At this point, just reviewing his 'past performance' of his first term should be sufficient. Or in the immortal words of the Obamabots, "It's all Bush's fault."

In reality, this is the first time in Barry's life that he will actually be evaluated at face value - even the vaunted MSM cannot hide his record this time.

Well, we're now being asked to renew Obama's contract for a second four-year term. I think we need to review not only his performance,

It is time to take his record of president not just mention it but show what can be done to correct it.
College shows you have the ability to learn it does not show you have the ability to do the job in the real world.

We have lots of current issue let not dwell on this.

A rather complete summary of the president's pre-election resume. I know a white American - male or female - could not have been elected President with this resume. I did not vote for Obama,therefore my vote was not influenced by race.

GarandFan: "even the vaunted MSM cannot hide his [Barry's] record this time."

You're joking...right? I get it.

Last week one member of the "vaunted MSM" PRAISED Obama for high gas prices, saying: "Fewer people driving means fewer accidents and fewer fatalities...he's SAVING LIVES!"

but it's good to see you've still got your sense of humor, GarandFan. :)

Justrand - they can spin it any way they want, most (except for the Obamabots) will see the crap for what it is - as you point out in your example.

Another spin was Barry's "leading from behind".

You'll note that so far in Campaign 2012 - Barry is not touting his 'accomplishments' - he's got this vague mantra about 'the work isn't finished'.

They'll call Trump racist for bringing this up. Trump might truly be racist, after all he has only married white women. Then again, I guess we could go the same route with Obama, he only married a black women, hung out in a black church, etc.

If you think Obamalala is going to run on his record in 2012 think again. They are already starting the mantra that it was so bad when he took office that NOBODY could have done better and in fact he has done the only things that could be done.
As far his resume being less than half a page, I said before his election, what board of directors would elect as a CEO this empty suit with a bad attitude? Unfortunately, the board cannot be fired by the share holders until Nov. 2012.

From the past behavior of the Obama camp, media sycophants included, a fight over school records is what they look forward to. Not the content of the records, just resisting making them public. That should give them a couple good years of yelling "Racist" at absolutely everyone they want to try and minimize or silence.. This will be the approved tactic to try and distract from his abysmal record in office. But hey what do I know. That just looks like what they did with the birth certificate. They wouldn't try to run the same game again would they.

I agree, GarandFan, that'll pulling the wool over everyone's eyes will be hard for the LSM...but by alGore they'll try, eh?

Of course, many of the Obamabots WANT the wool pulled over their eyes. We can only hope that they change! :)

Obama should now be judged on his record, which as I've said is weak and mediocre.

I'm not much in favor of the trend of demanding every candidate's elementary school report cards, etc. We will end up being ruled by the Perfect People, the grinds and suckasses who never got in trouble. I liked Bush more because he got popped for OUI a couple of times, knew what a night in a jail was.

But shouldn't Trump be releasing all of his transcripts first if he's demanding the same? And then move on to his ex-wives' divorce filings now under seal and bankruptcy filings?

Glass houses, stones, etc?

And then move on to his ex-wives' divorce filings now under seal . . .

As Ann Coulter has said, whenever Obama runs for office, somebody's sealed divorce records have to be opened up. In 2008 it was the sealed divorce records of Todd Palin's former business partner.

whenever Obama runs for office, somebody's sealed divorce records have to be opened up

Right, I forgot Obama's potential Senate opponent wanting to get it on with his wife, Seven of Nine, in Paris sex clubs in full view of others. Can't blame him for wanting others to know, although that is a bit extreme.

Race is always, always the default for criticism of Obama, but in the case of his academic record there is a desperation driving the charge that is getting little or no (none that I've seen) mention. For years there has been a determined effort to portray Obama as simply brilliant, the most intelligent President we've had by far. I know I am not alone in seeing him as a perhaps reasonably intelligent person but by no means a sharp or piercing intellect. His total inability to correctly and even honestly frame an opponents arguments and the credibly refuting them (as Reagan would often do), in favor of simplistically attacking equally simplistic straw men arguments solely of his own creation is intellectually pedestrian! There has been, simply, no real evidence of this imagined brilliance in anything the man has done in his life. If his academic records were revealed, it may be less an affirmative action aspect than that he would be shown as less than intellectually stellar and that worries the left. Remember when Kerry's and Bush's Yale grades were compared and Bush's were slightly better, after months of portrayals of Kerry as the intellectual superior and Bush as near imbecile. Obama is to be seen as brilliant simply because he is of the left. That's at risk, and the left needs those extra IQ points granted to their stars by political position versus intellectual ability.

Chico, let's not be shy in giving Obama credit about getting "sealed" divorce records opened up. In 2004, the sealed divorce records of his primary opponent, Blair Hull, somehow became public. Also in 2004, the sealed divorce records of his general election opponent, Jack Ryan, somehow became public. In 2008, I guess because there were no sealed divorce records of any actual opponents, it was the sealed divorce records of Todd Palin's former business partner which somehow became public.

And don't forget about the private records of Joe the Plumber.

I'm sure that they're trying to figure out how to get the sealed divorce records in the case of Mrs. iwogisdead vs. Mr. iwogisdead made public in 2012, just in case there's nothing better available.

The only records that are hard to access are those of Obama.

"The only records that are hard to access are those of Obama"

Not hard, impossible. they haven't been approved for viewing til 2018.

JT: "...the presidency went to the guy who, in theory, was the best qualified..."

Eh? How was he even theoretically best qualified? I've heard this meme before, but I would like someone to explain it. Is it because he went to Hah-vard?

Frankly, even his 'theoretical' quals weren't that great. I know the partisans buy into his image but it doesn't mean anyone else should perpetuate the myth.

/nitpick mode off

"The only records that are hard to access are those of Obama."

Funny how that works out, isn't it?

Just a simple request for Barry's legislative record in Illinois meets a brick wall. IIRC, their last response was 'Well nothing is automated or computerized, so it will take a while.'

I'm guessing "a while" means after he leaves office.

"So he was elected on his credentials."

Yes. And no. Just as there is a large group of ABO supporters gearing up for 2012, there was a large group of ABP voters in 2008 (we'll save their mental status for another Saturday discussion). The GOP still has plenty of opportunity to blow 2012, and I suspect making BHO's academic records a central point will contribute to that. That ship has sailed, tainted by its association with the birthers. Even more so than the hooplah over the birth certificate, the questioning of his academic records is subject to the charges of racism, simply because it hinges on the effect of affirmative action. A sitting president should be defeated based on his presidential record. Anything else runs the risk of allowing the assumption to fester that that record isn't so bad.

I think there's a trend here, however. Just as we've seen with Supreme Court justice nominees post-Bork, bland candidates with little to no record on which to attack them will have an easier time getting elected/confirmed than those who have accomplished something or (have been seen to have) taken strong positions on issues.

Chico

"Right, I forgot Obama's potential Senate opponent wanting to get it on with his wife, Seven of Nine, in Paris sex clubs in full view of others. Can't blame him for wanting others to know, although that is a bit extreme."

Well as repugnant as Ryan's behavior was arent we told by that the left that someone's private sex life is none of our business? Are the left always accusing the right of trying to get into someone's bedroom?

And since you seem to feel that opening up sealed records for public display is just fine and dandy than I am assuming you have absolutely no problem with Obama's sealed records becoming public correct?

Hmmmmm.....people wanted to know what Bush's "record" was...seeing as he "got in on Daddy's dime.....now wanting to know Barry's record is RACIST!

Even Obamabots have got to trip over that one. Not that the hypocrisy would bother them.

retired,

I have no problem with Obama's records becoming public, how far do you want to go? Will there be three days of howling scandal when it's revealed he was suspended from high school for possession of marijuana or playing hooky? Wow, WTF do you expect?

I just say Trump should practice what he preaches and release all of his divorce records, and details about the four times he stiffed his creditors by declaring bankruptcy.

Who cares about sex, but when a guy's been bankrupt four times, how could he get any attention as a presidential candidate? Failure to pay your debts is more of a moral failing than wanting to have others watch you have sex with Seven of Nine, in my opinion.

"Who cares about sex, but when a guy's been bankrupt four times, how could he get any attention as a presidential candidate? Failure to pay your debts is more of a moral failing than wanting to have others watch you have sex with Seven of Nine, in my opinion."

So obviously you wont be voting for Barry then? His debts affect the whole Nation and World for that matter. Trumps effect his creditors, who I assume wrote off the losses in a tax shelter of some sort.

"how could he get any attention as a presidential candidate?"

By a major push by the liberal MSM. Remember, it's only "news" if the MSM says it's "news".

I have no problem with Obama's records becoming public . . .

Well, that's admirable of you, Chico, but Obama has a problem with his records becoming public, and that's the point of this discussion.

I assume that the "bankruptcies" of Trump's businesses (I'm unaware that he's personally ever filed a bankruptcy petition) are public record, so they're already available. It's more difficult to see how his divorce records are relevant to anything, as the Ryan custody case records were irrelevant. It's pretty easy to see how the Ryans' child might eventually be very hurt by the disclosures in that file, but harming a child is a small price to pay to destroy anyone opposing Obama.

Or, anyone who just happens to accidentally get in the way, like Joe Wurzelbacher.

It's more difficult to see how his divorce records are relevant to anything, as the Ryan custody case records were irrelevant.

Indication of character. I suppose divorce records from 5 or 10 years ago are at least as relevant as someone's college record from 30 years ago.

C'mon, are you telling me that if Obama were divorced, you wouldn't be demanding to see those records? Puleeze.

What do you think is going to be so big? That his SAT scores were lower than his class?

Remember this?

His SAT scores were 566 for the verbal part and 640 for math. Those were far below the median scores for students admitted to his college class: 668 verbal and 718 math.

Now who was that?

"His SAT scores were 566 for the verbal part and 640 for math. Those were far below the median scores for students admitted to his college class: 668 verbal and 718 math."

Alberth T Gore? John Lurch Kerry?

"What do you think is going to be so big? That his SAT scores were lower than his class?"

How about He did not do the work and got passing credit anyways? Kind of like 2007-8 campaigning. Getting credit with no experience, no accomplishment and zero aptitude..

Matter of fact, that is probably why the BC was put on hold. A perceived embarrassing detail like Race: 'colored' or 'Negro' was probably too much for Barry's race baiting support staff to have floating around, so it was Maped to order!!

Indication of character.

Oh, character's important again? It wasn't when Bill Clinton ran for president. It's so hard to keep up with the rules changes. And, yes, if Obama got involved in a custody fight, I would not support releasing the court records (don't forget that the Ryans released all of their divorce file--they just wanted to keep the custody file sealed, to protect their child. Didn't work against the Obamanistas, of course--everything came out. To hell with the kid.) Suppose Obama's hidden records might shed light on his character?

What do you think is going to be so big?

That's for the voters to decide, not some elitist liberal jerk.

It's wonderful you know Bush's college information. I guess there wasn't too much of an effort to hide it. Certainly, not like the effort the Obama folks are putting into keeping his records secret. I wonder what he's hiding? I'm gonna bet it's not just his SAT scores.

Oh, and what's the justification for releasing all of Joe the Plumber's private information? "Indication of character" again? Of a private citizen?

Jay, you wrote, "He graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Law School -- but we don't know what those grades were, or in what classes."

Pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but a student does not graduate Cum Laude (With Honors) if that student has lousy grades.

I find it ironic that Trump would talk about Pres. Obama's academic record when Obama's immediate predecessor admitted to being a "C" student while a college undergraduate.

I suspect that the majority of voters won't be judging Pres. Obama according to his academic past or according to his previous work history. Instead, they will judge him according to his work performance since he took the presidential oath. That performance is fair game when it comes political debate.

I, for one, give Pres. Obama a failing grade for his work performance while in the Oval Office.

Dodo Dave

"Pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but a student does not graduate Cum Laude (With Honors) if that student has lousy grades"

http://voxday.blogspot.com/2008/09/barack-obamas-iq-is-116_18.html

Chico

"What do you expect to find?"

Umm how about whatever it is he is trying to hide.

You see Chico I am a big believer in fairness. What is good for one side is good for all.

Dems are so hot and bothered about getting divorce records, academic records, service records when it comes to their opponents but when it comes to THEIRS they are more closed mouth than a mob witness with a jury full of hitmen.

"I find it ironic that Trump would talk about Pres. Obama's academic record when Obama's immediate predecessor admitted to being a "C" student while a college undergraduate."

Bush never sold himself as The Sooper Genius. He also never had a fawning media pushing that meme for him the way Barack does. So I don't know what's ironic about that. It's not even really on topic.

You're right about most people not voting based on his past academic records or past (non)work history. It's not going to help the GOP in the election, so I hope nobody thinks it will. It's all going to be about the economy and his record as President.

It doesn't mean the Press shouldn't look into his past academic records and accomplishments, though. It's what they are supposed to do. It's for purely political reasons that they don't.

The issue isn't about what any of these records actually say, unless, heaven forbid, they indicate a "high crime and misdemeanor" committed in the years leading up to the Presidency. The actual issue is, and always has been, transparency. The degree to which a candidate is willing to expose the evidence which demonstrate his or her evolution toward maturity and the series of actions/events which illustrate the intelligence and skills to perform as the chief executive of the USG. Thus, the non-release raises questions like is he shy, a control freak, afraid of "misinterpretation," embarrassed by the actual record, or... who knows? It seems, though, that a possible thesis is that he truly believes that the USG is, to use a metaphor, a "family"-owned business and not subject to the reporting requirements applied to publicly owned businesses. If so, that's not a good attitude for someone in his position. BTW Trump has NOT declared that he is a candidate.

Dodo David -

Then what's the problem with releasing his transcript?

Could it be his high grades which enabled him to graduate Cum Lade were 'gimmies' arranged by someone? That they weren't supported by any actual achievements? Or were, possibly, done by repeating remedial math and economics 101 until he got A's in the coursework?

He doesn't want questions asked - that's plain. I don't think it's because his grades would embarrass Stephen Hawking.

Frankly, all along his record has been pretty shabby and thin for someone looking to be President. Charisma's a great thing - but it only takes you so far, and then you'd better have something solid to back you up. I'm afraid, however, that Obama not only doesn't have anything to fall back on, but even the charisma's more of a scripted thing, a media creation, than anything else.

I strongly suspect his academic record would reveal he needed help to get into both Columbia and Harvard Law. He's admitted in his book to being a lackluster student at Occidental, so how does he then transfer to Columbia? And he didn't graduate Columbia with honors, and even honors grads don't find it easy to get into Harvard Law.

BUT it's inside baseball at this point. It's the record of the first term which always determines the fate of incumbent Presidents, their previous background was supposed to have been vetted in their first run (thanks, media!).

So far, Obama's record is just awful. His only hope is a spontaneous economic surge, unlikely under the burdens he has placed on the economy voluntarily.

Let's stick to what matters most - which also happens to be what most voters will care about.

From the New York Times, "He (Obama) had acknowledged benefiting from affirmative action in the past... and would graduate magna cum laude".
Conservatives accept legacy students i.e George W. Bush, at Ivy League Universities, liberals or Democrats accept affirminative action students.

It's most important for opponents to focus on Zero's experience and achievements during THE LAST THREE YEARS!!

Anyone get a thrill up their leg about that sh!t?

The media will make mincemeat out of questioning his past experience and it's an embarrassing waste of time, as the birth cert demonstrated.

At the buffet of politics it is best to go directly for the meat and forget about the salad.

Let's get our money's worth.

ConcealedCarrie wrote:

"A sitting president should be defeated based on his presidential record."

Yep. I completely agree.

Trump is just another sideshow. Best to ignore the sideshow, even though the election season is basically one big circus. THAT, however, is part of the problem.

Far too many voters (on both sides) get caught up in the hoopla of discussing questionably relevant things like college grades (Bush, Obama), or sex scandals (Clinton, Sanford, etc), while the serious issues continue, unabated, year after year.

More bread and circuses!

Well ryan a, I have to agree that you should only look at one's record in office. Who cares about character and personal ethics anymore? BTW, how many people that you've hired have you looked past their last job evaluations?

. . . and would graduate magna cum laude.

That's a pretty impressive honor that Obama claims to have earned. One would think that he'd be proud to make public the law school records which show the grades he was awarded in order to earn it. I wonder why he's not.

retired military is .... assuming (we) have absolutely no problem with Obama's sealed records becoming public ....

What's got me hangin' is that no-one has gotten into the records and published them and be damned!

Surely there are some retired Intelligence chaps with senses pf adventure out there somewhere?

What difference would it make, most of you have such high Obama derangement? Jay still belittles his academic record calling it simply cum laude? Has any president ever made any of his grades public, including even Bill Clinton who was a Rhodes scholar, but mysteriously left Oxford early (hints of scandal there) and Hillary who most of you seem to esteem for her smarts, flunked her D.C bar exams-this is why she went to Arkansas.

I'm sure why it is so important, and I spent six months at Harvard. I was much more impressed with the professors including James wilson, Pat Moynihan, than the students. I don´t know if any of you have thought this through. It would only seem right that the Republican challengers would have to find their school papers, and that might pose a big problem to many ,like Sarah Palin.

"retired military is .... assuming (we) have absolutely no problem with Obama's sealed records becoming public ...."

We dont, Barry does!!

"I'm sure why it is so important, and I spent six months at Harvard."

And it shows in your comments.

Well, his selection to head the HLR was a subjective selection, not based on any merit which had been the criteria until discrimination became the ruling guideline.

Then, I ask Dodo David and retired military - have you ever asked an HLS grad about their grad awards? If you don't graduate cum laude, you don't graduate and those selections are also subjective. Once you're in HLS, you always graduate, unless you quit by your choice. After that it's the prestige of entrance that matters. That's a pretty tight fraternity.

Want to see another tight fraternity? Try the FBI. Yale law degrees are on way too many resumes.

The point being? HLS won't release transcripts because too many know there's a lot of subjectivity involved.

epador,

"Who cares about character and personal ethics anymore? BTW, how many people that you've hired have you looked past their last job evaluations?"

Genuine concern with character and personal ethics is one thing. Turning the whole birth certificate ordeal, and now the college records thing, into some big media circus is completely ridiculous and pretty much a waste of time. But hey, if you think that following Donald Trump down this path of "ethical concern" is a good choice, more power to you.

Carrie made a good point: focus on Obama's record in office. Considering the policy differences between the Obama Admin and the GOP, it seems to me that there should be plenty to work with.

Granted, this media circus method isn't anything new. People did the same thing with Bush's educational and military record. Both sides resort to this sort of thing--and for some reason many voters eat it up. Meanwhile, its' the same old sh*t in DC.

"Carrie made a good point: focus on Obama's record in office."

Impossible with the media in his back-pocket. Just like in 2008.

Sep14,

"Impossible with the media in his back-pocket."

Ah, I see. So it's impossible to focus on Obama's foreign policy, domestic policy, and economic policies, and all that's left for the GOP is the Donald Trump circus?

Really?

If that's the case then the GOP is in really deep trouble.

Why would people questions honors.
Look it not like the NYT would have an award winning report who faked stories and no one looked to deeply because of his race?

Chico ...

we won't find anything of real interest ... we will see that Obama was an average student ...

then we'll be asking how he got into Columbia ...

and then Harvard ...

Ryan ...

the GOP hasn't said a word about this stuff ... it is all coming from Trump and the MSM ...

nice strawman though ...

Jeff,

"the GOP hasn't said a word about this stuff ... it is all coming from Trump and the MSM ..."

Feel free point out where I said that this is coming from the GOP. I DID say that if the only possible critique of Obama possible is this Trump-led nonsense, then the GOP is in deep sh*t. Try reading a little more carefully next time.

Bush was a very average student at Exeter. How did he get into Yale and then even more an average student at Yale, a C student he admitted, how did he get to Harvard?. We all know the answer, but I didn´t find any conservatives or Trump who also road his father´s coat tails, beacuse ´that is the American way to success, especially for those who question how someone like Barack Obama got to where he is.

What more fitting follow up to the birth certificate stupidity than Obama's education records.

Hawaii says he was born there, so does his short birth certificate and his long form says... wait for it....

When someone graduates magna cum laude from Harvard, do you think the details of that achievement are going to be embarrassing for that person, or literally anyone else who is then eligible to be scrutinized against them?

Sarah Palin's semester-long hops between at least 4 colleges for instance. I have neither heard nor cared about why she did that. Now I will though.

Seriously, of all the issues. This is like asking for Tiger Wood's score cards. You know the end result, but you think the details are going to work against him?

Why? Why would you think this? Better yet, why would you demand to be shown the 1 area in which he has actually excelled compared to all other recent presidents or candidates?

What does Mike Huckabee then go on the Sunday shows and talk about his not-outstanding grades from not-Harvard? Where is the win here?

"I don't think he's black enough to be President, your thoughts Mitt Romney?"

"He graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Law School -- but we don't know what those grades were"

Unless of course you knew what those words meant.
Or you could guess what the top grades at Harvard in any given year are.
Seriously, it's 1.0-4.0. Have a guess.

I´m, guessing 3.77. Jay errored as is his wont , when he tried to discredit Obama. Obama graduated not cum laude just passing, but magna cum laude, with honors, from Harvard law school, an important distinction.

From a conservative magazine, the influential Weekly Standard:

The only reason I bring this barely relevant history up is to show what a stud of a law student Barack Obama was. He graduated Harvard magna cum laude. This was one honor you unquestionably had to earn. It's a very impressive feat. Back in Obama's days at Harvard, more than 50 percent of the class graduated cum laude, a fact that made graduating "with honors" a meaningless accomplishment. But graduating magna was a different kettle of fish. Barack Obama graduated right near the top of his law school class.

Ny error, magna cum laude, is with high honors,
cum laude, with honors,
summa cum laude, with the highest honor

-no he didn´t graduate with the latter-then the right would be criticizing for being an egg head, which was one of the reasons Obama said he decided not to pursue any more studies, you can't be too bright for American society like that college football quarterback, who had the scouts worried because he did so well in the intelligent aptitude tests.

Actually, Steve, it's magna cum laude, summa cum laude, then cum laude -- highest honors, high honors, and honors.

I admit I was lazy and didn't bother to look up what Obama got.

However, what I meant was that Harvard was undergoing a serious level of grade inflation during Obama's years there -- see this:

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/315296.php

J.