Crazy Gets Crazier: New "Dancing With The Stars" Cast Member Tom DeLay Joins Birther Wackos

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 6:00 AM on August 20, 2009.

MSNBC host Chris Matthews brought on his good friend Tom DeLay on Wednesday to talk about his training for "Dancing with the Stars." After a few minutes of chit chat, Matthews asked DeLay about the far right and its conspiracy theories, including whether President Obama is proposing "Hitlerian health care." Matthews asked, "So you want to get rid of what's known as Medicare today ... and] replace it with private sector health care?" "Amen brother," replied DeLay, not realizing that Matthews was asking him a question, not making a statement.

Matthews then asked DeLay whether he is a birther. The former House Majority Leader mistakenly said that he would like to see the President’s "gift certificate" and asked Matthews to personally ask Obama for it. He also compared Obama to "illegal aliens":

DELAY: Well, I'd like the President to produce his birth certificate. I can. Most illegal aliens here in America can. Why can't the President of the United States produce their birth certificate? [...]

Chris, will you do me a favor? Will you ask the President to show me his gift certificate -- I mean, his -- gift certificate -- his birth certificate?

MATTHEWS: No, I'm not going to ask him.

DELAY: Oh, c'mon, please!

When Matthews asked DeLay whether anyone has asked him for proof of his birthplace, DeLay responded, "The Democrats sued me for being a resident of Texas. That's just like asking me for my birth certificate." "No, it's not," responded Matthews. Watch it.

Even while out of office, DeLay has continued to push right-wing conspiracy theories, including that Obama is a "Marxist."

Tagged as: chris matthews, barack obama, tom delay, birthers, dancing with the stars

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.