Dana Bash (CNN): Reid puts GOP in a bind over Romney's taxes
Washington (CNN) -- Republican sources say they're in a Catch-22 situation on how to reply to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's claims that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney went 10 years without paying taxes.
They understand that they're taking Reid's bait and that responding to his unsubstantiated claims against Romney keeps alive the issue of Romney's refusing to release his tax returns.
Still, these GOP sources say they feel that if they do not respond to such a serious charge from such a high-ranking Democrat, it will look like a tacit admission Reid is right.
Multiple Democratic sources insist that Reid made the allegations against Romney on his own but also admit the Obama campaign is not telling him to back off.
Sources close to Reid say he knew full well he would be challenged by Republicans and the media for accusing Romney of not paying taxes for 10 years but not offering any proof.
But these sources say Reid didn't care -- in fact, he was eager to do it.
Growing up impoverished in a trailer with no running water in Searchlight, Nevada, Reid literally fought his way out as a boxer. As a politician, he has never been afraid to punch below the belt, especially when he dislikes someone personally, and by all accounts Reid has a strong personal disregard for Romney.
Obama debuts 'Romney Hood'
Through the years he has called President George W. Bush a loser and a liar, named then-Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan a political hack and gone after Sen. John McCain during the 2008 presidential race as someone too temperamental to be president.
But Republicans say this time, Reid took it too far, not only because he won't back up his accusation beyond citing a confidential source but because he chose to attack Romney on the issue from the Senate floor.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/politics/reid-romney-taxes/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
= new reply since forum marked as read
You said you had a line on Reid's source, but since then your tweets have been pulled. Should you still be covering this story since you've had to back off?
rocktivity
