Romney started a campaign speech in Michigan with this:

I love being home, in this place where Ann and I were raised. Where both of us were born … No one’s ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised.Now, it’s unquestionably true that Mitt Romney isn’t a birther. He knows that President Obama was born in the United States and is fully eligible to serve as President of the United States.

But that isn’t an excuse, it’s an indictment.

source Romney’s Birther “Joke” Wasn’t a Joke..

It feels like the media is twisting around trying to make excuses for their grandfather’s comment hinting at some racist idea. Birtherism is about race and the campaign decided to test out this line to see how it would play with the base.

And really the question: where are your tax returns are some questions Romney never will answer. It’s not never having to be asked, it’s never having to answer and everyone being ok with that.