Romney: Birth certificate comment was just a joke

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Associated Press

Story Created: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:05 PM

Story Updated: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:11 PM

COMMERCE, Mich. (AP) — Mitt Romney says it was just a joke and not an effort to question President Barack Obama's citizenship. 

Speaking near Detroit today, Romney told a crowd that he was born in the area and that, in his words, "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate." The crowd of more than 7,000 responded with hearty laughter.

The Obama campaign says Romney is aligning himself with extreme elements of the party -- the "birthers" who still question whether Obama was really born in Hawaii.
But Romney later told CBS that there's "no question" that Obama was born in the United States. He says, "We've got to have a little humor in a campaign."
Obama released a long-form version of his Hawaii birth certificate last year. But polls show that some Republicans remain unconvinced. Romney has generally steered clear of the controversy.