Charlotte paper withdraws endorsement after candidate flirts with birtherism

In late April the Charlotte Observer endorsed Jim Pendergraph (R-N.C.) for Congress. One week later, the paper has withdrawn its decision after Pendagraph got chummy with Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and made some birther claims.

Pendergraph pandered further this week by saying he has “reason to be suspicious” about whether President Obama was born in the United States. “… Generally when there’s smoke, there’s got to be fire somewhere,” he said, even as he acknowledged “I haven’t seen the facts.”

It all gives one the sense that Pendergraph will say whatever a given audience wants to hear, if it will help him get elected. That makes how he would act in Congress a mystery.

[CQ/RollCall]