Opinion: The Audacity Of Harry Reid
The word audacity has been kicked around a lot lately, probably because it was used as the title of one of President Barack Obama’s books, “The Audacity of Hope”. From Obama’s earlier book, his autobiographical “Dreams From My Father”, one may also remember where Obama first mentioned that line. It was the name of the first sermon Obama ever heard preached by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
I thought of that word today when I was learning of U.S. Senator Harry Reid’s latest verbal assault on the GOP’s presidential nominee Mitt Romney. It made me think of a twist on Wright’s sermon title – The Audacity of Sen. Harry Reid – perhaps, The Audacity of the “Hopeless” Sen. Harry Reid.
How dare Harry Reid, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, spew his latest unsubstantiated rumored statements which he made against Mitt Romney?
Reid now says that he has heard – but won’t specifically reveal from whom – that Romney hasn’t paid any taxes for ten years. Reid will only say that someone who used to invest with Bain Capital – where Romney was a former CEO – called his office with this no-tax-paid information.
Romney has openly said that he is not releasing any more than the past two years of his tax returns because that is all he is required to do by law. Furthermore, Romney believes that the additional release of his tax information will give Obama and the likes of Harry Reid and other Democrats more fodder. With the latest unsubstantiated no-taxes-paid claim by Reid, Romney apparently doesn’t need to release any files to get the fodder-mill rotating with Reid at the helm.
To play Reid’s game, apparently the Republicans need to have their phones ringing with unsubstantiated information about Obama’s unreleased files, as there are many. For starters, how about some calls about the sealed Occidental College records, the sealed Columbia College records, the sealed Harvard College records, the sealed Columbia thesis paper, the sealed selective service registration, the sealed medical records, the sealed Illinois State Senate records and schedule, and the sealed law practice client list. All of these things are “rumored” to be unavailable. So, in Harry Reid’s world, they are definitely worth mentioning.
If political leaders like Reid continue this sort of “I got a call” bashing during the campaign, maybe it’s high time the Republicans joined in the game. No, better yet – why doesn’t Reid just stop.
Besides what occurred today, just over two weeks ago on July 16, the Reid took a stab at the general fundraising success of Mitt Romney by actually saying on the US Senate floor that the election – if won by Romney – will be the result of 17 angry old white men getting him elected via their large donations going to the GOP’s presidential candidate. Reid’s exact words were: “If this flood of outside money continues, the day after the election, 17 angry old white men will wake up and realize they’ve just bought the country. That’s a sad commentary. About 60 percent of more of these outside dollars are coming from these 17 people.”
Of course, Reid has never explained what he meant by these “outside dollars” because he can’t. The money of which he referred is American dollars. Also, Reid has yet to challenge the method in which Obama has brought in his huge donations. Reid’s monetary feathers are likely ruffled because when it comes to fundraising, Obama has at long last met his match. Reid and others are sadly realizing that Obama is not the only American politician who can get many supporters and many dollars to follow.
Regardless of what Romney paid in taxes over the past ten years, Reid’s got his nerve to go forth with an unsubstantiated accusation, especially with all the skeletons gathering dust in Obama’s closet.
If I may be allowed my moment of audaciousness, I suggest Harry Reid retire.
About Scott Paulson
Scott Paulson writes political commentary for Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.
