Evan McMorris-Santoro October 23, 2011, 11:17 AM

We’ve already seen the Rick Perry campaign offer a nod-and-a-wink to conservative Christians who want to make an issue of Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith.

Now, Perry’s giving birthers a tip of his hat, too.

In an interview with Parade Magazine out Sunday, Perry said he had “no definitive answer” as to whether or not President Obama’s long-form birth certificate is real.

Here’s the full 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.

Read the whole interview here.

2012, 2012 Presidential Primaries, Donald Trump, Rick Perry