Question: What do you call it when a former Democratic operative recites an e-mail from the Democratic National Committee to an adviser for a Democratic president? Answer: Good Morning America. On Tuesday, George Stephanopoulos interviewed David Plouffe and began, "[I] got this e-mail from [the] Democratic National Committee...saying Mitt Romney's tax returns release raises more questions than it answers." [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
Talking to Barack Obama's top political strategist, Stephanopoulos tossed this softball: "What more do voters need to know about Mitt Romney's taxes and his wealth?" Could one come up with an easier, more Democratic-friendly question? Stephanopoulos continued, "So, you think it's wrong that Mitt Romney only pays about 15 percent of his income in taxes?"
Citing an earlier report indicating that Obama's favorability numbers are rising, the co-host hopefully suggested, "Back in October, the President told me he sees himself as the underdog in this race. And after all these Republican debates, primaries and caucuses, is he still the underdog?"
Even an attempt at a tough question turned into a strategy session. Stephanopoulos began, "More than two-thirds think America is moving in the wrong direction. About one in five Americans is unemployed or underemployed."
But he concluded, "How does the President convince the country to stay the course?"
A partial transcript of the January 24 segment can be found below:
7:04
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's get the White House reaction to all this. As the President gets set for his State of the Union address tonight, David Plouffe, White House senior adviser, top political strategist joins us now. Good morning, David. And I want to begin with those tax returns for Mitt Romney overnight. I'll get to the State of the Union in a second. But, at 6:03am, got this e-mail from Democratic National Committee, a blast e-mail, saying Mitt Romney's tax returns release raises more questions than it answers. What more do voters need to know about Mitt Romney's taxes and his wealth?
DAVID PLOUFFE: Well, George, there will be 47 more Republican primaries and caucuses and those Republican voters will have their say on this specifically. I do think it raises a general point about our tax system here and one of the things the President is going to talk about in the State of the Union something that Warren Buffett famously talked about, that he should not pay less in taxes than his secretary does. The President, as you know, has talked about something called the Buffett rule. We're going to outline that specifically, what that would mean. So, that we make sure everybody in this economy is doing their fair share, which is an important part of how we're going to create jobs-
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you think it's wrong that Mitt Romney only pays about 15 percent of his income in taxes?
PLOUFFE: Well, the point is, we need to change our tax system. We need to make sure that middle class workers are not paying more, in effective tax rates, than people who are making $40 million, $100 million a year. So, we have rules of the road in place right now. I'm sure Mitt Romney, you know, tried to follow them. The question is, we just need change in our tax code, so that everybody is doing their fair share. That is going to be an important part of how we grow an economy that is working for the middle class and is more durable.
STEPHANOPOULOS: We just saw those favorability numbers from John Berman. Back in October, the President told me he sees himself as the underdog in this race. And after all these Republican debates, primaries and caucuses, is he still the underdog?
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But, as you point out, the President will be in a tough environment. Less than half of the country approves of the job the President is doing. More than two-thirds think America is moving in the wrong direction. About one in five Americans is unemployed or underemployed. How does the President convince the country to stay the course?
...
