# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/41 "2012-04-21T21:38:48Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > I think I understand that there were some reasonable issues re the birth certificate that prevented him from putting it all out right way. He released his birth certificate in June of 2008, which was right around when the conspiracy theories were starting to gain traction. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/42 "2012-04-21T21:53:06Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > My law school transcripts contain no information other than my grades, cumulative average, and class rank. > > At least in law school the classes have easily understood names like “Torts” and “Legal Writing.” My undergrad transcript is a bunch of gibberish. Rs & Fl Civ. Nr E/Mesop. ANTH 203. That would be “The Rise and Fall of Civillizations in the Near East and Mesopotamia,” an archaeology class I took. Is it scary that I can translate that course name? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/43 "2012-04-22T04:27:19Z")
I think we should go a step further. How about high school transcripts? Oh, and that “permanent record” from elementary school that all our worst transgressions were supposed to appear on! ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/44 "2012-04-22T04:44:40Z")
He doesn’t want people to find out he went to school in Colombia, South America, rather than at Columbia University. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/45 "2012-04-22T05:05:17Z")
This is just one of those stupid little games the right plays. Why won’t he release his transcripts, what’s he hiding? All of a sudden, we’re all talking about this nonsense instead of issues. When you call them on it, they try to pretend that they’re just asking a question, not making a judgement. Then when they move on to some other non issue. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/46 "2012-04-22T05:40:56Z")
Don’t forget that many of his political enemies (some on this very board, in fact) seem to think he’s stupid, and thus want to see if he got all his academic accolades because of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!!! Considering that some of 'em seem to think he got into the _White House_ that way, I’m not surprised they think that way. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/47 "2012-04-22T10:19:12Z")
Yeah, it helps them reaffirm their world view that certain races are inferior and if wasn’t for affirmative action, they would have had more success in their own lives. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/48 "2012-04-22T10:53:42Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > AFAIK, there have been no official explanation as to why Obama didn’t release his treanscripts. But I can’t say that I know this for sure. The common sense explanation is that Obama didn’t release his transcripts for the same reason that Bush, Clinton, McCain, Palin, every President or Presidential candidate besides Kerry didn’t release theirs. And really, that was a pointless move on Kerry’s part. Sure as heck didn’t move him any closer to the White House. This was not an issue ever until Bush’s transcripts were leaked, and it was really really not an issue until a black guy got into the White House. > [@Tamex](#): > > I think we should go a step further. How about high school transcripts? Oh, and that “permanent record” from elementary school that all our worst transgressions were supposed to appear on! You may think you are using hyperbole in a humorous fashion, but a popular meme on ultra-conservative blogs and message boards is to post a list of demands for various Obama-related information, and yes, school records back to kindergarten (often specifying his kindergarten by name) are always on every list. For reals. Here are a few other frequently found requests on these lists, in ascending order of creepiness and surreality: his Illinois Senate record (isn’t this public record already?) his Illinois Senate schedule (who keeps their Franklin planner from 1996?) his client list from his law practice (is this even legal without some sort of criminal or civil investigation?) his college papers and essays his marriage certificate the marriage certificate and divorce documents of his mother his baptismal record His complete medical records the present-day whereabouts of all his half-siblings In short, birthers are really weird. ---
**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 22, 2012, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/49 "2012-04-22T11:55:58Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > We’re reading his posts differently. To my eyes he has most certainly implied that. In fact when he wrote that there may be discrepancies between Obama’s previous writings and the transcripts he came out and said it forthrightly. That was simply a theory to explain why he wouldn’t release them…seems pretty obvious to me. But since you’ve stated that the left gets to decide what is important with regard to Obama then I am clearly wrong. ---
**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 22, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/50 "2012-04-22T12:01:03Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > My law school transcripts contain no information other than my grades, cumulative average, and class rank. > > At least in law school the classes have easily understood names like “Torts” and “Legal Writing.” My undergrad transcript is a bunch of gibberish. Rs & Fl Civ. Nr E/Mesop. ANTH 203. That would be “The Rise and Fall of Civillizations in the Near East and Mesopotamia,” an archaeology class I took. Beyond transcripts there are probably other college records…apllications, financial aid etc. Releasing transcripts might lead to something more. Did anyone verify for me that neither his Columbia nor his Harvard records have been released? BTW…anybody see the UK paper story about his dad being on some sort of watch list? I can’t find it at the moment …saw it just a few days ago. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/51 "2012-04-22T12:03:34Z")
Obama should have studied harder in college, maybe then he’d have smarter critics. ---
**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 22, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/52 "2012-04-22T12:03:48Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > This thread is a perfect example of what the modern American conservative movement offers: no hope, no plan, no future; only nasty innuendo, paranoia and hate. All they have in the way of a platform is that they don’t like certain folk very much. This thread started out as some basic questions before your kind got all defensive. Transperency much? ---
**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 22, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/53 "2012-04-22T12:07:02Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > This is just one of those stupid little games the right plays. Why won’t he release his transcripts, what’s he hiding? All of a sudden, we’re all talking about this nonsense instead of issues. > > When you call them on it, they try to pretend that they’re just asking a question, not making a judgement. Then when they move on to some other non issue. Games we all play …when is the race card going to get played? Ah, there it is. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/54 "2012-04-22T12:42:32Z")
Looks like I touched a nerve. Since I have your attention can you tell me two things: 1. Why do you want to see his transcripts, what do you hope to learn? and 2. What are you trying to convey with your use of “…” all the time? It’s clearly your thing, but what is it that you think you are saying with all those dots? ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/55 "2012-04-22T13:43:19Z")
> [@sugaree](#): > > In short, birthers are really weird. No kidding. Even if Obama did dig up all this crap, they’d call it all forgeries just like the birth certificate, so why even bother? It certainly can’t be that the right is concerned about Obama’s academic record–after all, Bush’s was leaked and they still voted for him! ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/56 "2012-04-22T14:06:00Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > This thread started out as some basic questions before your kind got all defensive. > > Transperency much? Okay, then, back to your original questions. > [@What\_the](#): > > Snopes says he hasn’t made his Columbia transcripts available[here.](http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/columbia.asp) > > Have there been any official explanations why not? > > How about his Harvard transcripts? > > Just the facts please. No, not that I’m aware of. What about his Harvard transcripts? No, they haven’t been released. And no there have been no official explanations for why they haven’t been released. Those are not very interesting questions, nor are they opinion-based. Did you mean to ask something else, maybe something with a why, or a how, or a what do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/57 "2012-04-22T14:12:50Z")
What the…!!! I will answer your simple question if you can answer one for me. I say he doesn’t release his college records as it isn’t necessary and isn’t in his best interests politically. Simple as that. I wouldn’t in the same situation and I have nothing to hide either. It is nothing more complex that that. My question to you–‘do you believe President Obama was born in Hawaii and that he released his actual birth certificate?’ Simple question really. If you believe he isn’t a US citizen then all interaction with you after this point would be fruitless. I ‘had’ an acquantance that was a birther and so no amount of documentation would change her mind. And it did come down to political ideology and I need to establish where you are coming from. However if you do believe he has released his birth certificate and he is a US citizen then we can discuss rationally why it wouldn’t be in his best interests to release that info. So I answered your question, please answer mine. Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/58 "2012-04-22T15:28:10Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > He doesn’t want people to find out he went to school in Colombia, South America, rather than at Columbia University. I knew it! > [@What\_the](#): > > This thread started out as some basic questions before your kind got all defensive. > > Transperency much? You’re the lunatic getting all antsy because you’ve never seen his college transcripts. I’ve never seen _anyone’s_ college transcripts, including my own. Now you wanna sniff around at his financial aid package and whatever else? Why don’t you ask him to FedEx you some of his ball hair and fingernail clippings too? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/59 "2012-04-22T15:32:07Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > This thread started out as some basic questions before your kind got all defensive. > > Transperency much? And what would we do without \*your \*kind? I for one appreciate your tireless dedication to disproving the adage that there are no stupid questions. Also, transparency. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492/60 "2012-04-22T17:28:54Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Beyond transcripts there are probably other college records…apllications, financial aid etc. Which are also absolutely NOT in the Public Interest to demand to see just because they want to. BTW you may or may not be aware, there are laws protecting the privacy of school records, that do NOT become mooted by the former student becoming a public figure. Heck, even the results of a President’s annual medical evaluation do NOT have to be revealed , under HIPPAA. He can just issue a statement reassuring the nation “the Vice President can schedule a lot of rounds of golf and date nights with his wife this coming year”. I, for one, do not want to establish a precedent that if enough taxpayers who pay my salary want to see any of my past records I’m compelled to waive my protections and provide it or else be under suspicion. Besides we already know the idiots will automatically claim that’s a photoshopped fake. The mere curiosity of a random citizen or group of citizens however large does not the Public Interest make. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-college-transcripts/619492.md?page=4)