In what I find to be a wise move by the Obama team, the president tried making a deal with the Republican Presidential Nominee, Mitt Romney, today. His campaign manager, Jim Messina, wrote the following:
"Dear Matt:
I am writing to ask again that the Governor release multiple years of tax returns, but also to make an offer that should address his concerns about the additional disclosures. Governor Romney apparently fears that the more he offers, the more our campaign will demand he provide. So I am prepared to provide assurances on just that point: if the Governor will release five years of returns, I commit in turn that we will not criticize him for not releasing more -- neither in ads nor in other public communications or commentary for the rest of the campaign.
This request for the release of five years, covering the complete returns for 2007-2012, is surely not unreasonable. Other presidential candidates have released more, including the Governor's father who provided 12 years of returns. In the Governor's case, a five year release would appropriately span all the years that he has been a candidate for President. It would also help answer outstanding questions raised by the one return he has released to date, such as the range in the effective rates paid, the foreign accounts maintained, the foreign investments made, and the types of tax shelters used.
To provide these five years, the Governor would have to release only three more sets of returns in addition to the 2010 return he has released and the 2011 return he has pledged to provide. And, I repeat, the Governor and his campaign can expect in return that we will refrain from questioning whether he has released enough or pressing for more.
I look forward to your reply.
Jim Messina
Obama for America Campaign Manager"
What was the Romney-team response? Take a wild guess...
Campaign manager, Matt Rhodes, responded to Messina with the following message:
"Hey Jim,
Thanks for the note.
It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney's tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending.
If Governor Romney's tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days.
In the meantime, Governor Romney will continue to lay out his plans for a stronger middle class, to save Medicare, to put work back into welfare, and help the 23 million Americans to find work in the Obama economy.
See you in Denver.
Thanks,
Matt Rhodes
Romney for President
Campaign Manager"
I think this was a doubly-wise move by the Obama team. First off, I think it was wise to offer a deal to the Romney team, appear to be willing to reach across the aisle and compromise on the issue, and then move forward on the matter. It makes the president appear to be in charge, yet willing to work with the other side to get something accomplished. It also made him appear mature and ready to place this issue in the rear-view if the Romney team met him halfway.
I feel it's a doubly-wise move due to the response by the Romney team. The president offered a compromise and to place this seemingly ubiquitous subject in the distant past. However, Romney did not take the offer and this will hurt him in multiple ways. As opposed to how it made Obama appear, it makes Romney appear to be stubborn, unwilling to work with the other side to move this country forward, immature and suspicious. It also keeps the story alive and rolling - and may begin to pick up even more steam in the coming days and weeks. Romney thought the story may be fading after his wife claimed they never paid less than 13% in taxes, before later clarifying that was with regard to federal taxes. The latest move by Obama places the issue right back square on the table, looming larger than ever before. The longer Romney holds off releasing his taxes, the more the press and the public overall will begin to wonder what he's hiding. This is especially the case now that he's unwilling to release 5 years of his tax returns, let alone 12 like his father did. Mitt Romney may have been fed up with the press and their constant questioning of his tax returns in the past couple weeks or so. Well, after his latest move, things are about to get a whole lot worse for him on that front. I'm sorry, Mitt, but this story isn't going to go anywhere until you come clean, and the longer you hold off on doing so, the more detrimental it's going to be to your election chances.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/obama-romney-tax-returns_n_1796291.html
"Dear Matt:
I am writing to ask again that the Governor release multiple years of tax returns, but also to make an offer that should address his concerns about the additional disclosures. Governor Romney apparently fears that the more he offers, the more our campaign will demand he provide. So I am prepared to provide assurances on just that point: if the Governor will release five years of returns, I commit in turn that we will not criticize him for not releasing more -- neither in ads nor in other public communications or commentary for the rest of the campaign.
This request for the release of five years, covering the complete returns for 2007-2012, is surely not unreasonable. Other presidential candidates have released more, including the Governor's father who provided 12 years of returns. In the Governor's case, a five year release would appropriately span all the years that he has been a candidate for President. It would also help answer outstanding questions raised by the one return he has released to date, such as the range in the effective rates paid, the foreign accounts maintained, the foreign investments made, and the types of tax shelters used.
To provide these five years, the Governor would have to release only three more sets of returns in addition to the 2010 return he has released and the 2011 return he has pledged to provide. And, I repeat, the Governor and his campaign can expect in return that we will refrain from questioning whether he has released enough or pressing for more.
I look forward to your reply.
Jim Messina
Obama for America Campaign Manager"
What was the Romney-team response? Take a wild guess...
Campaign manager, Matt Rhodes, responded to Messina with the following message:
"Hey Jim,
Thanks for the note.
It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney's tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending.
If Governor Romney's tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days.
In the meantime, Governor Romney will continue to lay out his plans for a stronger middle class, to save Medicare, to put work back into welfare, and help the 23 million Americans to find work in the Obama economy.
See you in Denver.
Thanks,
Matt Rhodes
Romney for President
Campaign Manager"
I think this was a doubly-wise move by the Obama team. First off, I think it was wise to offer a deal to the Romney team, appear to be willing to reach across the aisle and compromise on the issue, and then move forward on the matter. It makes the president appear to be in charge, yet willing to work with the other side to get something accomplished. It also made him appear mature and ready to place this issue in the rear-view if the Romney team met him halfway.
I feel it's a doubly-wise move due to the response by the Romney team. The president offered a compromise and to place this seemingly ubiquitous subject in the distant past. However, Romney did not take the offer and this will hurt him in multiple ways. As opposed to how it made Obama appear, it makes Romney appear to be stubborn, unwilling to work with the other side to move this country forward, immature and suspicious. It also keeps the story alive and rolling - and may begin to pick up even more steam in the coming days and weeks. Romney thought the story may be fading after his wife claimed they never paid less than 13% in taxes, before later clarifying that was with regard to federal taxes. The latest move by Obama places the issue right back square on the table, looming larger than ever before. The longer Romney holds off releasing his taxes, the more the press and the public overall will begin to wonder what he's hiding. This is especially the case now that he's unwilling to release 5 years of his tax returns, let alone 12 like his father did. Mitt Romney may have been fed up with the press and their constant questioning of his tax returns in the past couple weeks or so. Well, after his latest move, things are about to get a whole lot worse for him on that front. I'm sorry, Mitt, but this story isn't going to go anywhere until you come clean, and the longer you hold off on doing so, the more detrimental it's going to be to your election chances.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/obama-romney-tax-returns_n_1796291.html
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