http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02/harry-reid-romney-tax-source-_n_1735729.html?utm_hp_ref=elections-2012

Reid was set up, and so was Ms Bash. And they both deserve to get a black eye on this one. This is a classic political ambush, and it was carefully thought out ahead of time by the Romney campaign. Reid was indeed told this shaggy dog story by a "credible source", but the source was lying. And even if Reid rats him out, the guy will deny it and the denial will be credible. Romney will be vindicated, the big, bad, socialist media and Reid will be demonized, and plenty of blame will be left over to dump on Obama. How convenient.

Romney is not a common criminal, and he is no fool. He would have to be stupid or crazy to cheat on his taxes, and if he had, the IRS would have already caught him at it. You can count on their having gone over his returns with an electron microscope (yep, even lefties are not above using the tax law as a weapon against their political enemies). But I'm also certain Mitt used every proper and legitimate means of reducing his tax liabilities as much as possible, even those which may look sketchy, which is his right. Not even this liberal blames him for that, hell, I do it too--every chance I get.

What Romney is scared of having publicized is that he has access to extraordinary legal and accounting resources to help him avoid paying taxes, and he has exploited an existing tax law carefully crafted to favor folks like him, regardless of political affiliation. He may be blameless, but it still looks bad, as the Democrats are counting on.

What has happened is that he has realized that it is no longer possible to withold his tax returns, the Democratic attacks about his taxes are doing real political damage and he has to give in and open up his books to public scrutiny.

So this little political charade has been engineered to cover him when the returns are finally released. Mitt will drag out the inevitable with beaucoup indignant and self-righteous denials and build up the tension to a fever pitch. Then he will release the returns and Romney will be revealed to be devilishly clever, but scrupulously honest, the Democrats will be shown to be mean and underhanded, and no one will notice the tax dodges, offshore accounts, and other accounting tricks in the resulting media shitstorm. The only question remaining to be answered is WHEN the Romney campaign will spring their trap. The longer they wait, the more ridiculous the Democrats will look, but with the Olympics wrapping up and the convention just around the corner, the question of timing becomes more problematic. I have no doubt this torpedo will be launched at the optimum moment.

Do I blame the Mittster for this? Not in the slightest. I would have done the same thing in his place, and to be honest, its only a variation of the broadside Obama used to dismast and emasculate The Donald. Reid, and Dana, are getting just what they deserve. But its me, thee, and the nation who will suffer in the long run.