Rod 2.0:Beta #gay #news #lgbt #gaynews

EBONY: "Birther-in-Chief: Will Romney's Joke Distract Voters?"

Mitt's new strategy? Our latest at EBONY: "Birther-In-Chief: Will Romney’s Birth Certificate "Joke" Distract Voters?"

Instead of talking about jobs or the economy—which allegedly are supposed to be the GOP’s strength—last week’s media narrative was dominated by questions surrounding Missouri Republican Rep. Todd Akin's outrageous remarks on women, biology and "legitimate rape."

The media chorus demanding answers from Romney grew so loud that the candidate eventually "refused to grant interviews to any reporters who wanted to know about his position on abortion or about Akin," reported Think Progress. "Only four local reporters got to talk to Romney because of his conditions."

What do you do if you're Romney? Try to change the narrative at any cost.

Team Romney’s solution: Distract voters with discredited, racist conspiracy theories on President Obama. Romney test-drove a new dog whistle while campaigning Friday in Michigan. "I love being home, in this place where Ann and I were raised, where both of us were born,” said the Detroit-born, former governor of Massachusetts. "No one’s ever asked to see my birth certificate," he added. The crowd roared in approval.

Privileged much? Voters and politicians have repeatedly asked to see Romney’s tax returns and the gazillionaire venture capitalist has refused—most recently claiming it would infringe on his Mormon faith. Keep telling yourself that, Mitt.

Read the full op-ed HERE.

VIDEO: Mitt Romney Makes "Joke" About "Birth Certificate"

PHOTO: Getty

Mitt Romney channels his BFF Donald "Birther" Trump and makes a "joke" ...

"I love being home, in this place where Ann and I were raised, where both of us were born,” Romney said in Commerce, Michigan, standing next to wife Ann and his running mate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). "Ann was born in Henry Ford Hospital, I was born in Harper Hospital. 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," he added.

But we have repeatedly asked to see your tax returns and you've refused. Cute trick to try to change the conversation from Rep. Todd Akin and a woman's right to choose ...

Romney strategist Kevin Madden claimed that the candidate was "only referencing that Michigan is the state where he himself was born and raised."

Of course. Watch Romney's "joke" AFTER THE JUMP ...

WATCH: Trump Tells Black Reporter, "I Know You're an Obama Fan"

The Trump trainwreck continues ...

During a Wednesday press conference in New Hampshire—after President Obama’s remarks about the release of his long form birth certificate—potential GOP presidential contender and birther-in-chief Donald Trump told reporters that the United States needed to match infrastructure investments made by China and other countries.

Inside Edition's Les Trent asked,"Isn’t that what President Obama tried to do with his stimulus package?"

Trump dismissed the reporter, who is Black, by saying,"I know you are a big Obama fan."

Watch AFTER THE JUMP ...

Meanwhile: CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer slammed Trump' suggestion that Obama was an affirmative action admission to Harvard. "That's code for saying he got into law school because he's black. This is an ugly strain of racism that's running through this whole thing," Schieffer said.

Trump dismissed Schieffer's remarks and told TMZ, "I am the last person that such a thing should be said about."

Only two weeks ago, Trump boasted that he has a "great relationship with the Blacks." You keep telling yourself that, Donald. Via Think Progress, watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

WATCH: Donald Trump's On-Air Meltdown Over Birther Questions

Possible Republican presidential contender and Birther-in-Chief Donald Trump was confronted by CNN's John King over his conspiracy theories, non-existent polling and tax returns. Trump was asked how he feels about being called a "sideshow" and "carnival barker" by the President—and also asked to furnish his tax returns as promised.

Trump was also corrected about a non-existent CNN poll that he claims shows his beating Obama in 2012. "We have never polled Obama versus Trump," King said in response to Trump citing the poll.

Trump is none-too-pleased and has a mini-meltdown on the air. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

WATCH: Obama Releases Birth Certificate, Decries "Silliness"

Speaking to reporters in the White House Briefing Room, the President slammed the culture of "silliness" surrounding his birth certificate and his birth in Hawaii.

"We do not have time for this kind of silliness," President Obama said. "We've got better stuff to do. I've got better stuff to do. We've got big problems to solve."

The President said he decided to distribute the long-form birth certificate (PDF) document now because during intense budget negotiations a few weeks ago, the "dominant news story" was his birth certificate. "We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," the President added.

The birth certificate was posted this morning at the White House Web site. Real estate developer and possible GOP presidential contender Donald Trump is already taking credit for the White House's decision. Watch the news conference AFTER THE JUMP ...

White House Releases Obama's "Long Form Birth" Certificate

The White House has posted a copy of President Barack Obama's "long-form" birth certificate from the State of Hawaii. So-called "birthers" have been demanding this to prove that he was not born in the United States and is a legitimate president.

The birth certificate was posted online at the White House Web site:

In 2008, in response to media inquiries, the President’s campaign requested his birth certificate from the state of Hawaii. The state sent the campaign the President’s birth certificate, the same legal documentation provided to all Hawaiians as proof of birth in state, and the campaign immediately posted it on the internet. That birth certificate can be seen here (PDF).

When any citizen born in Hawaii requests their birth certificate, they receive exactly what the President received. In fact, the document posted on the campaign website is what Hawaiians use to get a driver’s license from the state and the document recognized by the Federal Government and the courts for all legal purposes. That’s because it is the birth certificate. This is not and should not be an open question.

The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting. President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate can be seen here (PDF):

The contention that Obama was not born in the United States, and does not meet the constitutional requirements for the presidency, was refuted years ago. The meme has gained exposure in recent months as it has been pushed by real estate developer and possible GOP presidential contender Donald Trump.

WATCH: Trump Demands Obama's Birth Certificate on "The View"

Serial divorcee Donald Trump—who has been threatening a presidential bid—is against marriage equality, against same sex partner benefits but for seeing President Obama's birth certificate.

"Why won't he show it?" an overly-tanned Trump demanded on The View. "There's something on that birth certificate that he doesn't like!"

The certificate was posted online ... but does this mean you are willing to show us your real hairline?

Watch the crazy AFTER THE JUMP ...

NEWS: Swerv, Darryl Stephens, Nathan Williams, Krystian Legierski

Tyler Perry's mansion burglarized by teens.

Suspect arrested in slaying of Florida gay couple.

SWERV, the new Black LGBT publication from publisher Michael-Christopher, features the "Stars of the Black Gay 'Net": B. Scott, Pam Spaulding and Rod 2.0.  L. Michael Gipson on B. Scott and R20, Lisa Joyner chats up Pam. More later ...

Bulging baller Matt Kemp is available.

Rapper DMX admitted to prison psychiatric unit.

India: Police arrest 13 men at a gay party

Gay marriage boosts Mexico City tourism.

Pommel horse hotness Louis Smith wins another gold medal.

Bernie Wilson, one of the last surviving members of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, dies at 64. With this year's loss of Teddy Pendergrass "Lloyd Parks [is] the sole surviving member of legendary band."

Newly-elected Warsaw City Council member Krystian Legierski: "Being gay in the U.S.A. is [easier] than in Poland—not because of law but because of the population's mentality. I know personally maybe 10 Black people in Poland."

Latina lesbian activist to run for Chicago City Clerk

Pharrell announces new collaboration with Madonna.

Darryl Stephens tweets from the set of his video shoot for "Envious Moon." It's now available at iTunes.

Patrik-Ian Polk and band Fol Chen to tour in January 2011.

The Billion-Dollar Blizzard: Bloomberg "facing increasing criticism" over the slow pace of cleanup. Newark Mayor Cory Booker praised for using Twitter to "rescue snowed-in residents with his own shovel."

Modelizer: Well-fitted briefs.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie vows to end birther controversy.

Segregation revisionist Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour using state planes for personal use?

 Nathan H. Williams in Chicago Tribune on his casting in Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys. "A lot of the images of African-American gay men on television are one-sided and stereotypical ... [I]t was time for America to see that we don't come in just one shape and one size. It was time to show a different face about what it means to be a black gay man."

WATCH: Pentecostal Minister Wants "Christians" to Say "Fag"

Slurs such as "fag" and "bulldagger" are "Biblically acceptable" and "Christians" should use these words to "call attention to homosexuals", says a conservative, New York City-based Pentecostal minister.

James Manning, the senior pastor at the ATLAH World Missionary Church on 123rd Street in Harlem, encouraged "all Christians" to "call out homosexuals"  in one of his latest incendiary video rants. "I've stated we ought to stand up, push back and use strong language, like 'fag', 'bulldagger', 'sodomite'. What they do is they get people's attention. You can't say 'homosexual' anymore because it's been so whitewashed and made acceptable by the New York Times. But you call them a 'fag' or a 'sodomite' and you get everybody's attention. That's what we want."

Manning, who regularly rants against gays and gay rights on his YouTube channel, also warned that marriage equality will lead to the "legalization of bestiality."

The far-right Black minister has also falsely accused President Obama of not being a native-born American citizen, and, bizarrely, called Obama’s mother "white trash" for becoming pregnant by an African man, reports LGBTQNation.

Manning revisited this issue on 8 December 2008 during a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, when he said in reference to the President: "It is common knowledge that African men, coming from the continent of Africa — especially for the first time — do diligently seek out white women to have sexual intercourse with. Generally the most noble of white society choose not to intercourse sexually with these men. So it’s usually the trashier ones who make their determinations that they’re going to have sex."

Wonder what the good reverend thinks of the "Biblically acceptable" practice of owning slaves? Watch  AFTER THE JUMP ...

POLL: Majority of GOP Believes Obama "Sympathizes with Islamic Fundamentalism" and Sharia Law

A new Newsweek poll has found that a majority of Republicans believe President Obama "sympathizes with the goals of Islamic fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic law around the world." Some 52 percent of Republicans agreed with this. Only 33 percent of Republicans said the “allegation” was "probably not true."

Earlier this month, new polling by the Pew Forum on Religion found that almost 20 percent of Americans wrongly believe the President is Muslim. Significantly more Republicans—about one third—shared this incorrect view.

If the President isn't Christian, still awaiting that explanation of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ ...

You May Have Missed:
POLL: More Americans (Wrongly) Believe Obama is Muslim