Texas Gov. Rick Perry flirted with birtherism in an interview with Parade magazine, saying he does not have "a definitive answer" on the question of whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States.

Perry said he discussed the issue with Donald Trump over dinner — before saying that it's a "distractive" issue.

Obama released his birth certificate after fringe Republicans continuously raised the issue — and Trump claimed to have sent private investigators to investigate Obama's place of birth.

There is no evidence that Obama was born anywhere other than Hawaii.

Here's the exchange from Parade:

Governor, do you believe that President Barack Obama was born in the United States?

I have no reason to think otherwise.

That’s not a definitive, “Yes, I believe he”—

Well, I don’t have a definitive answer, because he’s never seen my birth certificate.

But you’ve seen his.

I don’t know. Have I?

You don’t believe what’s been released?

I don’t know. I had dinner with Donald Trump the other night.

And?

That came up.

And he said?

He doesn’t think it’s real.

And you said?

I don’t have any idea. It doesn’t matter. He’s the President of the United States. He’s elected. It’s a distractive issue.

[via David Frum]