- Mitt Romney jokes about his birth certificate in return to native Michigan
- 'Birther' controversy has followed President Barack Obama since last campaign
- Tropcial Storm Isaac chruns through Caribbean, convention planners say show will go on
(CNN) -- Mitt Romney returned to his native Michigan on Friday where he created a stir with a joke about birth certificates, reopening a thorny issue pushed by some Republicans who question whether President Barack Obama is a U.S.-born citizen, a requisite for the White House.
Appearing in Commerce Township with his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, Romney sought to preview the personal narrative that will be a major focus of next week's Republican nominating convention in Tampa.
Romney began his stump speech reminding voters of his roots in the Detroit suburbs.
"I love being home in this place where Ann and I were raised, where both of us were born," Romney said. "Ann was born at Henry Ford hospital, I was born at Harper hospital. No one has ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised," he said.
Although Romney was talking about his own birth certificate, the comment amounted to an indirect zing at Obama and the so-called "birther" controversy that has followed him since the last presidential campaign. The thousands who turned out to see Romney roared at the punch line.
The White House released Obama's full birth certificate in 2011, showing he was born in a Hawaii hospital on August 4, 1961. Only "natural born" citizens of the United States are eligible to be president
In a statement responding to Romney's comments, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt mentioned real estate magnate Donald Trump and others who have pursued the birth certificate issue.
"Throughout this campaign, Governor Romney has embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to them," LaBolt said, adding that Romney's "decision to directly enlist himself in the 'birther' movement should give pause to any rational voter across America."
A Romney aide said after his remarks that the former Massachusetts governor has "repeatedly said" that he believes Obama was born in the United States.
"He was only referencing that Michigan, where he is campaigning today, is the state where he himself was born and raised," the aide said.
Michigan is a battleground in November. Obama won the state four years ago and authorized the massive taxpayer-sponsored rescue of failing Detroit automakers and suppliers in 2009. Romney's father was a former auto industry executive and governor of the state. He also sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1968.
Romney made waves but the storm most people were watching was churning through the Atlantic with its ferocious winds and heavy rains possibly headed for western Florida just as 50,000 people will be opening the Tampa convention.
Planners were confident that Tropical Storm Isaac would not disrupt the four-day event and that Romney would be nominated as scheduled on Thursday.
"We do have contingency plans to deal with weather-related and other circumstances that may occur to ensure that the business can go on at the RNC and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will become our nominees," Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer said on CNN's "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien.
"There is no such thing as canceling," Spicer said.
Airlines and the city's airport also closely followed Isaac's track.
"Our incident command center is already set up because of the Republican National Convention so everybody is communicating and talking and we are already discussing what we will do in the way of the weather," Janet Zink, communications director for the Tampa International Airport, told CNN.
The convention also plans to honor former Republican White House hopeful Ron Paul, whose grassroots campaign and libertarian-inspired rallying cry energized legions of fiercely loyal supporters.
A Romney adviser said in a briefing with reporters that Romney and the 77-year-old Texas congressman disagree on many issues but, as evidenced during the Republican primary debates, hold "a lot of mutual respect."
The Romney official said Tuesday's video tribute to Paul would feature "several of his colleagues" who will testify to "his principles and his dedication to America."
The Paul and Romney camps reached a compromise earlier this week on seating Paul delegates, a deal that averted the possibility of a dramatic challenge by Paul on the convention floor. The agreement disappointed some of Paul's supporters who had hoped to nominate their candidate.
Romney also got a boost from another rival on Friday. Rick Santorum, who at one point was Romney's top challenger for the nomination, officially released his delegates and encouraged them to back the presumptive nominee.
"This is our opportunity to energize our party with a strong, conservative ticket. I look forward to making the case on Tuesday night for Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan, because I believe their conservative policies will put our country back on a path to prosperity," Santorum said in a statement.
Romney and Ryan, will continue campaigning together on Saturday with an appearance scheduled in Ohio, another battleground.
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