At a campaign rally in Commerce, Michigan, Mitt Romney couldn’t resist taking a jab at President Obama:
“Ann was born in Henry Ford Hospital, I was born in Harper Hospital. No one’s ever asked to see my birth certificate; they know that this is the place where both of us were born and raised.”
While Romney was most likely just making a joke, Barack Obama’s birth certificate is still a very volatile subject, and the birther crack set off a firestorm. The media immediately launched into a feeding frenzy:
"No one needs to see my birth certificate. They know this was the place where we were born and raised" — Romney, in Oakland Co, MI
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedAndrew/status/239035904482762754
Yep, Romney said it: "No one has ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this was the place that we were born and raised."
— Jan Crawford (@JanCBS) August 24, 2012
Picking my jaw up off the ground now.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 24, 2012
In Michigan w/ Ann @mittromney says no one ever asked to see my birth certificate they know this is the place where we were born and raised
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) August 24, 2012
.@MitchellReports on @MittRomney going full birther: "Did he REALLY just say that?"
— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) August 24, 2012
#Romney in MI mins ago, ""No 1 has ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this was the place that we were born and raised"
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) August 24, 2012
Liberals are foaming at the mouth at the prospect of Romney flirting with birtherism:
Really now? RT @samsteinhp Romney: "no one has ever asked to see my birth certificate they know this is the place we were born and raised"
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) August 24, 2012
Recommended
https://twitter.com/ByronTau/status/239036052252270592
really am surprised Romney would drop a birth certificate joke up front
— Sam Stein (@samstein) August 24, 2012
somewhere, trump is smiling.
— Sam Stein (@samstein) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/skybarn/status/239036973979942914
So now Mitt Romney is making birth certificate jokes? Paul Ryan on the ticket has certainly made this election all about policy.
— Josh Zembik (@jzembik) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/runscreatedplus/status/239036481996468225
Romney bragging about not being asked to see his birth certificate is a real unifying statement in these awful times. What a leader!
— Olivia (@PartyCatOlivia) August 24, 2012
Funny thing is, Obama's shown his birth certificate. So if Romney's wanting to compare, why doesn't he show his tax returns?
— Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/jmhattem/status/239036162717655041
https://twitter.com/mbevens/status/239036123203112960
And, lest you thought Romney and Obama’s races wouldn’t come into play, think again:
Romney said no one asked to see his birth certificate -__- thats cuz ur white. keep that fool outta office.
— SpellofNoel (@spellofnoel) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/Artistsheart/status/239036575634292737
Mitt Romney: "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate." NO SHIT, MITT. Three guesses why.
— Jen "It's Friday" Roth (@tealdeer) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/amaeryllis/status/239035889932726272
Some people have managed to keep clear heads and are offering an explanation for Romney’s remark, one that’s much more plausible than that he’s a closet birther:
Governor Romney gets back at President Obama for the Seamus jokes, with a birth certificate joke while stumping in MI near his birthplace
— Nancy Cordes (@nancycordes) August 24, 2012
RT @igorbobic: So Obama makes a Seamus joke, and Romney jokes about the birth certificate
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) August 24, 2012
Romney makes birth certificate joke. Obama makes Seamus jokes. #allingoodfunright?
— Rachel Streitfeld (@streitfeldcnn) August 24, 2012
My read: Romney shows he can take the dog on roof stuff and dish it back.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 24, 2012
Given Obama’s penchant for obsessively bringing up the Romney family dog, we’re inclined to agree.
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Romney spokesmen are downplaying the remarks:
Spox: Romney "only referencing that Michigan… is the state where he himself was born and raised." http://t.co/ZnsjKYI0
— Rachel Weiner (@rachelweinerwp) August 24, 2012
“The governor has always said, and has repeatedly said, he believes the president was born here in the United States,” Romney adviser Kevin Madden said. “He was only referencing that Michigan, where he is campaigning today, is the state where he himself was born and raised.”
Spokesman Rick Gorka also downplayed the remarks in a gaggle with reporters after the event. ”It’s settled,” he said. “He’s illustrating that he was born and raised here in Michigan.”
While Team Obama is milking them for all they’re worth:
.@BenLaBolt: "Romney’s decision to directly enlist himself in the birther movement should give pause to any rational voter across America.”
— Danny Kanner (@DannyKanner) August 24, 2012
Our take: Gov. Romney’s decision to directly enlist himself in the birther movement should give pause to any rational voter across America.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 24, 2012
.@MittRomney, keeping it substantive & classy a la @realDonaldTrump, says that no one has "ever asked to see [his] birth certificate."
— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) August 24, 2012
#bold MT @AshleyRParker Romney in MI: "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificateThey know this is… where they were born & raised."
— Danny Kanner (@DannyKanner) August 24, 2012
has he outsourced his brain today, or offshored it? RT @samyoungman: Romney: "Nobody ever has to see my birth certificate."
— Teddy Goff (@teddygoff) August 24, 2012
Video of a campaign unraveling: @MittRomney goes full birther http://t.co/sbN4SK67
— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) August 24, 2012
Things @MittRomney talked about this week: abortion, @ToddAkin, his running mate's efforts 2 redefine rape, birth certificates. #losing
— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/BenLaBolt/status/239041683617091586
sad RT @JanCBS: At Romney event, 2 reactions to his birth certificate joke: reporters gasped–and a crowd of thousands laughed and cheered.
— Michael Czin (@MikeCzin) August 24, 2012
#Republican discourse hits a new low. RT @Lis_Smith Video of a campaign unraveling: @MittRomney goes full birther http://t.co/yO2VRbAo
— Sharon Yang (@SharonBYang) August 24, 2012
Unreal. @MittRomney, now part of birther movement. http://t.co/GHZkuatY
— Tom Reynolds (@TomHReynolds) August 24, 2012
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Update:
Ben Howe deftly uses Team Obama’s own words to smack them for their phony indignation. You see, Obama and friends asked for it — literally:
https://twitter.com/BenHowe/status/239051906411028481
Oh. Snap. That’s pure gold, right there.
***
Update:
“Real journalists” are madly clutching their pearls. Oh, lawdy.
***
Related:
#FutureMittJokes has lefties gleeful over ‘priceless’ race-baiting; Conservatives hijack
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