Politifact has set Harry Reid's pants on fire with the lie that Romney hasn't paid taxes in ten years. Even the Washington Post called out Reid's paranoid rants about Romney, labeling his statements as baseless drivel. However, the L.A. Times seems to think this whole sordid episode is scoring points for Obama.
In an obnoxious piece by James Rainey published today, the columnist wrote that "while Reid’s tax claim strained credulity, it did not seem to strain the Nevada senator. Accustomed to pitched partisan battles, he showed little inclination to back down. One of the journalists who follows Reid most closely, columnist Jon Ralston, told the Washington Post that the old pol was 'fearless and shameless.”
Ralston noted that Reid would not stand for election for four years and added: “The most dangerous man is one who does not care.” Liberal journalists are a lot more forgiving of baseless claims uttered by Democratic politicians. So-called birthers were met with charges of racism and had their conspiracy theories mocked.
As Rainey continued in his column, "Ralston predicted Reid would be happy to continue to catch flak for Team Obama, though he might be slightly chastened to find even neutral or liberal-leaning media outlets questioning his truthfulness. Still, Reid’s gambit had the desired effect: Romney’s forces spent another day talking about tax policy and the candidate’s own taxes, much safer terrain for the president that the issue of job creation, which remains lackluster more than three years after the start of the economic crisis."
Rainey appears content with Reid's "stirring [of] the fairness pot and raising the issue of Romney’s tax returns, Obama had been a wing man for the tax fight. At a fund-raiser in Connecticut, the Democrat said the Republican’s tax plan makes him like 'Robin Hood in reverse' — taking from the poor and giving take breaks to the wealthy. As long as he was not talking about sagging jobs figures, three months before election day, it was a good day for the president."
Rainey's– and other journalists-- lack of outrage at this scheme shows the media's double standard. Watchdogs for charges against Democrats, quiet for scurrilous attacks on Republicans.
