Between July and August, polls show that the percentage of Americans who think Romney should release more tax returns began to skyrocket.
A Pew poll from July 24th recorded 36% of respondents wanted to see more of Mittens' taxes.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/...
Just over two weeks later...an August 9th CNN/ORC poll put the number at 63%. A decisive majority.
http://mediamatters.org/...
A different July poll of the same question had the figure at 54%, but even a nine-point increase in one month would be enough to sound alarms in the Romney camp.
It was only two days after the CNN 63% shocker that Romney announced Ryan as his running mate. Paul Ryan's selection was surely the first attempt at a distractobomb. But it didn't work.
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It was quickly determined that under Ryan's budget, Romney's income taxes would drop to a mere 0.82%! And Ryan's unveiling sorely lacked the Sarah Palin starburst effect that energized McCain supporters back in 2008.
Then, just this past weekend, Team Obama offered Romney a deal - if he would merely show his last five years of income tax returns, they would never again make his secrecy about them an issue in the campaign. Wham! Romney's secret tax returns were back at the top of the news cycle.
There is no way, in my opinion, that it was coincidence that just one day after this deal was offered, tea party Senate candidate Akin spouted his crazy rape pregnancy theories on a local Fox station (owned by Rupert Murdoch).
This is not to say we Dems shouldn't take advantage of the Akin fallout -- his views are so toxic and can be tied to Paul Ryan, who co-sponsored many of his kooky anti-abortion bills in Congress.
But let's remember, this insanity came about because the Republicans would rather talk about ANYTHING besides Mitt Romney's secret tax returns. Until Akin came along, Romney was watching the tax issue rapidly sink his campaign.
Let's keep Romney's taxes on the front burner and be wary of any future manufactured distractions. Cheers.