Harry Reid manages to turn Romney’s tax returns into a good story for Romney
While we were focused on T-SPLOST, the presidential campaign marched on. Which is not to say it moved forward, in any normal sense of the word.
The latest moment in the summer silly season comes courtesy of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, employing the “when did you stop beating your wife?” technique toward Mitt Romney’s tax returns. From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Sen. Harry Reid caused a stir this week when he told an interviewer that Mitt Romney hasn’t released more of his tax returns because “he didn’t pay taxes for 10 years.” On Wednesday, Reid doubled down on the charge. …
“I am not basing this on some figment of my imagination,” Reid said in a telephone call with Nevada reporters. “I have had a number of people tell me that.”
Asked to elaborate on his sources, Reid declined. “No, that’s the best you’re going to get from me.”
“I don’t think the burden should be on me,” Reid said. “The burden should be on him. He’s the one I’ve alleged has not paid any taxes. Why didn’t he release his tax returns?”
This is, not to put too fine a point on it, un-American.
You see, in this country, the burden of proof is on the accuser. That is the standard in criminal cases, and it informs our sense of propriety in the court of public opinion.
This is why neither 9/11 “truthers” nor Obama “birthers” have gotten any traction with the broader public: Their respective “cases” — to use another word loosely — rely on accusations they can’t prove and an implication the accused should prove they’ve done nothing wrong. That’s not how it works in this country.
For good measure, Reid also suggested Romney’s own deceased father would be disappointed in his son. I’m glad to know Reid’s tastelessness knows no bounds.
The good news is that the senator’s claim is likely to shift the focus from Romney to those jumping the shark while badgering him to release his past tax returns. After all, when you’ve lost Jon Stewart …
(Note: If you click that Jon Stewart link, you should expect to hear some language we don’t allow on AJC blogs. And no, I’m not going to defend the claims on the Fox & Friends clips he shows at the end.)
– By Kyle Wingfield
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988 comments Add your comment
md
August 2nd, 2012
4:47 pm
” AUSTERITY: punishing the poor for the mistakes of the rich. ”
More like the end result when gov’t spends what it does not have and is out of options………
Colin
August 2nd, 2012
4:48 pm
@ Logic
And come on, if you want to know my political affiliation, cut the foreplay and just ask.
In 2000 I voted for Jesse Ventura — In 2004 I voted for George W. Bush — and in 2008 I voted for Barack Obama.
From everything I have heard, seen and deduced at this point, I will vote for Barack Obama again in November. Again, not a huge Obama fan, but he’s light years ahead of the stone-age Romney.
It’s the lesser of two evils at this point, but if Obama gets re-elected and gets our economy back on track, he may go down as one of the better presidents. We haven’t had a $#!+ sandwich like this recession since the 1930s. Takes more than four years to fix. Probably takes a lot longer than that.
But I tell you what, Obama had the stones to go kill Osama bin Laden. If you served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, it’s big.
GT
August 2nd, 2012
4:48 pm
pogo Obama will eat and spit out Romney in a debate. Romney will be like Frankenstein in a tap dance with the top hat and tails. There won’t be a teleprop just live wit and Romney will manage to either insult every person within 100 miles of the debate or do some of Palin’s interpretations only this time with an audience who can count to 10 ,and read, looking in instead of a red meat wrestling crowd looking to be entertained more than having to think.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:48 pm
“In four plus years, when Barry leaves the White House, he will look back on these opponents and probably feel like Lou Gehrig – the luckiest man on the face of the earth…”
BWAHAHAHA!!!!! JamVet equates Obama to a guy who actually accomplished something on his own and then died of a horrible disease.
Nice way to put your foot into your mouth!
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
4:49 pm
keep,
Sorry but there is a big difference. Reid made a serious allegation with not a shred of proof to back it up. Romney has made no such allegation. When you have the consistency to also call for Obama to open up his college records and dissertation just as you demand that Romney open up tax records from long ago then I’ll take your argument more seriously.
Have you ever been right
August 2nd, 2012
4:50 pm
“If you served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, it’s big.”
He was in the girl scouts and sold the most cookies one year. Does that count?
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:50 pm
“In 2000 I voted for Jesse Ventura — In 2004 I voted for George W. Bush — and in 2008 I voted for Barack Obama.”
You must have been on some heavy drugs to vote for a guy who renounced his citizenship.
Erwin's cat
August 2nd, 2012
4:51 pm
larry – Man you libs are just so angry that some people worked hard for what they have.
Inherit millions from his father
when Romney’s father died in 1995…Mitt donated his inheritance to BYU
try again larry
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:51 pm
“From everything I have heard, seen and deduced at this point, I will vote for Barack Obama”
So you like failure and misery. Ok.
” Obama had the stones to go kill Osama bin Laden.”
Never would have happened without Bush going into Iraq and Afghanistan.
Oh, and I didn’t know Obama was a member of Seal Team 6.
md
August 2nd, 2012
4:51 pm
“REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION, are you folks out there really OK with Romney paying a lower rate than you?”
hmmm….last I checked, the tax rates apply to everybody equally……did they change something when I wasn’t looking? Or are you playing that game of comparing apples to oranges and hoping the ignorant don’t notice??
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:52 pm
“Obama will eat and spit out Romney”
So Obama is a spitter and not a swallower.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:53 pm
“when Romney’s father died in 1995…Mitt donated his inheritance to BYU
try again larry”
Again with the facts. Libs can’t handle the facts.
PJ
August 2nd, 2012
4:55 pm
“Once again “Obama the Dumb” returns to the comfort of his tele-prompter.”
Maybe he should write what to say in the palm of his hand like Palin does. 3×5’s anyone? Bueller, Bueller…
Hmmmmmm
August 2nd, 2012
4:55 pm
@Logic
He is either very young or very old and senile…. If Obama is elected this country is DONE… Period.
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
4:57 pm
“This is how I felt about the “You Lie” comment shouted at the President of the United States during his State of the Union Address.”
PJ,
That was certainly out of order. But if I remember correctly he yelled “You Lie” right after Obama stated that the stimulus bill had no “earmarks”. Technically Obama was correct but in reality there were numerous pet projects in that bill that were pretty much earmarks. They were just called something else. So if that’s what the Congressman was yelling about then it seems to me that he was correct. It was classless to yell that out during the president’s speech but curiously the media never really seemed to explore why he yelled “You lie”. Only that he did it.
“Clean up your own house before you start talking about accusations and decency.”
PJ if you can point out where I made baseless allegations than perhaps your outrage would merit more credibility. As it stands it does not.
Have you ever been right
August 2nd, 2012
4:57 pm
When Bush said “WE got him” referring to Saddam, what unit was he serving in at that time?
Orange12
August 2nd, 2012
4:57 pm
Let’s have a moment of silence for San Bernardino, CA and their Democratic Mayor.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:58 pm
“Maybe he should write what to say in the palm of his hand like Palin does. ”
Couldn’t hurt since Obama says the stupidest things when he’s not reading off his teleprompter.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 2nd, 2012
4:58 pm
Doom, your “determinations” are not serious.
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
4:58 pm
Can the gop govern?
No.
Will the gop collapse the economy again?
Yes.
Do I know why Americans will vote for another collapse?
No.
Joe Mama
August 2nd, 2012
4:58 pm
Doom — “My amazement was that they were trying to do it because they didn’t like Mr. Cathy’s speech. And that I had never seen.”
It may have happened before in smaller towns and cities, but I’m not aware of it happening in places like Boston or Chicago, I’ll grant you.
“You have to remember that cons like booty too- cept Larry Craig of course. Just not when it may diminish property values.”
To be fair, any kind of *industrial* development in close proximity to residential areas could have the same negative effect on property values. It’s not just girlie clubs that can cause that issue.
“But the overwhelming majority of their causes are far left causes. IMDO They just take on a few conservative causes on occasion to give the appearance of not being overtly biased. But those cases are few and far between.”
They defend civil rights, which are most often infringed upon when they belong to members of minority groups, and that can be racial, ethnic or religious minorities or the like. In addition, they call attention to and initiate legal action against coercive and overt misuses of state power against individuals. Generally speaking, not a lot of conservatives or conservative causes fit into that mold.
Then again, when they do, the ACLU is as likely to defend someone like you as they are to defend someone like me. I’d say that if CFA wants to press matters in Boston and Chicago, they might actually find the ACLU on their side.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:59 pm
“If Obama is elected this country is DONE… Period.”
Libs don’t care since they already hate this country. Libs like Elizabeth Warren who lie about being an indian and saying things about how America should be more like China.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
4:59 pm
“Can the gop govern?”
A lot better than Dems.
Colin
August 2nd, 2012
5:00 pm
@ Logic
Couldn’t do drugs, bud, was in the military. Nice call though, it was kind of funny. Failure and Misery? Remember when George W. was basically a lame duck for two years??
Obama isn’t a magician. Romney isn’t a magician. Nothing’s getting fixed any time soon. And I’ll bet it gets worse before it gets better.
@ Logic: you do have some good come-backs, sir. Unfortunately, you have to be 18 to vote! But have a Sweet Sixteen this year, regardless.
To the rest: fight the good fight. Don’t let money, or any of our opinions sway what you know is right. It’s our lives. To some it’s comedy; others, tragedy. But love us or hate us, we’re all in it together until we’re not. Peace.
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
5:00 pm
“Maybe he should write what to say in the palm of his hand like Palin does. 3×5’s anyone?”
PJ,
Perhaps you are unaware of this but you cannot copy a speech onto the palm of your hand. You can print several major topics you want to cover to make sure you cover all of them all. But its not quite the same as basically reading a whole speech from a teleprompter now is it?
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
5:01 pm
Logic,
Lost 9 million jobs vs steady job growth to recover 5 million of the jobs you lost.
You logic is a lie.
Aint we funkn now
August 2nd, 2012
5:02 pm
“Unfortunately, you have to be 18 to vote! But have a Sweet Sixteen this year, regardless.”
Colin: And I thought that Girl Scout joke was good.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:03 pm
This is why no one believes a word of left winger BS.
Pew: Obama has big lead; Romney favorability drops
AND THIS!!!!!!!!
Sample includes 32% Dem, 18% GOP.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/pew-obama-has-big-lead-romney-favorability-drops-130957.html
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:03 pm
“Lost 9 million jobs vs steady job growth to recover 5 million of the jobs you lost.”
Yes, Obama lost millions of jobs. You must have been one of those.
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
5:04 pm
“I’d say that if CFA wants to press matters in Boston and Chicago, they might actually find the ACLU on their side.”
Joe Mama,
True. I think that in both cities the ACLU has already publicly sided with CFA. Then again they really have no choice lest they look like complete hypocrites on what is obviously a free speech issue.
But Doomy don’t care. I will continue to not patronize CFA for the simple reason that I think they waffle fries they suck they do. Cole slaw too.
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
5:04 pm
Have we been attacked?
No.
Did we get obl ?
Yes.
Did we end both losing occupations?
Yes.
Did we collapse the global economy again?
No.
Four more years.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:04 pm
“Remember when George W. was basically a lame duck for two years??”
Yep, when Dems took over in 2006. That’s when things started going downhill.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:05 pm
“Have we been attacked?”
Nope, you can thank W for sending in troops to wipe out Islamists.
Lord Help Us
August 2nd, 2012
5:05 pm
Can’t wait to see Slick Willie at the Dem Convention…
Clinton will remind the country that his policies (the ones that took us from deficits to surpluses, peace and prosperity for 8 years) are embodied by Obama…not a return to GWB’s policies that destroyed the economy.
All hail Clenis!
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
5:06 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
August 2nd, 2012
4:58 pm
Doom, your “determinations” are not serious.
keep up,
Same with your arguments. Its obvious you are not serious when you write them.
G Mare
August 2nd, 2012
5:06 pm
LOGIC is taking up a whole lot of space here. Reminds me of a poster at Jay’s who used to do the same. Just as well I can’t remember the blog name….:)
Aint we funkn now
August 2nd, 2012
5:06 pm
Logic
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html
Only pollster has Romney winning is the ex pollster for Bush, Rasmussen. And even he has Romney behind in the EC.
But keep swinging.
JDW
August 2nd, 2012
5:07 pm
Romney is a guy you can count on to act in his own best interest. He has made a calculated decision that releasing his returns is worse than enduring the slings and arrows. Harry is shooting along with a lot of other folks and the only way to stop it is to release the returns. Till then button up the whining and get ready for a steady parade of speculation and innuendo curtsy of Mittens.
BTW when did the Republicans become the whiners…
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/opinion/raines-whining-republicans/index.html?iref=allsearch
Sick of Progs
August 2nd, 2012
5:07 pm
SheeshLouise
August 2nd, 2012
12:27 pm
If Mitt Romney want to deal a major blow to the Democratic Party right now all he has to do is RELEASE the tax returns and prove it. Only speculation on my part, but:
How about Obama’s school records??
md
August 2nd, 2012
5:08 pm
” Again, not a huge Obama fan, but he’s light years ahead of the stone-age Romney.”
Maybe on some social issues, but Obama is light years behind on financial issues…..and right now, we need the guy with the financial know how.
One believes gov’t provides the answers and one believes the private sector is the key…….if one understood that the private sector must fund BOTH sectors, one would have a clue as to which guy might be able to get us out of the hole quicker.
There is 2 trillion of corp profits sitting offshore as we speak and your guy insists on taxing that @ 30% or it doesn’t get to come home………any idea of how stupid that strategy really is??
And it’s been 3.5 years now where that money would have helped immensely………
Eat a Peach
August 2nd, 2012
5:08 pm
Gmare
Pay attention to the similarities between the one today and the one you reference, next week when Jay is back.
Names have changed, but the style gives them away
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
August 2nd, 2012
5:08 pm
Have you ever been right, maybe you should go bank to English class.
” We ” is the collective efforts of the United States military, of which GWB was the CinC.
When an Obama supporter says “He got Bin Laden” they are erroneously putting first person credit to Obama only.
Learn our language will you?
JamVet
August 2nd, 2012
5:09 pm
…Romney will manage to either insult every person within 100 miles of the debate or do some of Palin’s interpretations…
I can hardly wait to see which rabid red dipstick the Holy Father of Socialized Massachusetts Medicine picks as his running loser.
That upcoming All White Circus in Tampa should be GREAT entertainment…
GT
August 2nd, 2012
5:10 pm
Since when did college records put you in jail, every week in this country someone goes to jail because of something they put on taxes. Look if Romney is dumb enough to make this the subject of debate and not the economy the road is his with much relief from the left. This tax thing is taking traction, even surprises me, but look at the polls the man is drip, drip, drip losing position in the swing states and the polls say this is a large part of it. Wait til the debates come and he has to speak without total control of the subject. The guy can take your breath away with his prepared comments, he may even do better winging it.
Hillbilly D
August 2nd, 2012
5:11 pm
steady job growth
Not in my neck of the woods.
Eat a Peach
August 2nd, 2012
5:11 pm
Thulsa
Go by a shake or a tea. Support the cause. Just kidding. As long as it is done in a legal manner, I could careless who boycotts whom or who patronizes what establishment.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:11 pm
“Clinton will remind the country that his policies”
Which are the total opposite of Obama’s.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:11 pm
“That upcoming All White Circus in Tampa”
JamVet doesn’t hide his bigotry well.
Lynnie Gal
August 2nd, 2012
5:12 pm
Good try, Kyle. Try to change the story to Reid instead of Romney. Isn’t going to work. When a man is being secretive and refuses to release information that would exonerate him if he’s not hiding some impropriety, then it’s natural to assume the worst. I think Reid may be right. If Reid isn’t right, Romney can correct that misinformation immediately by proving him wrong. But he won’t. Because he’s hiding something awful and would rather keep stonewalling than release tax forms. Releasing them would be more damaging.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
August 2nd, 2012
5:13 pm
I think it is safe to say that Romney has no intention of following the political advise of such unworthiness as Harry Reid and JDW._