If Harry Reid is absolutely 100% certain Mitt Romney did not pay income tax for 10 years

[Tony_FLADEM]

perhaps he should offer to resign from the senate if he is proven wrong. This would take it to another level and Mitt Romney would absolutely have to release his returns, and if he still refused to, he would not be able to overcome all the increased suspicion that would result given what Harry Reid offered to do.

[dballance]

1. Shill for the GOP much?

[Tony_FLADEM]

5. It's just an idea

It's only if he is 100% certain Mitt Romney did not pay income tax for 10 years.

[dballance]

40. Oh please

Just like "It's only if he is 100% certain Obama's birth certificate is fake."

Reid readily admitted he got it from a source at Bain and that he really had no way to verify it for 100% certain.

Reid never lied. All he did is repeat what his unamed source told him. Just like the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and countless other media organizations do every day.

Cite me a front page of one of these papers recently published that does not use an unnamed but "credible" source to back up one of their stories.

When these media organizations want to be held to the same standard as they seem to want to hold Reid then fine. I'd be really happy to never see the words "from a source who wishes to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the media about xyz" or "from an unnamed source in the SELECT ONE: " 1) administration, 2) campaign, 3) the land of bullshit no one believes.

This is so farcical that Romney's team would even go there it shows real desperation.

But don't quote me on the record.

[MADem]

2. Oh, horse shit. He was told this by a RELIABLE SOURCE. He's sharing what he has been told.

If Mitt wants us to stop talking about his tax returns, he can solve the problem.

The problem is MITT's........................... not Harry's.

[lapfog_1]

3. I keep thinking this is another Dan Rather moment...

and Harry is being played. I hope not.. but it just smells like it.

[Tony_FLADEM]

18. You could be right but given how bad Romney wants to be president

he his hiding something regarding his tax returns.

[JenniferJuniper]

28. Romney has never had any intention of releasing those tax records

He didn't release them when he ran for governor, he didn't release them during the primaries, and he has continually been defensive, awkward and uptight whenever he's asked about them now. Yeah, standard for Romney, I know, but his awkwardness gets cranked up to 11 on the taxes.

He's hiding something big and the ONLY way he can prove Reid wrong is to cough up 10 years of tax records - including, most importantly, the 2009 returns. But he's not going to. And the Democrats absolutely must keep this on the front burner.

[onenote]

4. I'm sorry, but when did Reid say anything about being 100 percent certain.

He said that he was told that by a source he feels is reliable. The burden has now shifted to Romney.

[Tony_FLADEM]

7. He brought up the allegation

If he is has more information why not put more preasure on Mitt Romney.

[onenote]

10. The only other information he has is the name of his source

And presumably he has agreed to protect that person's identity.

[Angry Dragon]

6. That is a very stupid idea

What is Willard going to put up??
He already owes us his returns. Perhaps Willard will put up all his money, his houses, his foreign accounts, all his trust funds for his wife and children.

Harry was just repeating information that he received that he felt the American needed to know.

[Tony_FLADEM]

11. He might have more information given how persistent he has been

and if he does, why not use it against Romney. Obviously Mitt Romney has something very damaging he is hiding.

[spanone]

8. harry said he was TOLD that romney didn't pay taxes....that's entirely different

[Tony_FLADEM]

13. He is not letting up, so he might have more information

This is only if he is absolutely certain. He is saying Romney did not pay taxes.

[Tony_FLADEM]

16. I just heard him say Mitt Romney did not pay taxes.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. Why would he do that?

This is all on Willard now - it isn't a game of false equivalency.

If Willard releases his taxes and he paid 5% (or whatever toxicity is in there), all Harry has to say is "I guess my friend was mistaken, my bad".

This is a win/win for the party - and I don't see a downside.

[Tx4obama]

12. Go back and read what Reid actually said. He said he was TOLD that by someone.

And he also added a disclaimer by saying that he had no way to know if it was completely true.

There is NO reason for Senator Reid to resign.

Even if Romney has paid taxes for those ten years,
it would be the person that told Reid that information that would be wrong - not Reid.

[Tony_FLADEM]

15. I'm watching the Ed Show right now. I just heard Harry Reid say Mitt Romney did not pay any taxes

not that he only heard that. If he knows for sure, then why not finish off Mitt Romney.

[Kurovski]

14. Send him an email.

Let us know what the response is.

[eShirl]

17. Who cares if it's true or not?

Reid to RMoney: Dance, puppet, dance!
RMoney: (dance dance dance)

[emilyg]

30. I care.

[applegrove]

19. Romney wants Obama to start frothing at the mouth and attacking Romney on his tax returns.

I think Romney is trying to bait Obama. He will not release his clean tax returns while Reid is attacking him because Reid is not the 'mark'. They will try, try, try to lure the White House, has not worked yet. Obama has not bitten.

[Tony_FLADEM]

22. I'm not sure Romney is trying to bait Obama. Romney has had opportunities to release his returns

in previous elections and never did. He wants the focus to be on the economy, not his tax returns.

[Amonester]

26. My guess is, it will come up again during the debates.

And I don't expect the President will just say "alright, it's old news" when his turn to 'comment' on the question will manifest!

[rufus dog]

20. I am good with that, with one caveat

All elected republican officials who questioned Obama's place of birth resign immediately.

[NRaleighLiberal]

21. Harry's not running for POTUS. R-Money is and the onus is on him. Check - on the way to Mate?

Beautifully played by Harry...I am proud of him. Guess that powder was dry enough - finally decided to take it out and use it!

[tblue37]

23. He didn't say he was sure Mitt hadn't paid taxes. Nor did he say that Mitt hadn't paid income taxes.

What he said was that someone who seemed to be a credible source told Reid that Mitt hadn't paid taxes. That is a completely different claim.

[Tony_FLADEM]

24. He made a declarative sentence today and said Romney did not pay income tax. I just heard him.

[Kalidurga]

29. Now you just sound like you are arguing for the sake of arguing.

I can't figure out why anyone would push this idea so hard, unless they were trying to outstay their welcome.

[Tony_FLADEM]

31. Not trying to argue. Mitt Romney is hiding something regarding his taxes. Why not put a quick end

to the presidential election if we are able.

[JenniferJuniper]

38. "That was never 5 minutes just now!"

[ProSense]

25. Here:

The ‘Missing Evidence’ In Romney’s Tax Records
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021084266

Say it: What is Mitt hiding?

[emulatorloo]

27. "Leave poor Romney alone!"

[Skip Intro]

32. I'd bet Reid made the whole thing up.

Or he was selected to be the "attack dog" on this issue.

Sure didn't see it coming. And it was very effective.

This is politics. It's about winning. It's about damaging your opponent - in this case by making claims about things you probably do not know.

It's about creating an air of suspicion around Romney.

It doesn't really matter if it's true or not, if Reid is making things up or not (he did say he wasn't sure if it was true) - the whole point of this was to put and keep Romney on the defensive, keep him off-balance, and try to defame him in the eyes of the electorate. And while we whine when this happens to our candidates, it seems to work. And that's why this is being done.

Reid won't bet anything on it. And he doesn't have to. The accusation is enough to damage Romney. And that has been done. At least temporarily.

Then again, as unlikely as it seems to me, it is possible Reid is being honest. And unlikely as it seems to me, it is possible that Romney has set this whole thing up as a trap. But what I think is going on, and what I think to be far more likely, is that we're playing dirty pool, and Reid doesn't know anything about Romney's tax returns.

It's politics. And it's gonna get rough.

Can't imagine what is in store over the next three months.

[Tony_FLADEM]

33. I agree it's a lot of speculation on our part

but given that Mitt Romney has had many opportunities to release his returns to the public and never has (except 2 years) and some of that information was incomplete and you always hear about corporations not paying any income tax, so it's a possibility Harry Reid might be onto something regarding this issue.

[JenniferJuniper]

35. I'm betting it's based on truth

I just don't think the source is Bain. I think it's someone connected with McCain 2008 and Reid won't reveal the source. They'd have known what tax rate he was paying up to 2007 and it's almost a given that he was able to write off so many losses in '08 that he likely paid nothing in '09.

[nichomachus]

34. He never said that -- straw man much?

Harry said someone told him that and he didn't know whether it was true or not, but Romney can settle it by revealing his taxes.

Maybe Romney, if he's telling the truth, can offer to resign as the candidate if there's nothing shady in his returns.

[Tony_FLADEM]

37. I heard him say it today. Reid said Romney did not pay any taxes.

[nichomachus]

42. He said someone told him and he didn't know whether it was true

[hay rick]

36. Silly suggestion.

Reid would only make that offer if he had possession of a copy of the returns- which would probably have to be obtained by felony. Lacking that kind of proof, an offer of resignation would have an appearance of foolishness or grandstanding. Neither is called for.

Reid has clearly put the ball in Romney's court. He doesn't need to do anything more now except to say "prove me wrong" when the denials come from Romney and Romney's proxies- including Fox News. He has put Romney in damned if you do and damned if you don't territory and it is a thing of beauty.

[B Calm]

39. Romney should resign from the race and

face criminal charges like a real man.

[Quantess]

41. What is going on with all this distortion?

Harry Reid doesn't need to prove anything. Reid isn't the one running for the highest office in the nation.