In Commerce, Mich., today, The Associated Press reports, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney told supporters that he and his wife, Ann, had been born in nearby hospitals. Then, Romney added, "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate; they know that this is the place where both of us were born and raised."
That was, as you're probably aware, a not-so-subtle reference to the "birther" conspiracy: the seemingly never-ending insinuations from a few of President Obama's harshest critics that, despite all the evidence showing he was born in Hawaii, he somehow wasn't.
The Obama campaign is, of course, objecting. "Governor Romney's decision to directly enlist himself in the birther movement should give pause to any rational voter across America," Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said in an email to reporters.
Just 10 days ago, it was President Obama getting in a not-so-subtle dig at Romney. Talking about wind power initiatives, Obama told an audience in Iowa that Romney had said "you can't drive a car with a windmill on it."
"Now, I don't know if he's actually tried that," the president continued. "He's had other things on his car."
That would be a not-so-subtle reference to Romney's infamous dog-on-the-car-roof story.
To which Romney spokesman Ryan Williams had this to say, according to USA Today's The Oval blog: "After sanctimoniously complaining about making a 'big election about small things' President Obama continues to embarrass himself and diminish his office with his unpresidential behavior."
So, can we now declare them even?
Check It's All Politics for ongoing coverage of the campaign. And by the way, we'll be helping out the politics team the next two weeks with blogging (at It's All Politics) from the conventions.
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