# Obama's college transcripts **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 21, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492 "2012-04-21T12:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/221 "2012-04-27T03:10:43Z")
[QUOTE=JRDelirious] Know what, though? I feel it would be a moot debate. And he’s entirely entitled to NOT oblige those who want to have it. He owes them nothing. The debate ought to be on the job he’s doing. (BTW same thing applied to George W’s academics – he had enough of a record of baffling policies and decisions that I never understood the insistence on trying to find some evidence of intrinsic mental inferiority) [/QUOTE] Know what else? I myself agree with all this. Not just that but I’ve explicitly said this repeatedly and consistantly throughout this thread. But it’s like talking to a brick wall. People assign positions to other people based on how they would prefer the argument to play out, and you can’t pound anything else through their skulls with sledgehammers. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/222 "2012-04-27T12:47:29Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I’m pretty sure his campaign promises about transparency had absolutely nothing to do with his past private personal records. You can pretend that he said they did if you want to. Here’s what he said from an Obama quotes website so I have no details of when/where: “Going forward, anytime the American people want to know something that I or a former president wants to withhold, we will have to consult with the Attorney General and the white house counsel, whose business it is to ensure compliance with the rule of law. Information will not be withheld just because I say so; it will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well-grounded in the Constitution. Let me say it as simply as I can: transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency." There may have been other quotes but this one seems to be limited to official business if you want to consider it a promise. That didn’t prevent him from going a little overboard with the “simply as I can” and “touchstone” bit. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/223 "2012-04-27T12:56:10Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > It seems astonishingly ballsy to me for people to insist that this has nothing to do with certain aspects of this president that are different than certain aspects of every other president to this point. The black thing right? Well you’ll always have that to fall back on. I would agree that there are many aspects to Obama that are unique. Romney’s entire life has been under the microscope relatively speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/224 "2012-04-27T13:16:31Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Here’s what he said from an Obama quotes website so I have no details of when/where: > > “Going forward, anytime the American people want to know something that I or a former president wants to withhold, we will have to consult with the Attorney General and the white house counsel, whose business it is to ensure compliance with the rule of law. Information will not be withheld just because I say so; it will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well-grounded in the Constitution. Let me say it as simply as I can: transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency." > > There may have been other quotes but this one seems to be limited to official business if you want to consider it a promise. That didn’t prevent him from going a little overboard with the “simply as I can” and “touchstone” bit. Obama made [a number of promises relating to transparency](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/subjects/transparency/), including: [“Establish transparency standards for military contractors. … Create the reporting requirements, accounting, and accountability needed for good governance and actual money savings with contracting.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/158/establish-transparency-standards-for-military-cont/) [“Will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/230/centralize-ethics-and-lobbying-information-for-vot/) [“Will create a ‘contracts and influence’ database that will disclose how much federal contractors spend on lobbying, and what contracts they are getting and how well they complete them.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/232/create-a-public-contracts-and-influence-database/) [To reduce bills rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them, Obama “will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/234/allow-five-days-of-public-comment-before-signing-b/) [Through the “Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act, will shed light on all earmarks by disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with a written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/235/require-more-disclosure-and-a-waiting-period-for-e/) [“Will amend executive orders to ensure that communications about regulatory policymaking between persons outside government and all White House staff are disclosed to the public.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/237/make-white-house-communications-public/) [“Will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can see in person or watch on the Internet these debates.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/238/conduct-regulatory-agency-business-in-public/) [“Will nullify the Bush attempts to make the timely release of presidential records more difficult.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/239/release-presidential-records/) [“Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government.”](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/426/increase-protections-for-whistleblowers/) As you can see, they’re a mixed bag of successes, failures, compromises and incomplete actions. And as you can also see, they’re all about the business of his administration and his office, not his personal life. The closest you get is the one about releasing presidential records, and that’s all about records from his time as President, not before. Does anyone \*\*seriously \*\*believe that he agreed to release all personal records upon request? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/225 "2012-04-27T13:42:30Z")
I’m still waiting for his credit card number, expiration date, and 3-digit security code. I requested it three years ago. What the fuck? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/226 "2012-04-27T13:49:35Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m still waiting for his credit card number, expiration date, and 3-digit security code. I requested it three years ago. What the fuck? 0000 0000 0000 0001, exp. Jan 20, 2013\*, 666. Keep it between us, OK? - Card issuer may issue replacement card, but withholds the right to cancel the cardholder agreement at any time without notice. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/227 "2012-04-27T14:49:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > As you can see, they’re a mixed bag of successes, failures, compromises and incomplete actions. And as you can also see, they’re all about the business of his administration and his office, not his personal life. The closest you get is the one about releasing presidential records, and that’s all about records from his time as President, not before. Does anyone \*\*seriously \*\*believe that he agreed to release all personal records upon request? He also used the word on 4/14/12 in a call for more tax returns from Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/228 "2012-04-27T14:55:47Z")
And Obama has released his tax returns. What do you want the long form 10-40A or something? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/229 "2012-04-27T14:59:56Z")
And once again, because apparently you missed it the first time, presidential candidates routinely release their tax returns. Your horse? It’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/230 "2012-04-30T14:06:55Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > And Obama has released his tax returns. What do you want the long form 10-40A or something? Huh? Who asked about Obama’s tax returns? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/231 "2012-05-01T15:05:18Z")
Looks like I win again !!! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/232 "2012-05-01T15:20:04Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Looks like I win again !!! cite? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/233 "2012-05-01T21:09:53Z")
To win again, you must have won at least once before. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/234 "2012-05-01T21:45:41Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Looks like I win again !!! Yes, you’re very special. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/235 "2012-05-01T21:50:18Z")
[QUOTE=What the … !!!] Looks like I win again !!! [/quote] Are you referring to this? > [@What\_the](#): > > Huh? Who asked about Obama’s tax returns? In the post just above the one you quoted, you brought up the issue of tax returns. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/236 "2012-05-01T22:21:18Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Are you referring to this? > In the post just above the one you quoted, you brought up the issue of tax returns. But not **Obama** ’s tax returns! _Now_ do you see the subtle trap you have been led into? And by “subtle trap” I mean “pointless irrelevance”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/237 "2012-05-03T13:24:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > But not **Obama** ’s tax returns! _Now_ do you see the subtle trap you have been led into? > > And by “subtle trap” I mean “pointless irrelevance”. That’s not subtle or irrelevant.. as you pointed out, Obama called for Romney’s tax returns… couldn’t be a bigger dif. Looks like [David Maraniss is interested in this subject too.](http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2012/05/david-maraniss-barack-obama-genevieve-cook) What a total ass he must be… unless of course his main interest is to support Obama. He uses the phrase “after more documents open up” to explain why he isn’t writing about the Harvard years. What is that all about? Do documents open themselves up? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/238 "2012-05-03T13:40:52Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Beyond transcripts there are probably other college records…apllications, financial aid etc. > > Releasing transcripts might lead to something more. And that something more might be… a thing that leads to something more! And something more after that! The American people are entitled to endless fishing expeditions for private, personal information that might somehow keep the flame of innuendo burning for eternity! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/239 "2012-05-03T13:53:56Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > Yes, you’re very special. Bless his heart… ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/240 "2012-05-03T15:56:25Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > And that something more might be… a thing that leads to something more! And something more after that! The American people are entitled to endless fishing expeditions for private, personal information that might somehow keep the flame of innuendo burning for eternity! :rolleyes: That would be my answer too if the shoe was on the other foot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492.md?page=13)