Perry swears he's not a birther after all

After several days of quotes that suggesting President Barack Obama might not be a U.S. citizen, Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is finally denying that he's a birther.

In an interview Sunday, Perry explained he "[didn't] know" if Obama's birth certificate was real.

"I had dinner with Donald Trump the other night," the candidate recalled. "He doesn't think it's real."

The following day, he that it was "a good issue to keep alive."

By Tuesday afternoon, Perry was sidestepping the question as a "distraction."

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) had enough of the birther talk Tuesday, all but calling out Perry by name.

"Republican candidates should categorically reject the notion that President Obama was not born in the United States," Bush told The Washington Post. Republican strategist Karl Rove has also that the birther talk only served to "marginalize" Perry.

On Wednesday, Perry finally decided to admit that he had "no doubt" that the birth certificate was real.

"I don't think I was expressing doubts," the Texas governor told Bay News 9. " I was just having some fun with Donald Trump... ya know lighten up a little bit. I have no doubt about it."

Watch this video from Bay News 9, broadcast Oct. 26, 2011.

Watch this video on iPhone/iPad

(H/T: Political Wire)