Good luck with all that, Mitt.

So, here's what we get from Mitt Romney's interview(s) thus far--he wants Obama to apologize for discussing Romney's Bain Capital record, and also, he's only going to disclose tax returns for two years.

Well, I'm sure that clears everything up, not.

For one thing, I'm certainly not the first person who would point out to Mitt that politics ain't bean bag. Romney should not expect much sympathy regarding what is or isn't a permissible charge during a campaign from someone who was accused of "palling around with terrorists" in his last one (or even hears a re-hash of old rubbish from Romney's surrogates, like this). And for another, if there is any question regarding whether Romney was running Bain Capital even part-time after 1999, that buck should stop with none other than Mitt Romney.

With respect to the tax returns--it's become a tradition that presidential candidates release their tax returns since some honest, moneyed, Republican candidate did just that thing in the 1960's. It's an unfortunate irony that this fellow was Mitt's old man, but you'd think that would at least have clued him in to the idea that if he were going to run for president (like, once or twice), he might want to have tax returns that other people could look at. If anyone is creating the impression that there is something lurking in his returns--it's him for making them a secretive, big deal.

Unless, you know--there's really something there.  (Hmm--which would also be his responsibility, right?)

At any rate, if Romney thinks he's getting an apology--uh, no.  And I would venture to guess that saying he won't release any more than two years worth of returns is certainly not going to stop people from asking about them (which I've been saying since January, when it was his GOP competition asking.)

So, if he was looking for his interview time to fix the last few days of Bain-mania--no.  Not so much.


(X-Posted at Rumproast.)