Last updated on July 27th, 2012 at 05:46 pm
Romney’s European vacation was supposed to get the tax returns and Bain heat off of him, but even in London, the Republican nominee is greeted with one question. When are you going to release more tax returns?
Here is the video from NBC News:
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Transcript from NBC News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS:
On to another topic– and that is your taxes. Can you say that your decision is firm that you’ll not do a walk-back between now and the convention, now and the fall election? That there will be no returns– more returns released by Mitt Romney?MITT ROMNEY:
I’m following the same precedent that was put in place by John McCain. Two years, and by the way, hundreds of pages (LAUGH) of returns for the Democrat operatives to go through and twist and distort and to turn in different directions and try and make a big deal out of. But, you know, the American people are not real concerned about tax returns. They’re concerned about who can get this economy going and create good jobs again. And I can. The president hasn’t been able to do the job as he had expected to do. And I know how to get it done.BRIAN WILLIAMS:
But you know– also know what happens in the real world, governor. People hear, “He’s not gonna release the rest of his returns,” and they wonder why. They wonder, “Is there a year there where he paid no taxes?” They wonder about expensive horses and houses and what have you. So I’ll ask another way. What is it that is preventing you from releasing the rest of your returns?MITT ROMNEY:
Well one, I’ve released all the information about my financial holdings. That’s required by law. And then in addition beyond the law, have released, or will finally release act– when the last year is complete, two years of full returns. And what we’ve noted is our Democrat friends, take what’s there, twist it, distort it– dishonestly use it in– in attack ads. I just don’t wanna give ’em more material than is required.
The Romney campaign thought that by going overseas they could flip the narrative, and let Romney try on the Commander in Chief role. Instead, the media continues to ask Romney and his campaign the one question that they definitely do not want to answer. When are you going to release more tax returns? Mitt Romney keeps answering that he will never release more tax returns, which only causes the media to ask again, when are you going to release more tax returns.
Mitt Romney doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that running for president is not the same as being a CEO. As a CEO, Romney had the power to issue answers that were proclamations to his employees. He is now finding out that on the campaign trail he is the potential employee, and the people conducting the job interview expect answers to their questions.
Let’s be honest, the Romney campaign thought they were going to get a breather from the questions about Bain and tax returns. Their problem is that since their candidate stands for nothing, they have nothing to talk about. Romney isn’t going to Europe and then Israel to outline his foreign policy vision. He is going there to bash Obama surrounded by some neat vacation scenery.
Mitt Romney can’t run or hide from his tax returns, but what is sinking the Romney campaign is that it is impossible for a campaign to flip the narrative when they have no alternative story to offer.
Welcome to London, Mitt. When are you going to release more tax returns?
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
