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
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:32 pm
“AmVet, before crowing about Kyle’s new rules, I suggest you review the one about insults and name calling..”
AmVet? I thought his name was ZamVet or JamVet? Oh I can’t keep up with his many names.
JamVet
August 2nd, 2012
5:32 pm
OK, have it your way…
G Mare
August 2nd, 2012
5:33 pm
Doomy@5:23, yeah, like lawnmower with the blades set too high!
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:33 pm
“Dude, you’re the one saying all the great things about Clinton. I was agreeing with you.”
I never said he was the best president of the last 50 years. That would go to the one that libs hate the most. Ronald Reagan. You know, the guy who ended the Cold War and brought prosperity back to the US after a disastrous Carter administration?
Sick of Progs
August 2nd, 2012
5:34 pm
JamVet
August 2nd, 2012
5:25 pm
Check your brain at the door moron.
JamVet obviously lost most of his brain cells while smoking out with the OWS crowd.
Oops. Looks like some people have self-control issues.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Which warrants a banning per Mr. Wingfield’s Rule #1. (Don’t hate the moderator, hate the game.)
Also, I take umbrage with your stereotypical name calling of people with a conservative view. Neo-cons, racists, etc. And you crawl to the moderator hoping to get free speech removed? Lets ban talk radio and fox news and make people listen to NPR. Executive Order?
josef
August 2nd, 2012
5:34 pm
LOGIC LIB
“Nice to see a liberal give Romney some props”
What props? Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel. It’s also the capital of Palestine.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:34 pm
“OK, have it your way…”
Oh, are you gonna now run and tell on us for fighting back against your nonsensical hate speech about white people?
md
August 2nd, 2012
5:35 pm
“I also see who he supports this election cycle…”
That’s just silly…..not a chance he would even support the guy/gal without the D behind their name.
But I’ll make you a deal, I’ll vote for Obama if you can guarantee me that he would have a gop congress like Clinton did. You give Clinton way too much credit for what was accomplished. D’s are not known for welfare reform……….he didn’t do it because he wanted to.
They BOTH suck
August 2nd, 2012
5:35 pm
josef
You just lost your Jewish cred on the blog…..
damn, damn, damn
What’s up man?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 2nd, 2012
5:35 pm
Numbers-R-US: Romney and the GOP are in agreement on taxes. They want to increase the taxes on the middle class in order to fund another tax cut for the wealthiest.
——————-
I say you’re lying.
Prove me wrong.
Lord Help Us
August 2nd, 2012
5:36 pm
‘That would go to the one that libs hate the most. Ronald Reagan.’
No, GWB gets that honor…you didn’t vote for him, I hope…
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:36 pm
“What props? Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel. It’s also the capital of Palestine.”
You have me mixed up with someone else, josef. I never asked a question about Israel.
Del
August 2nd, 2012
5:36 pm
“I would love to see this country back where it was in 2000…”
Oh yes those were the days, the dot.com burst with resultant recession and along came 9-11 the following year.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:37 pm
“Also, I take umbrage with your stereotypical name calling of people with a conservative view. Neo-cons, racists, etc.”
Like I said, JamVet does that all the time. He’s been known to say the most vile things and then cry to the moderator when someone beats him up on the blogosphere.
They BOTH suck
August 2nd, 2012
5:37 pm
josef
I believe it was Tiberius who gave you “props”.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:37 pm
“Oh yes those were the days, the dot.com burst with resultant recession and along came 9-11 the following year.”
Yep.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:39 pm
“No, GWB gets that honor…you didn’t vote for him, I hope”
I did and I’d do it again in a flat heartbeat over the disaster currently in the Oval Office.
Lord Help Us
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
‘Oh yes those were the days, the dot.com burst with resultant recession and along came 9-11 the following year.’
I agree, those darn butterfly ballots in Palm Beach County Florida caused this country to go to heck after 2000…
Thulsa Doom
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
Gmare,
You mean like sawgrass maybe? Mighty hard to cut through that stuff. Personally I’ve only gone through it with a machete and that was hell. And there is a reason why it has the well deserved nickname “saw”grass.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
Some might disagree with that assessment, josef
As many on the left has since Romney made that statement.
PJ
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
Doom:
1. “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”.
Wrong – He shouted it after President Obama denied the health plan would cover illegal immigrants.
You lied to protect his lie. And if you weren’t lying you didn’t bother to get you facts straight before responding. Both of these are blogging sins.
2. “if you can point out where I made baseless allegations than perhaps your outrage would merit more credibility. As it stands it does not.”
I was speaking cleaning out your political house hurling accusations without decency. I never said anything about what your personal opinions, as wrong as I think they are.
3. “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?
The only thing I was unaware of is that you do not understand sarcasm, mockery and ridicule when you read them. From here on out when I am addressing you I will speak in terms as if I were speaking to a 1st grader them maybe you will understand. If I am not speaking directly to just don’t respond because it will probably be over you head. Thanks for playing.
td
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
Wow, I can not keep up with all of Jay’s bloggers over here as well. I will say (besides the name calling crap from time to time) this has been a fun few days with the free flowing viewpoints going back and forth.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:41 pm
Sick of Progs
There was a period where JamVet would call people “talibaptists” and when conservative bloggers would blast him for it he’d go cry like a little kid to get those bloggers banned.
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
5:41 pm
Show us the papers willard.
End it.
Numbers-R-US
August 2nd, 2012
5:42 pm
Romney’s Tax hike on the middle class to fund the wealthiest.
josef
August 2nd, 2012
5:42 pm
BOTH
It was…thanks for the correction
TIBERIUS
Sorry for the slip there…no offense meant…
LOGIC
How so lost my “Jewish cred…” ?
Lord Help Us
August 2nd, 2012
5:42 pm
‘I did and I’d do it again in a flat heartbeat over the disaster currently in the Oval Office.’
Even after 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression and Harriet Myers? Why do you hate America?
I’d like a time machine, no butterfly ballot in Palm Beach County and 8 years of Gore!
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
5:43 pm
“Romney’s Tax hike on the middle class to fund the wealthiest.”
This proves he is lying about helping the middle class.
JamVet
August 2nd, 2012
5:43 pm
Here’s the deal
10:23 am July 10, 2012, by Kyle Wingfield
The following rules are effective immediately:
1. Anyone who comes onto the blog with personal attacks…will be banned permanently.
It’s not exactly rocket science.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:43 pm
“How so lost my “Jewish cred…” ?”
josef, I have no idea why you keep asking me questions about things I never asked.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:44 pm
“Anyone who comes onto the blog with personal attacks…will be banned permanently.”
And you did just that, JamVet. We have the posts to prove it.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 2nd, 2012
5:44 pm
GWB is a real American with American values and beliefs. None of that can be said of Obozo.
Americans will fix the mistake of ‘08 come November.
Vote American.
They BOTH suck
August 2nd, 2012
5:44 pm
josef
I was the one who said you “lost your cred” when you said Jerusalem was also the capital of Palestine. To many, you were supposed to stop at Israel and let it be.
Numbers-R-US
August 2nd, 2012
5:44 pm
The GOP tax hikes on the middle class and poor to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest.
taxpayer
August 2nd, 2012
5:45 pm
I hope that horse of Romney that we are subsidizing with fake tax deductions takes a massive dump in the middle of its performance. Kind of like hoping the Ruskie galls fall off the parallel bars during gymnastics so our five could win.
If that horse is a business, did n’t that $77,000 write off by the government help create that supposed business venture??????? And aren’t all government tax write offs for businesses part of that business success??? . Sure works for GE by paying no taxes.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
August 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
We’re always cool, josef.
You’re probably the only Guy I’d change orientation for. . .;)
Lord Help Us
August 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
‘Americans will fix the mistake of ‘08 come November.’
IMO, the mistake was in 2000. Country went in the crapper in a hurry after that election…
4 more years of Obama, followed by 8 years of the Hill and we may have a chance.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
JamVet
Three people have called you out for your hypocritical statements. If you try to get anyone banned, there will be multiple people who throw your insults right back at you.
G Mare
August 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
Doomy re saw grass:
Numbers-R-US
August 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Romney and the GOP are in agreement on taxes. They want to increase the taxes on the middle class in order to fund another tax cut for the wealthiest.
Links to evidence provided in my posts at 5:42 and 5:44.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
“Sure works for GE by paying no taxes.”
You can thank Obama for that.
Oh, and I’m sure Mitt paid for his own horse, taxpayer. Nice poutrage on your part.
They BOTH suck
August 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
josef
Did you wake up straight?
getalife
August 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Love it when cons run from the truth.
w was a disaster. Period.
JamVet
August 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
(Only for comedic purposes) Show me the very first personal insult I’ve leveled at you. Today, yesterday, the day before. It doesn’t matter.
Just one.
personal ~adjective
relating to, directed to, or intended for a particular person:
They BOTH suck
August 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
josef
Make that 4 “regulars”
josef
August 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
TIBERIUS
That one is just plain silly…Jerusalem is, and has been, the official capital of the State of Israel since 1947.
And as for the US not locating its embassy in Jerusalem, that’s been in place since 1947, too…It’s really a non issue…Romeny’s pandering there is not going to get him anywhere with Jews, the overwhelming majority of whom consider Jerusalem the capital of the State of Israel.
I’m much more concerned that he took the swipe he did at the Palestinians the way he did…they, as an ethnic, have been recognized for centuries as particularly well educated, outward looking, innovative, possessed of a strong work ethic and with a great deal of business acumen…
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
” They want to increase the taxes on the middle class in order to fund another tax cut for the wealthiest.
Lie
@@
August 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Too funny! An e-mail from Solyndra has been discovered.
To whom was it addressed? “The Bank of Washington”…thanking “it” for “its” financial support.
The only money Washington has is what we, the taxpayers send them. If they don’t print it or borrow it from China, IT’S OURS…MONEY WE EARNED!!!!
Obama and Solyndra didn’t build anything together. Solyndra ceased to exist.
The investment to nowhere.
Logic was never intended for libs
August 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
“Show me the very first personal insult I’ve leveled at you. Today, yesterday, the day before. It doesn’t matter.”
racists, twits, neocon, fascists, etc.
There, that was easy.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Numbers-R-US…Huffington Post? Really?
You lie. Prove me wrong.