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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599706
04/11/11 07:34 PM
04/11/11 07:34 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
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The Fuckin Doctor

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
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Romney in _ almost _ announcing exploratory effort
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the closest to a front-runner in a wide-open Republican field, took a major step toward a second White House candidacy Monday, formally announcing a campaign exploratory committee.
Romney declared that "with able leadership, America's best days are still ahead," vigorously asserting that President Barack Obama had failed to provide it.
The Republican, who has been plotting a comeback since losing the GOP presidential nomination to John McCain three years ago, offered himself as the person best able to lead a country struggling to recover from economic crisis.
"It is time that we put America back on a course of greatness with a growing economy, good jobs and fiscal discipline in Washington," Romney, a former venture capitalist with a record of turning around failing companies, said in a video posted on his website and on Facebook. He also announced the formation of the committee, which will allow him to raise money, in a Twitter message.
Romney's move had been expected and a full-fledged campaign is a near certainty. He has traveled across the country to meet in private with donors and sound out their support. His political committee's headquarters near Boston has been bulking up. And in his few public appearances, he has honed his criticism of Obama.
Romney's strengths are substantial: He's well known and he's an experienced campaigner. He has a personal fortune and an existing network of donors. He has a successful businessman's record.
But his challenges are big, too. They include a record of changing positions on social issues including abortion and gay rights, shifts that have left conservatives questioning his sincerity. He also has struggled to allay some skeptics of his Mormon faith.
Romney oversaw a health care law enacted in Massachusetts that's similar to Obama's national health overhaul, which conservatives despise. His announcement video didn't mention either law.
He invested more than $40 million of his own money in the 2008 race and counted on early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire that never materialized. He tried to run to the right of the pack but couldn't persuade enough GOP primary voters.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has also taken the initial steps toward a White House run in 2012, setting up an exploratory committee. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is laying the groundwork for an early May announcement.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann are also putting together political machines for potential presidential runs.
All are auditioning for the chance to take on Obama, who is seeking a second term asking voters to let him finish the job he won in 2008. An ailing economy and an anxious electorate both dog the president, who won election on the promise of change but now has a record that defines him.
Romney hammered Obama's stewardship of the economy and offered a preview of his expected campaign theme: He is a proven business executive while Obama remains unqualified to repair a fractured economy.
"President Obama's policies have failed. He and virtually all the people around him have never worked in the real economy. They just don't know how jobs are created in the private sector."
Then Romney makes the case for himself.
"From my vantage point in business and in government, I have become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it has become even worse during the last two years," he said. "But I am also convinced that with able leadership, America's best days are still ahead."
Romney, the son of a former governor of Michigan, met his future wife when he was 18 and she was 15, just before he departed for college and then more than two years of Mormon missionary work in France. The couple had five sons, while Mitt Romney went on to earn millions as a business consultant and venture capitalist.
While heading Bain Capital, he helped launch the Staples office supply chain, as well as buy Domino's Pizza.
His public career began in 1999, when he was recruited to take over the 2002 Winter Olympics after scandal and financial deficits threatened the Salt Lake City games.
In 2003, he took over as governor of Massachusetts after a campaign in which he cast himself as a moderate on abortion, gay rights and stem cell research. He had sounded many of the same themes during an unsuccessful 1994 U.S. Senate race against Democrat Edward M. Kennedy.
He chose not to seek a second term and instead turned his sights to the White House.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599772
04/12/11 01:28 PM
04/12/11 01:28 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145 East Tennessee
ronnierocketAGO
OP
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OP

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145
East Tennessee
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train wreck! train wreck! train wreck! Trump: I'll run as Independent if I don't win GOP NominationDonald Trump will “probably” run as an independent candidate for U.S. President in 2012 if he does not receive the Republican party’s nomination, he told the Wall Street Journal in a video interview on Monday.
Mr. Trump’s candidacy would complicate matters for the GOP as it looks to front someone who can unite the fractious party and mount a serious challenge to President Obama’s reelection bid. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll recently found Mr. Trump tied for second place with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee among likely voters in a GOP primary. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who moved a step closer to formally declaring his own candidacy Monday, is still the frontrunner, though not by a wide margin.
“I think the Republicans are very concerned that I [may] run as an independent,” Mr. Trump said. His support is highest among the conservative wing of the party, not least because he is among the so-called “birthers” who doubt that President Obama in fact was born in the U.S. “It’s a very important issue,” Mr. Trump said of demanding that President Obama show his birth certificate, which has separately been reviewed by the media and deemed legitimate. “I’m not ashamed of having raised that issue.”
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/04/11...J_Election_Blog
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599773
04/12/11 01:32 PM
04/12/11 01:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984 California
The Italian Stallionette
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984
California
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I don't know!!! Do you really believe it?? I also read he met with Huckabee recently and there was a suggestion of a Huckabee/Trump ticket. Would he possibly consider VP? TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
"War is over, if you want it" - John Lennon
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599788
04/12/11 03:51 PM
04/12/11 03:51 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145 East Tennessee
ronnierocketAGO
OP
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OP

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145
East Tennessee
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If the GOP leadership is getting hammered tonight at the local watering hole, I can't blame them. Exit polls showed independents supporting the GOP by a 19 point margin last year at 56-37. Now only 30% of those voters think that the Republican controlled House is moving things in the right direction, compared to 44% who think things were better with the Democrats. Given those numbers it's not much of a surprise that independents now say they'd vote Democratic for the House by a 42-33 margin if there was an election today, representing a 28 point reversal in a span of just five months.
Ouch. Spelling out the obvious, which Pizza already pointed out: These poll numbers also point to the reality that Republicans taking control of the House may have been one of the best things that could possibly have happened for Obama's reelection prospects. Although we found the President with slightly negative approval numbers on this poll, when asked whether they had more faith in Obama or Congressional Republicans to lead the country in the right direction 48% of voters picked Obama to only 42% who went with Congressional Republicans. Voters may not love Obama as once they did but they're finding him to be more reasonable than the alternative and that means it will be hard for the GOP to knock him off next year without a top notch nominee. http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/04/bad-news-for-congressional-republicans.html
Last edited by ronnierocketAGO; 04/12/11 03:54 PM.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599792
04/12/11 04:21 PM
04/12/11 04:21 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145 East Tennessee
ronnierocketAGO
OP
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OP

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145
East Tennessee
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CNN Poll: Donald Trump Ties Huckabee For Lead In GOP PrimaryIn the poll of self-identified Republican adults, Trump and Huckabee tied for first at 19%, followed by Palin at 12%, and Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney at 11% each. Ron Paul placed sixth with 7%, and was trailed by Michele Bachmann (5%), Mitch Daniels (3%), Tim Pawlenty (2%), and Rick Santorum (2%).
Trump posted the biggest gain by far in the latest poll. One month ago, CNN pegged his support at 10%, good for fifth place. But since then, Trump has gone on a media blitz, appearing on cable news shows and repeatedly flogging old conspiracies on the long-since settled issue of President Obama's citizenship.
This is the second poll in as many weeks to show Trump giving the establishment candidates a run for their money. Last week, an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll showed Trump running in second place at 17%, just behind frontrunner Romney's 21%.
Romney fell furthest in the CNN survey since March, dropping seven points from his second place finish one month ago.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599804
04/12/11 06:05 PM
04/12/11 06:05 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984 California
The Italian Stallionette
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984
California
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I am amazed (and amused) at the lack of good candidates on the GOP side this election (thus far). I can imagine how the party must feel.  BTW, I remember Mitt's father, George Romney, who was the Governor of my home state in Michigan way back when. Yet, IF I absolutely had to pick out of the GOP field, I would reluctantly go with Romney, because....well, I guess he seems the most "normal" of the bunch. Thing is, at this point, I don't think he's odds are that good. TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
"War is over, if you want it" - John Lennon
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: The Italian Stallionette]
#599827
04/12/11 11:04 PM
04/12/11 11:04 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145 East Tennessee
ronnierocketAGO
OP
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OP

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,145
East Tennessee
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I am amazed (and amused) at the lack of good candidates on the GOP side this election (thus far). I can imagine how the party must feel.  BTW, I remember Mitt's father, George Romney, who was the Governor of my home state in Michigan way back when. I know its absolutely mean and tasteless, but I would ROTFL if one of the candidates during a primary debate make a "brainwashing" joke regarding Mittens' flip-flop on HCR. It would certainly run in the family. Yet, IF I absolutely had to pick out of the GOP field, I would reluctantly go with Romney, because....well, I guess he seems the most "normal" of the bunch. Thing is, at this point, I don't think he's odds are that good.
TIS Honestly, he's (right now at least) the only one that tries to act "Presidential," or comes off as such in public. Or in other words doesn't pick fights with Natalie Portman or send Birther investigator to Hawaii or try to sport a new southern twang tongue or fight for the spotlight on Fox News. It's a start.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599876
04/13/11 12:52 PM
04/13/11 12:52 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984 California
The Italian Stallionette
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984
California
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Now, what's this about Pawlenty? Yesterday I hear he says he's running for President and now today he said it was taken out of context????  Laurel and Hardy theme is going thru my mind. TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
"War is over, if you want it" - John Lennon
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: The Italian Stallionette]
#599877
04/13/11 12:55 PM
04/13/11 12:55 PM
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 22,902 New York
SC
Consigliere
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Consigliere

Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 22,902
New York
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Now, what's this about Pawlenty? Yesterday I hear he says he's running for President and now today he said it was taken out of context???? Yeah, he said pawlenty but none of it made any sense.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: Sicilian Babe]
#599882
04/13/11 01:42 PM
04/13/11 01:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
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The Fuckin Doctor

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
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Michael Daly of the New York Daily News wrote what I think is the definitive article about Trump in yesterday's paper. Donald Trump's birther nonsense is a deplorable distraction from the issues - time to trash himMichael Daly, NY Daily News Tuesday, April 12th 2011 Let's just fire him. Let's banish him from our thoughts and forget him. Let's not even mention his name. I don't even want to type it. Here we are in the midst of our longest war and ongoing financial calamity and this guy tries to get attention for himself with this birther nonsense about our President and commander in chief. This birther-in-chief is not even a clown. Clowns know they are being absurd. In case you don't know who I'm talking about, I'll give you some hints. Most bizarre hairdo in New York. Most overinflated ego in New York. Ugliest buildings in New York. Tacky, tacky, tacky. Still don't know? I'll give you some more hints. Vulgar, vulgar, vulgar. Pout of a trout, preen of a peacock. Casinos that lose money. Foreign banks bamboozled by the myth into giving him excessive loans. Millions of business wanna-bes bamboozled by the myth into believing he is some kind of role model. Billionaire who often seems to owe more than he owns. Germophobe known to open doors with his elbow. Truthophobe known to put his foot in his mouth. Rented land in Westchester to Moammar Khadafy in 2009 so the dictator could pitch his Bedouin tent. When caught doing it, claimed via a spokesman the land was "leased on a short term basis to Middle Eastern partners, who may or may not have a relationship with Mr. Khadafy." "We are looking into the matter ..." and said he had "no idea" Khadafy was the tenant. Seemed to completely forget that statement when he subsequently bragged on CNN, "With Khadafy... I got in one night more money than I would have gotten all year for this piece of land up in Westchester and then didn't let him use it. That's called being intelligent." When CNN asked if he had retained the Khadafy money said, "Do I still have it? What does that mean?" Reported that he had given the money to charity. Then declared it had all been part of a brilliant plan. Told CNN, "In fact, I said, when I did it, I'm gonna take Khadafy's money, I'm not gonna make it easy on him, and I'm going to give the money to charity." Now says this is how foreign policy should be conducted. "I don't want to use the word 'screwed,' but I screwed him. That's what we should be doing." And this is a guy who is talking about running for President. Somehow, he ran second in a presidential poll of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire. Maybe the Republicans up there are as bamboozled as the foreign banks and the business wanna-bes. Only, with this birther nonsense, there is no longer any excuse for being fooled. He showed that to promote himself he is willing to play on the paranoid imaginings of folks whose real problem with Barack Obama has nothing to do with the place of his birth. What they cannot stand is that Obama was born black and proved we really are a country where anybody can grow up to become President. They are obsessed with finding some way to cast Obama as an Other, ineligible to be President. "Hey, he can't be President," they say. "He's bla... I mean foreign-born." Anybody who seeks to capitalize on that deserves to be fired - and forgotten. mdaly@nydailynews.com Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics...l#ixzz1JQU1RyNs
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: Sicilian Babe]
#599883
04/13/11 01:56 PM
04/13/11 01:56 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 15,030 Texas
olivant
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 15,030
Texas
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The whole Bill Cosby/Donald Trump thing is quite interesting. I liked Cosby's, "The only thing that's running is his mouth." http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42549445/ns/today-today_people/I liked the observation on Good Day NY this morning re: Trump's position in the polls. Anchor Greg Kelly noted that Giuliani had placed this high in the polls prior to the last election's primary, and look how that ended. Ouch! When is the election? November of 2012? 18 months from now? What's the relevance of a presidential poll at the distance of 18 months from the election? Trump is new and he's loud; such candidates always draw early attention. By the way,it really doesn't matter. The world ends on December 21, 2012 anyway.
Last edited by olivant; 04/13/11 01:57 PM.
"Generosity. That was my first mistake." "Experience must be our only guide; reason may mislead us." "Instagram is Twitter for people who can't read."
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: Frank_Nitti]
#599889
04/13/11 03:59 PM
04/13/11 03:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,325 MI
Lilo
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,325
MI
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No. There is no ounce of validity to the birther nonsense. None. The fact that so many people believe there is because they desperately want to believe it. This is discussed both exhaustively and in a humorous manner here and here and here and here.
"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives." Winter is Coming
Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: Lilo]
#599890
04/13/11 04:10 PM
04/13/11 04:10 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984 California
The Italian Stallionette
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984
California
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No. There is no ounce of validity to the birther nonsense. None. The fact that so many people believe there is because they desperately want to believe it. This is discussed both exhaustively and in a humorous manner here and here and here and here. You're right Lilo. I was hesitant to chime in because like you say people who want to believe it simply won't be swayed. I know it was debunked by the then Republican governor of Hawaii during the election and again by the current Democrat governor. Here's one more recent article AGAIN debunking it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42519951/ns/politics-more_politics/TIS
Last edited by The Italian Stallionette; 04/13/11 04:11 PM.
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
"War is over, if you want it" - John Lennon
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599895
04/13/11 05:03 PM
04/13/11 05:03 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 592 Chicago Underworld
Frank_Nitti
"The Enforcer"
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"The Enforcer"
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 592
Chicago Underworld
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What I don't understand is why they won't release a copy of the original certificate and put an end to all of this damn nonsense. Don't we all have atleast a copy of our original birth certificate? I know I do. It's printed on decades-old aged paper and has a doctor's hand written signature on it. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't keep such an article in their possession excepting this President. So who's grasping for straws and "wanting to believe" something??? I dont know. (Sorry if I'm being divisive or repetitive,  I appreciate your responses...but I get so tired of the supposed tolerant Left constantly labeling those who disagree with them as 'morons' and 'crazies.' It's no wonder these people get smacked in the mouth when they actually step out in public and talk like that.)
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: Frank_Nitti]
#599944
04/14/11 09:29 AM
04/14/11 09:29 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,619 NJ
Don Marco
Underboss
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Underboss
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,619
NJ
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What I don't understand is why they won't release a copy of the original certificate and put an end to all of this damn nonsense. Don't we all have atleast a copy of our original birth certificate? I know I do. It's printed on decades-old aged paper and has a doctor's hand written signature on it. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't keep such an article in their possession excepting this President. So who's grasping for straws and "wanting to believe" something??? I dont know. (Sorry if I'm being divisive or repetitive,  I appreciate your responses...but I get so tired of the supposed tolerant Left constantly labeling those who disagree with them as 'morons' and 'crazies.' It's no wonder these people get smacked in the mouth when they actually step out in public and talk like that.) Do you honestly think releasing it would make a difference? You don't think the Trumps of the world would cry out "forgery" and still continue with this monumental waste of time? The normally respected Annenberg Foundation is being labeled as a tool of the President's because he was on the board of one of the branches of theirs, yet they saw and acknowledged that the certificate was fine. As did the officials of Hawaii, who noted that they were GOP supporters of McCain said it was OK. This is the issue Trump centers on?
"After all, we are not communists" Christopher Moltisanti: You ever think what a coincidence it is that Lou Gehrig died of Lou Gehrig's disease?
Tony Soprano: Yeah well, when you're married, you'll understand the importance of fresh produce.
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Re: Election 2012
[Re: ronnierocketAGO]
#599955
04/14/11 11:08 AM
04/14/11 11:08 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984 California
The Italian Stallionette
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 25,984
California
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Thanks to a recent Hawaii legislature bill, you can secure a copy of the birth certificate: For a $100 charge. (Give them credit for ingenious capitalizing on stupid people.) They added that charge because so many people were asking for copies of Obama's. Two governors (one Rep. and one Dem) have confirmed and both have said that is what their B.C. look like. Btw, I don't expect to change anyone's mind who doesn't want to believe it, but my son-in-law was born in Hawaii. It was only because my daughter and SIL had to replace lost SS cards that I saw his birth certificate. Guess what???? It looks just like the one Obama has that the birthers are bitching about. He was able to obtain a SS and passport and other necessary paperwork with it without any questions. I don't know that he has aspirations to be President, but I'm guessing it would be sufficient. I say some people simply have to get over it, but doubt they will. TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
"War is over, if you want it" - John Lennon
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