# Romney "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 24, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504 "2012-08-24T17:03:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/21 "2012-08-24T18:07:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Not again. My apologies for moderating my own thread, but I am going to formally instruct you to stay on topic for once. There are plenty of threads where you can discuss Obama and small business. This is about race and the campaign. All right then, I’ll rephrase in a way that stays on topic: If we can read between the lines of one candidate’s statement, then it is fair to read between the lines of another’s, even if it contradicts what the candidate actually literally SAID. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/22 "2012-08-24T18:10:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This comes a few weeks after one of his advisers told a British newspaper “[The U.S. and U.K.] are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and he [Romney] feels that the special relationship is special,” a second Romney adviser told the newspaper. “The White House didn’t fully appreciate the shared history we have.” I was undecided on whether or not the McCain campaign was ever deliberately racist in its attacks on Obama, but I think with Romney, the answer is clear at this point. The term “special relationship” goes back to Churchill, and it has been specifically the subject of [discussion](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/28/us-uk-special-relationship-over) in the UK and here. Obama has [also](http://articles.cnn.com/2011-05-25/politics/obama.europe.speech_1_magna-carta-english-bill-uk-parliament?_s=PM:POLITICS) praised the “shared history and heritage” of the countries. If the use of “Anglo-Saxon” by the Romney advisor, instead of “English” by Obama is what convinced, I think that’s a pretty narrow distinction. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/23 "2012-08-24T18:10:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > If we can read between the lines of one candidate’s statement, then it is fair to read between the lines of another’s, even if it contradicts what the candidate actually literally SAID. I’ll treat this as if it had been on topic: in what way did my post contradict what Romney said? > [@Romney](#): > > “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 that we were born and raised.” > [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > The term “special relationship” goes back to Churchill I’m entirely familiar with the term. > [@](#): > > If the use of “Anglo-Saxon” by the Romney advisor, instead of “English” by Obama is what convinced, I think that’s a pretty narrow distinction. Did Obama say that someone else didn’t understand the relationship? And “Anglo-Saxon” and “English” don’t mean the same thing. “English” isn’t a common synonym for white, and “Anglo-Saxon” is. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/24 "2012-08-24T18:13:09Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Romey did release his own birth certificate.](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-usa-campaign-romney-birth-certificate-idUSBRE84S1GF20120529) Because Romney isn’t a birther, you see. He just hangs around with them accepts their endorsements and jokes that everyone knows where _he_ was born. \ It is obviously photoshopped - you can tell from the pixels. And I note that it was issued in 2012. 2012! Who is he trying to kid? His father was born in Mexico, so that makes Romney non-eligible. It’s not an original certificate. Where’s the original? It’s not even a real long-form birth certificate, it’s a certificate of live birth. That’s not the same. Why does he not release the original? Why did he release this 2012, made up, forgery? Was he actually born in Mexico? Are his children anchor babies? I think that someone should look into where “Mitt Romney” (aka Manuel Rodriguez) was actually born. Is there a birth notice in a 1947 newspaper? Affidavits from a doctor or nurse in attendance? No? Why not? What does he have to hide? \ ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/25 "2012-08-24T18:14:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I didn’t call anybody a racist. Fifteen minutes earlier… > [@Marley](#): > > Romney appears to have progressed to open race-baiting. > [@Marley](#): > > I was undecided on whether or not the McCain campaign was ever deliberately racist in its attacks on Obama, but I think with Romney, the answer is clear at this point. Let me know when you’ve got your story straight. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/26 "2012-08-24T18:17:43Z")
You can race-bait without being a racist. I don’t think Bush the Smarter was a racist because of the Willie Horton ad, but he was race-baiting. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/27 "2012-08-24T18:17:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > If we can read between the lines of one candidate’s statement, then it is fair to read between the lines of another’s, even if it contradicts what the candidate actually literally SAID. How do you read Romney’s comment as \*contradicting \*the birthers instead of endorsing them? :dubious: How \*can \*you? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/28 "2012-08-24T18:18:23Z")
One can race bait without being a racist, if one thinks such a tactic will serve a purpose. Which it appears Romney does. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/29 "2012-08-24T18:18:59Z")
In fact, knowing what you’re doing makes it easier to do well. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/30 "2012-08-24T18:21:46Z")
The whole ‘show your birth certificate’ nonsense is a prime example of things Mr. Romney should avoid invoking. And as an Anglo-American (though probably not Saxon), I am just a wee bit perturbed by the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/31 "2012-08-24T18:24:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll treat this as if it had been on topic: in what way did my post contradict what Romney said? All he said was that he and his wife were born in Michigan hospitals, and that it was common knowledge. And a joke about the birth certificate controversy. In order to read racial dog whistles into it, you have to make some assumptions. Something which conservatives get criticized for doing. And called ignorant, dishonest, stupid… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/32 "2012-08-24T18:27:54Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > “Mitt Romney” (aka Manuel Rodriguez) This contains much win. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/33 "2012-08-24T18:27:55Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > And a joke about the birth certificate controversy. > > In order to read racial dog whistles into it, you have to make some assumptions. Something which conservatives get criticized for doing. And called ignorant, dishonest, stupid… Sorry, but there is no innocent explanation. Either Mitt is a batshit-crazy birther (which I don’t believe), or he wants to stoke the hatred of those that are. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/34 "2012-08-24T18:28:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > All he said was that he and his wife were born in Michigan hospitals, and that it was common knowledge. And a joke about the birth certificate controversy. You mean, a joke about a controversy that is entirely race-related? Let’s say that there was a “controversy” about Obama eating watermelon. If Romney stood up and said, “Nyuck, nyuck, we don’t eat watermelon!” would you be able to see the racial impact of that statement? Romney is saying that he’s a white guy, an obvious American. No one would ask him for his birth certificate because golly, he’s just so obviously American, unlike “that one.” ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/35 "2012-08-24T18:28:49Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > All he said was that he and his wife were born in Michigan hospitals, and that it was common knowledge. And a joke about the birth certificate controversy. > > In order to read racial dog whistles into it, you have to make some assumptions. Something which conservatives get criticized for doing. And called ignorant, dishonest, stupid… The Romney campaign’s own reaction to criticism over this joke over the next few days will give us a pretty good idea whether it was really an “off-the-cuff joke”, or a dog-whistle meant to gain support. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/36 "2012-08-24T18:29:06Z")
Besides, what possible purpose can race baiting serve? are people unfamiliar with the President’s heritage? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/37 "2012-08-24T18:30:02Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Besides, what possible purpose can race baiting serve? are people unfamiliar with the President’s heritage? Are you kidding me? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/38 "2012-08-24T18:30:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Besides, what possible purpose can race baiting serve? are people unfamiliar with the President’s heritage? If it’s for political purposes, it’s calculated to get the racists out to vote- so that they think Romney is really on their side. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/39 "2012-08-24T18:32:36Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Romney is saying that he’s a white guy, an obvious American. No one would ask him for his birth certificate because golly, he’s just so obviously American, unlike “that one.” It’s quite disturbing the degree to which some people view everything through this prism of racism. Romney’s joke had nothing to do with race. Period. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504/40 "2012-08-24T18:32:54Z")
I don’t automatically think Mitt put this out to race-bait (though he might have)- because I think Mitt is just a bad politician, a bad campaigner, and someone who has bad political instincts. It might just be a stupid joke- like his “who let the dogs out” moment. Basically, incompetence may explain this one- rather than maliciousness. Or maybe not. I think the campaign’s own reaction to the controversy will be telling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-no-ones-ever-asked-to-see-my-birth-certificate/632504.md?page=3)