Trump Takes Credit, Feels 'Honored' As Obama Releases Birth Certificate

Apr 27, 2011, 11:34 by John Steele

In a Portsmouth, NH press conference Wednesday morning, billionaire Donald Trump took credit for Obama's release of his "long form" birth certificate, saying he felt "honored" that the President released the document on Trump's insistence.

"I've accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish," Trump, a prominent investor and possible White House contender, told a New Hampshire press conference.

"I am really honored frankly to have played such a big role in getting rid of this issue," Trump said in New Hampshire, a key state for contenders planning to launch a presidential bid.

Trump answered a flurry of other questions, including when he would announce his candidacy. He, once again, referred to his popular NBC show "The Celebrity Apprentice" as his reason for not getting into the race.

"I think you will be pleasantly surprised by my announcement," Trump said, cryptically.

The press conference hit the airwaves around the same time that President Obama was addressing the press in the White House briefing room about the release of the contested document. Obama said he decided to release the document when talks about the U.S. budget crisis were stymied by talk of his birth certificate.

"We don't have time for this kind of silliness," Obama said, adding that he was puzzled that the controversy had rumbled on for two-and-a-half years.

But apparently, the fight may still not be over. Trump says he still has to look at the document to determine if it is real.

"I want it look at it, but I hope it's true, so that we can get on to much more important matters," he said, adding the president "should have done it a long time ago."