Donald Trump Surprise: Financial Pundit Claims Trump Has Obama Divorce Papers

Donald Trump has hinted that he plans to drop a bombshell story about President Obama on Wednesday. He has pulled this stunt in the past — presidential runs, birther rumors, and Rpublican National Convention appearances — but it typically amounts to nothing. Has his people in Hawaii finally found proof of Obama's forged birth certificate? Will the cast of Celebrity Apprentice take over for the Electoral College on November 6? Should we even take Trump seriously this time?

Douglas Kass, an investor who appears on CNBC’s talk show Squawkbox, tweeted on Tuesday that "Donald Trump will announce that he has unearthed divorce papers between the Prez and his wife." I'm sure no one saw this coming!

The popularity of the First Lady has always been a strong asset for the Obama administration. Michelle Obama has had a 60% or higher approval rating consistently throughout her time in the White House. Her relationship with the President has contributed to his strong likability among average Americans. So the most logical move is to try to tear down that advantage, right?

Trump has been trying to find way to tear down President Obama's image for almost five years. He stirred up the birther debate so much that some states sought to change their election rules so that candidates had to prove their citizenship to qualify for the ballot. The birther controversy was a headline issue during the Republican primaries that caused heated debates. Each time Trump has attacked Obama, it has been on a question of his character or commitment to America. These personal attacks tend to do nothing but distract from real issues and create a media frenzy over a non-issue.  

This new attempt is equally questionable because this attack is more of the same — by undermining the President's marriage also undermines his integrity. If the President and Michelle have considered divorce, then he is clearly not trustworthy and there could be others things he is trying to hide. 

Whether this speculation is true or not, I would not be too concerned with its implications for the election. Trump's accusation will attract media attention for a few days, but voters have decided by now and no scandalous tabloid is likely to change their minds.