I’m pretty surprised that Mitt Romney’s team let their guy go down this path. Or maybe it’s just him. Stung by the 13.9% tax rate story and goaded on by some conservative columnists, Mitt Romney is now saying that his actual tax rate is “really closer to 45 or 50 percent.” Read More
TPM Reader MJ gets the plan …
Romneyworld is not pushing the 50% angle because they really believe it, clearly. They’re pushing it because they know it will muddy the waters on the issue, since mainstream media reporters are constantly looking for their “balance” these days, and now the 13.9% or 15% reference will surely start being accompanied in press stories by “but Romney claims the figure is more like 45-50%.” Conservative outlets and talk radio then start pushing Romney’s angle, and I can hear it now, an exchange between Republican primary (or for that matter, general) voters – “can you believe Romney only paid 14% tax on all those millions?” “Nah, I heard that was wrong! It’s more like 50%!” And the seeds of doubt are successfully sown, taking the power out of the 15% story.
We’ve got a lot of polls. And they all show a remarkably similar picture: Mitt Romney moving back into a comfortable lead of about 10 points. Full data after the jump … Read More
Mitt puts Newt in a crate, ties the crate to the roof of the car and starts driving the family all the way to the nomination. Watch the new Mitt ad.
From Evan Thomas, now of Politico, on the President’s State of the Union address. Not surprising but worth noting.
Yeah, I agree with all of it. It was a disheartening speech. It was a pathetic speech, really. I mean, here he’s got, the President of the United States needs a mandate for rebuilding the infrastructure, for getting control of the deficit, for tax reform. So what does he talk about? Raising taxes on millionaires, which I guess you have to do, but it is a tiny problem compared to all the others. And so he is running on sort of cheap pandering. And I’m sure the speech was well written, and it was sort of vaguely moving at the end when he talked about the military, but it was overall a pathetic speech.
According to reports, Herman Cain showed up at a Gingrich event tonight in West Palm Beach and endorsed Gingrich.
This would seem to mean that he’s transferred his endorsement from “the people” to Gingrich.
After several days of polls showing a relentlessly consistent Romney lead of around 10 points, Romney now looks to be making his break out. Latest numbers after the jump. Read More
We know Mitt Romney pays a 13.9% tax. What about other recent nominees? Here’s your answer. Basic answer: the more you make, the lower your rate.