John Stewart misses the point in going after Harry Reid for stoking rumours on Romney's taxes:
"The mystery surrounding Mitt Romney’s unreleased tax returns has been an all-you-can-eat buffet for Democrats the past couple of years. And some people just don’t know when to stop eating, Jon Stewart said Wednesday. Enter Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who told the Huffington Post this week that a Bain Capital investor told him Romney “didn’t pay taxes for 10 years.”
"Is that, in fact, true? Reid can’t be sure. “Here’s a rule of thumb,” Stewart said. “If you have to follow your claim with the words ‘I don’t know if that’s true,’ then shut up. Otherwise you might as well put a dead cocker spaniel on your head and start yelling about birth certificates.”
“You’re the Senate Majority Leader, you can’t just run to the Side-Boob Gazette with ridiculous speculations about what may or may not be in Mitt Romney’s taxes. That’s this show’s job,” Stewart added.
"Reid went even further, suggesting that Romney’s “poor father must be so embarrassed about his son.” That was too far for Stewart’s taste."
“I cannot believe you just went dead-dad shame on Mitt Romney,” he said. “As someone who has truly and thoroughly disappointed his still-living father on many occasions, let me just say, that is a bullshit shot.”
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/jon-stewart-harry-reid-romney-taxes.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
Actually, it seems the "job" of Stewart's show it to piously poise as a neutral umpire calling balls and strikes in the political wars. Stewart is trying to act as if he's neutral and just doesn't condone bad behaviour from whichever party it's coming from.
However, is Stewart neutral about whether or not the Paul Ryan budget is passed next year and Medicare is privatized? If not, he might want to refer to the words of the great Radical Republican, Thaddeus Stevens:
"Principles indeed! Betray your principles and stand behind your party!"
There's a huge difference between the question of demanding the President's long form birth certificate and for Romney to release his tax returns as every presidential candidate since, yes-"bullshit shot" or no-his own father, George Romney.
Maybe Stewart can explain why it's wrong to wonder if Romney hasn't paid taxes in multiple years considering his historical recalcitrance to provide such basic information. How does Stewart know he didn't skip 10 years of taxes?
As Reid himself notes, the burden of proof is on Romney, not Reid or former Democratic Governor Ted Strickland who pointed out that these are not improper questions judging by Romney's unresponsiveness. As Stewart himself is part of the 1% perhaps he's not so worried about the Ryan budget or Romney's regressive tax plan.
Not as worried as about being Mr. Balls and Strikes, Mr. Dudley Do Right.
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