotel, they need to buy my book and they were lucky they got out there have without having to buy time shares. Were you satisfied with his statement that barack obama was born in the United States, hillary started it, i ended it, obviously the last two parts are not true . Donald trump is able to is even less persuasive in saying im sorry than hillary. You never get the feeling that either of them are ever sorry. And trump is a real estate salesman. Hes allege trying ways trying sale in the moment. So he was willing to say any nefarious or nonsensical thing to wo on which to the lunatic s. Do you think that he actually has an opinion on this . Yes, i interviewed him. I said you know this isnt true, why dont you just admit it. And he goes no comment. He never likes to admit that he was wrong. Thats just his whole thing. I want to you take a listen to what congressman gk butterfield had to say about this. By any definition, donald trump is a disgusting fraud. He started this silliness years ago by saying that president obama is not an american citizen. He had no proof of it. He would not have done that to a mitt romney, he would not have done that to john mccain or any other white who was running for president of the United States. One thing i wonder is after today, there was big discrepancy in voter enthusiasm, many more republicans excited about voting for trump than democrats voting for hillary, but i wonder if donald trump just erased that. Its completely disgust iing and this is not original to me, sbu but someone made the analogy in a its like a racist white cop who stops an africanamerican driver who is not doing anything wrong and asked for his i. D. Obviously that is how problem sees president obama sees it, too. You write that donald trump is a clinical narcissist with a thin skin, touch whichdemocrati temperament and taste for flattery. What kind of president do you think he would be . Many modern president s have been men tally unbalanced. Lbjs aides used to argue whether he was clinical depressive. So trump can get a jump on it and say im already crazy, the white house wont do to me. You also obviously have covered the clintons since the 1990s. Including going back and reading some of the first things you wrote about Hillary Clinton which surprised you. Its like i have a girl crush on her. They are so spucupportive becaui do think that the women to have the same yaqualifications as tr husband to get in to the roam as first lady is very hard. I also presented hillary when she presented health care on the hill and called her presentation dazzling, but then it was scuttled by her pension for secrecy and defensiveness and locking up the press which she hasnt learned from because we saw it again last week with her health issue. I mean, everyone would understand if she said she had pneumon pneumonia. I think she and trump have more stamina than any 20yearolds ive ever seen. People who dont do this for a living dont understand how grueling it is. And i remember in 2000 covering john mccain and he was up and at the it before any of us and you have to give credit to both clinton at 68 and trump at 70 for doing what they do. It really is remarkable. And i interviewed trump about this, too, and he was trying to come up with his nickname for hillary and he started with the stamina insult. And i just said thats ridiculous. She has more stamina than anyone ive ever seen. And then he did the crooked one. But that was his first choice. But im not sure where he got it. It doesnt make sense. You have been critical of Hillary Clinton. What kind of president do you think she would be . Hillary clinton started as you know at wellsly at this i deal police tick youiyearold woman and she does want to make the world a better place. But unfortunately, she also has a dark defensive side where sometimes shes making decisions from a place of fear and insecurity and that side can trip up the other side. I just hope they dont bring back motel 1600 with all the crazy donors running around the lincoln bedroom. You think she will win . Did i use that tense . I just hope they dont do this. No, i report, i dont all right. The book is the year of voting dangerously, the derangement of american politics. The author maureen dowd. Thanks so much. Good to see you. Human leach not slim and trim and now harry reid is going for Donald Trumps jugular. The comments in just a second. My eyelove is finding a all yodifferent angle. Plays my eyelove is season 1, episode 1. My eyelove is making a story come alive. Eyelove is all the things we love to do with our eyes. But its also having a chat with your eye doctor about dry eyes that interrupt the things you love. Because if your eyes feel dry, itchy, gritty, or you have occasional blurry vision, it could be chronic dry eye. Go to myeyelove. Com and feel the love. Safety doesnt come in a box. Its not a banner that goes on a wall. Its not something you do now and then. Or when its convenient. Its using stateoftheart simulators to better prepare for any situation. Its giving offshore teams onshore support. And its empowering anyone to stop a job if something doesnt seem right. At bp, safety is never being satisfied. And always working to be better. Stop clicking around. Travel sites to find a better price. The lowest prices on our hotels are always at hilton. Com. So pay less and get more only at hilton. Com. announcer vo americans dont celebrate the good enough canyon. We didnt aim to be second to the moon. Verizon doesnt settle for good enough either. So now were introducing verizon lte advanced. With 50 faster peak speeds in more than 450 cities, coast to coast. So dont settle for an unlimited plan with limits. Switch now and get our best deal. 20 gigs of Limitless Data with four lines for only 160. Welcome to the next gen network. Dont just eat. Mangia bertolli welcome back to the lead. Hillary clinton again today saying thanks, obama, but she means this time and the member of the family shes thanking is michelle. The first lady made her Campaign Debut today in virginia. Did she have anything to say about the whole birther charge, trumps lie that he pedaled that obama wasnt born in the u. S. . She certainly didnt thank him. And she didnt mention trump by name at all, but she did dive right into the vcontroversy tha saying that some have questioned whether the president was born in the country. But she used it as a rallying cry for use voters clintons si. She wasnt alone. Hillary clinton delivering a call to democrats about the election consequences and a warning not to buy the shape shifting of donald trump. So my friends, there is no new donald trump. There never will be. Reporter tonight clinton and democrats across the party are rising up in fury at trump. After he tried extinguishing his long running questions about president obamas zipt ship. The new wave of controversy could awaken and thrg guise the socalled Obama Coalition which will clinton has been struggling to motivate. First lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. Reporter in virginia today, Michelle Obama confronting trump at her first Solo Campaign appearance for clinton. There were those who questioned and continue to question for the past eight years up through this very day whether my husband was even born in this country. Reporter the first lady one of the most Popular Figures in politics invested in keeping the white house in democratic hands. No one in our lifetime has ever had as much experience and exposure to the presidency, not about barack, not bill, and yes, she happens to be a woman. Reporter one of many democratic stars hitting the campaign trail, a highlight real from the partys Convention Last month, now fanning out across the country. To fire up liberals and young voter, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders heading to ohio this weekend. So new day, sanders offering sharp words to any of his followers who are still cool on clinton. Please anybody who supports me, do nothing that donald trump in any way shape or form reflects the point of view that i have. Reporter clinton is trying to regain her footing after weathering one of the rockiest wee weeks of her campaign. Good news is my in a phopneu republicans interested in womens health. Reporter and clinton noted that africanamerican women voted higher percentage than any other group. This year once again, you have your hands on the wheel of history. And you can write the next chapter of the american story. Now this, is all happening on a weekend when the con gressionl black lcauscus is meeting this washington. The idea us a for the president to help energize the coalition that swept him into the white house twice. Now trump may have unwittingly fired up the old Obama Coalition more than clinton herself. Thanks so much. Donald trump tells harry reid work out with your rubber workout pieces and harry reid pumping back with h ing punching back with his own line of attack. And then where is he now . In the bedroom with him. A womans harrowing call for help with his alleged kidnapper asleep next to her. Why police are investigating the suspect as a possible serial killer. burke at farmers, weve seen almost everything, so we know how to cover almost anything. Even mermutts. 1940s aqua music burke and we covered it, february third, twentysixteen. Talk to farmers. We know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum americans are buying more and more of everything online. And so many businesses rely on the United StatesPostal Service to get it there. Because when you ship with us, your business becomes our business. Thats why we make more ecommerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country. The United StatesPostal Service. 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Lets get comfortable with our food again. Welcome back. Harry reid is known around capitol hill as a tough partisan fighter and he was in fact a boxer when he was younger. Now hes taking the fight to donald trump throwing around words such as phony and liar, one you often dont hear politicians call each other in public, although 2016 has been quite a year. Manu asked reid about the birther remarks and his claim that clinton was the first to raise questions about president obamas birth place. Hillary brought it up . What a liar. He never requested citizenship of anyone else running for president. No one else. He is just such a phony. Here a man you cant believe anything he says. Nothing. He is one of the most unbelievably immoral people ive ever heard deal with politics. He now makes fun of the fact that im blind in one eye. Im blind in one eye. I got that. But i can still see with my good eye what an absolute fraud this man i