Mayor Wilson Says He's Not a "Birther"

You know you're running for state assembly when you make the news just for stating that you believe Barack Obama was born in the United States.

In today's SF Weekly Blogs, under the category "Breaking News," writer Peter Jamison says that San Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson "has taken what amounts to a progressive and independent-minded stand in today's Republican Party: He has directly acknowledged that President Obama was born in the United States."

The article comes on the heels of front-page news reports about leaders of the so-called "birther" movement, which asserts that the president was not born in this country and is thus ineligible to be president.

One such story, in today's Contra Costa Times reported that Orange County attorney Orly Taitz, a leading voice in the far-right birther movement, was invited and then uninvited to speak at a Tax Day Tea Party rally in Pleasanton tomorrow.

A Los Angeles Times article yesterday about Taitz's invitation and subsequent booting says that Wilson's consultant, Jason Roe, "declined to say where Wilson believed Obama was born." Roe quoted Wilson, who will be speaking at the rally, as saying, "Given the things going on in our state right now, the last thing I am thinking about is where Barack Obama was born."

But because the Tea Party and "birther" movement are such hot topics now, Wilson felt obligated to explain the comment. Jamison reports in his blog that Wilson told the SF Weekly that "we can just end that right now" and directly confirmed his belief that Obama was born in the United States.

Wilson said much the same thing when Patch spoke with him this evening about the media coverage. Wilson reiterated his position that while he believed Obama was born in the United States, he did not want to spend the time or energy discussing the issue when California faced more serious problems.

"I hope to be elected to make a difference," said Wilson. "My emphasis will be on trying to make sure jobs are brought back to California and that we return to the quality of life we all deserve."

Although many dismiss the "birthers" as far-fringe extremists, this poll finds that 36 percent of self-identified Republicans do not believe Obama was born in the United States.