Pat Buchanan While on MSNBC Says 'MSNBC is Transfixed With Birther Issue'

April 19th, 2011 10:42 PM

MSNBC has lately been spending a tremendous amount of time on Donald Trump and the President's birth certificate.

The round the clock coverage of this issue led MSNBC contributor Pat Buchanan to say on Tuesday's "MSNBC Live," "MSNBC is transfixed with it" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

PAT BUCHANAN: No, I said I think the guy was born in Honolulu, but I want to know why the press corps doesn't take one question to the Press Secretary and…

BILL PRESS: We absolutely have, Pat. We have, Pat.

BUCHANAN: Hold it, hold it.

PRESS: We have, but we’re not going to play your game.

BUCHANAN: Tell me, Bill, tell me, Bill, when you say to Jay Carney, “Jay, why doesn't the President just release the birth certificate? Get this over with? It’s an enormous distraction for the country? MSNBC is transfixed with it. They ought to focus on the issues you talked about, Libya and Iraq.”

Buchanan was absolutely right. The show he was on devoted almost half of its program on this issue Tuesday. Preceding "MSNBC Live" was "Hardball" which did three separate segments on Trump totaling over fifteen minutes. "The Last Word" did ten minutes.

At press time, I'm not sure about how much coverage was given to Trump by "The Rachel Maddow Show" or "The Ed Show," but I quite imagine they were on this as well.

To be sure, Trump is an interesting figure, and is likely drawing ratings, but if the liberal press are sick and tired of this birther issue, they could just drop it - unless, of course, the goal is to paint all Republicans as birthers.

(H/T Daily Caller)