AP Shows Double Standard on Release of VP Candidates' Tax Returns

The Associated Press reported today that Sarah and Todd Palin have released their 2006 and 2007 tax returns.  The release concluded:

The McCain-Palin campaign had said the tax returns would be released Monday, but it suddenly put them out Friday afternoon — a time long used by government to reveal embarrassing news because few people watch TV or read newspapers Friday evening and Saturday.

Interestingly, Joe and Jill Biden also released tax returns on a Friday. In their case it was September 12.  The AP began its report:

Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife on Friday released a decade of their personal financial records, showing a veteran U.S. senator who earned less than many of his congressional colleagues.

Oddly, no mention was made that Friday is "a time long used by government to reveal embarrassing news."

Nor did the AP note in today's report that the more than $8,000 donated to charity by the Palins in the last two years more than doubles the charitable contributions of the Bidens for the past ten years.

Perhaps there will be embarrassing information in the Palins' tax returns and that's why they were released on a Friday.  But why didn't AP advise its readers of that possibility with the Bidens' returns less than a month ago?

We all know the answer to that question.  But it might be embarrassing for the AP to admit it.  Maybe the news service should wait until a Friday to reveal the answer.