2012 US Presidential Election

[raspberry jam]

I don't think it's as bad as when he first came into office, but I really do think a lot of his political opposition is because he's black. I mean, the fact that he was the first black president and also the first president who had to publicly release his full birth certificate to prove he wasn't born in Africa.....

You should make every white president release his birth certificate to prove that they are not born in the UK, Germany, Spain or whatever...

I don't see him as being hateworthy at all, he's just kind of ... ineffective and pointless. Except when he went and killed bin Laden, of course.

News flash MV he didn't kill bin Laden, some navy seal or whatever did.

[RD]

White people can be born in Africa. And I agree. What's fair for one should be fair for all.

[Zalis]

On the other hand, while I understand the sentiment of not wanting to dignify it with a response, all it did was perpetuate the circus by taking so long to release it. If someone continues shouting a stupid question, they gain more attention by being allowed time to shout it than by simply receiving an incontestable answer in the first place.

[raspberry jam]

Well, since the constitution demands that the president should have been born a US citizen, every single president should have to prove himself before assuming office anyway.

[Alaris]

anti-racism culture

Some racist people voted for him, probably so they could then complain about him yet be able to defend against racist claims by saying that they voted for the guy. Kinda like saying you have a black friend.

Moreover, like RDarken said, there's still a lot of racists (and bigots etc).

That video highlights one of the reasons I really like Obama. He's so professional, calm. Even when a kid is like "Why do people hate you?" he's cool about it.

<3

Do a lot of people actually hate Obama?

I think it's far less than 50%. Probably far less than how much Bush was hated while he was in office. But they're vocal.

He made many good decisions but they were faced with unfair resistance that did not exist during Bush's administration.

That's how I see it too.

On the other hand, while I understand the sentiment of not wanting to dignify it with a response, all it did was perpetuate the circus by taking so long to release it.

I'm not entirely sure about it. When he did release it, he then proceeded to make fun of some of the fools like at that speech when he made fun of that billionaire with the toupee who fires people (Donald Trump). The circus might have been planned to show the freaks for what they are, with a celebrity on the chopping block.

To think, if not for this, we might have had to deal with Donald Trump being one of the candidates.

[Zalis]

Well, since the constitution demands that the president should have been born a US citizen, every single president should have to prove himself before assuming office anyway.

If that's supposed to sound absurd, then it's not quite there. I have no problem with this being a formal part of the process as long as it's part of the rules. My point was that it would not have been such a big deal if he had simply shut them up with documentation in the first place.

[RD]

Well, since the constitution demands that the president should have been born a US citizen, every single president should have to prove himself before assuming office anyway.

It is part of the process for becoming president, I'm sure. I'm sure he had to go through all the legalities we didn't see, just like any person starting any job where he gets a paycheck. My co-workers don't come up to me and ask me to show them my license or birth certificate, but I still had to prove I could legally work in this country to get hired here. The birthers, I guess, thought it was some kind of conspiracy.

On the other hand, while I understand the sentiment of not wanting to dignify it with a response, all it did was perpetuate the circus by taking so long to release it. If someone continues shouting a stupid question, they gain more attention by being allowed time to shout it than by simply receiving an incontestable answer in the first place.

Disagree. When you have a kid, if he starts throwing a temper tantrum are you just going to give him what he wants to stop his crying? No.
I don't think Obama was wrong for releasing it, but I probably would not have if I had been in his shoes. Then again, I would not have been able to maintain my composure like he did; I would have openly mocked and criticized the birthers.

[Zalis]

Disagree. When you have a kid, if he starts throwing a temper tantrum are you just going to give him what he wants to stop his crying? No.
I don't think Obama was wrong for releasing it, but I probably would not have if I had been in his shoes. Then again, I would not have been able to maintain my composure like he did; I would have openly mocked and criticized the birthers.

This is not the same. Your two-year-olds don't know better, but we're talking about adults asking a question of their voted representative. People had a question, he refused to answer. He could've nipped it in the bud and the issue wouldn't have dragged on needlessly.

I'm not saying they were right. I'm saying it was handled poorly. A lot of Americans took more interest in their concerns because he refused to address them.

[Alaris]

This is what I wish I had done, which Obama did do. That was awesome.

[raspberry jam]

...

Hahah I could start a thread about that.

If that's supposed to sound absurd, then it's not quite there. I have no problem with this being a formal part of the process as long as it's part of the rules. My point was that it would not have been such a big deal if he had simply shut them up with documentation in the first place.

It's not supposed to sound absurd. I think it would be a good rule.

It is part of the process for becoming president, I'm sure. I'm sure he had to go through all the legalities we didn't see, just like any person starting any job where he gets a paycheck. My co-workers don't come up to me and ask me to show them my license or birth certificate, but I still had to prove I could legally work in this country to get hired here. The birthers, I guess, thought it was some kind of conspiracy.

Yes, sure. But the point is, who does the president work for? He has no one above him, no boss to show his papers to. Except every citizen, of course. So the only fair thing would be to publish a birth certificate.