The Republican challenging John McCain in an Arizona primary, former talk show hosts J.D. Hayworth, seems to be hinting that President Obama might be an “identity thief.”

Let me get this straight… Hayworth is saying that some guy stole the identity of someone named “Barack Hussein Obama” in order to run for president of the United States… Do I have that right?

Wow.

McCain supporters are sending around a clip of Hayworth’s appearance on CNN last night, in which the onetime congressman refuses to flat-out disavow the birther conspiracy movement and even suggests that, in the age of identify theft, questions about President Obama’s citizenship are legitimate.

“All I said was this, and I’m responding to what constituents write me about. And they are looking respectively at every office, from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to city council,” said Hayworth. “All I’m saying is, for every race cross the country, especially with identify theft in the news, it would be great that people can confirm who they say they are.”