After Mitt Romney offered up a joke about his birth certificate this morning at a campaign event in Michigan, opponents seemed split on just how much outrage they could realistically feign. Members of the media, composing themselves after gasping in shock, got as much mileage out of the remark as they could, with MSNBC’s imagination-challenged Michael Eric Dyson accusing Romney of engaging in “some of the basest and most despicable bigotry we can imagine.”
The Obama campaign, meanwhile, jumped on the remark as a means to clear some of its inventory of $22.50 birth certificate mugs while at the same time accusing Romney of “directly enlist[ing] himself in the birther movement.” Within hours, a “Birther-in-Chief” video from the campaign had hit the web.
Obama Campaign Pushes Web Video: 'America Doesn't Need a Birther-in-Chief' http://t.co/ySDSibuM
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 25, 2012
@jaketapper Hey, remember when Obama falsely claimed he was born in Kenya? That was kinda weird, huh?
— China is lying (@jtLOL) August 25, 2012
@jaketapper they still selling t-shirts & mugs on this meme? It's among their few economic successes
— CTIronman (@CTIronman) August 25, 2012
@jaketapper Ha. Obama's kept birtherism alive more than anyone.
— Andy Lancaster (@andylancaster) August 25, 2012
Never mind Romney’s direct declaration in April, “I believe the president was born in the United States” — opponents are running with the #Birther hashtag as their own pass to go full bigot.
Mitt doesn't wear magic underwear under his Brioni suits. He wears a white hood. #birther #edshow
— Steve Weinstein (@steveweinstein) August 25, 2012
https://twitter.com/SteveatByron/status/239167944385499136
#Romney rips open #Birther issue Means no more hands off #MormonChurch
— ZsaZsa (@TheOneZsazsa) August 25, 2012
#MittRomney went #birther. Does this mean we can finally start making fun of him for being a Mormon? #RomneyRyan2012 #p2 #tcot
— Michael S. King (@Michael_S_King) August 25, 2012
Finally start making fun of Romney’s religion? If you’re just starting now, you’re way late to the party. Good thing the race card doesn’t expire.
It's clear #MittRomney has bought into the ridiculous bordering on racist #birther bull. "When people tell you who they are…believe them."
— Star Jones (@StarJonesEsq) August 24, 2012
Mitt- when people used the N word, they too were only joking. #birther #Romney #racist
— Toni Hargis (@ToniHargis) August 25, 2012
@MittRomney Now exactly who is "small-minded" again? #birther #racist
— kittymadgrrrr (@kittymadgrrrr) August 25, 2012
Please boycott @MSNBC's documentary about that racist birther wannabe president called Mitt Romney.
— aspirational12 (@aspirational12) August 24, 2012
@MittRomney Take your campaign of hate, division, & racist dog whistles back to whatever is your favorite mansion and DROP OUT. #BIRTHER
— Judith Fardig (@FardigJudith) August 25, 2012
Later in the day, Romney told CBS’s Scott Pelley, “I’ve said throughout the campaign and before, there’s no question about where he was born. He was born in the U.S. This was fun about us, and coming home. And humor, you know — we’ve got to have a little humor in a campaign.” A little? Or more, please?
Romney telling birth cert. joke proves he's not intimidated by the media. That's what they're really upset about.
— Burn, Democrat-Run Cities, Burn! (@NolteNC) August 24, 2012
Don't like the #birther joke? As we hear over and over concerning Dem. humor, lighten up. It's just a joke. Get used to it.
— Ṩụẹ (@MrsD55) August 25, 2012
#Birther: Romney's attempt at redistribution of humor. How do you like it, Libs? #tcot #Obama2012 #TeleprompterHead
— Reaganesque (@TheReaganWay) August 24, 2012
Hope Romney tells birth cert. joke during his convention speech. Watching Chris Matthews skull split in half would BE AWESOME.
— Burn, Democrat-Run Cities, Burn! (@NolteNC) August 25, 2012
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