COMMERCE, Mich. (AP) - Republican Mitt Romney raised the discredited rumor that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States and thus ineligible to be president, jokingly declaring "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate" as he campaigned Friday near his own Michigan birthplace.
The remark, which aides insisted wasn't meant to validate the "birther" claim, raised an unwanted distraction for Romney in his last few days of campaigning before the Republican National Convention begins Monday. It came a day after Romney caused another stir by declaring that big business was "doing fine" in the current struggling economy in part because companies get advantages from offshore tax havens.
Romney made his birth certificate remark at a large outdoor rally in Michigan, where he grew up and where his father, George Romney, served as governor. He was joined onstage by his wife, Ann, and running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.
Romney told supporters that he and Ann had been born at nearby hospitals.
(AP) Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, listens and... Full Image
"No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised," Romney said.
The crowd of more than 7,000 responded with hearty laughter.
But Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt swiftly denounced the remark, saying Romney "embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to them."
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden tried to walk the comments back shortly after, saying: "The governor has always said, and has repeatedly said, he believes the president was born here in the United States."
The authenticity of Obama's birth certificate has been questioned by some Republican critics who insist Obama is not a "natural-born citizen" as required by the Constitution. Obama released a long-form version of his birth certificate last year as proof that he was born in Hawaii in 1961. But polls show some Republicans remain unconvinced. A Pew Research Center poll taken in April found 19 percent of Republicans said they weren't sure if he was born in the United States, and 6 percent believe he was born in another country.
(AP) Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, and his vice... Full Image
Friday's remark came as top Romney advisers were announcing convention themes designed to feature Romney's personal side and life experiences as he introduces himself to a broad national audience with many who have yet to tune in to the presidential contest. It's also an opportunity for Romney to cast himself as a compassionate and serious candidate for the presidency after a summer of unforced errors and tough Obama campaign ads that have portrayed him as an out-of-touch multi-millionaire.
Romney gave Democrats another opening Thursday when he attempted to sympathize with the struggles of small business owners.
"Big business is doing fine in many places," Romney said during a campaign fundraiser. "They get the loans they need, they can deal with all the regulation. They know how to find ways to get through the tax code, save money by putting various things in the places where there are low tax havens around the world for their businesses."
COMMERCE, Mich. (AP) - Republican Mitt Romney raised the discredited rumor that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States and thus ineligible to be president, jokingly declaring "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate" as he campaigned Friday near his own Michigan birthplace.
ReplyDeleteThe remark, which aides insisted wasn't meant to validate the "birther" claim, raised an unwanted distraction for Romney in his last few days of campaigning before the Republican National Convention begins Monday. It came a day after Romney caused another stir by declaring that big business was "doing fine" in the current struggling economy in part because companies get advantages from offshore tax havens.
Romney made his birth certificate remark at a large outdoor rally in Michigan, where he grew up and where his father, George Romney, served as governor. He was joined onstage by his wife, Ann, and running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.
Romney told supporters that he and Ann had been born at nearby hospitals.
(AP) Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, listens and...
Full Image
"No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised," Romney said.
The crowd of more than 7,000 responded with hearty laughter.
But Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt swiftly denounced the remark, saying Romney "embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to them."
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden tried to walk the comments back shortly after, saying: "The governor has always said, and has repeatedly said, he believes the president was born here in the United States."
The authenticity of Obama's birth certificate has been questioned by some Republican critics who insist Obama is not a "natural-born citizen" as required by the Constitution. Obama released a long-form version of his birth certificate last year as proof that he was born in Hawaii in 1961. But polls show some Republicans remain unconvinced. A Pew Research Center poll taken in April found 19 percent of Republicans said they weren't sure if he was born in the United States, and 6 percent believe he was born in another country.
(AP) Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, and his vice...
Full Image
Friday's remark came as top Romney advisers were announcing convention themes designed to feature Romney's personal side and life experiences as he introduces himself to a broad national audience with many who have yet to tune in to the presidential contest. It's also an opportunity for Romney to cast himself as a compassionate and serious candidate for the presidency after a summer of unforced errors and tough Obama campaign ads that have portrayed him as an out-of-touch multi-millionaire.
Romney gave Democrats another opening Thursday when he attempted to sympathize with the struggles of small business owners.
"Big business is doing fine in many places," Romney said during a campaign fundraiser. "They get the loans they need, they can deal with all the regulation. They know how to find ways to get through the tax code, save money by putting various things in the places where there are low tax havens around the world for their businesses."