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CHARLESTON, SC -- Looking to blunt the momentum of Newt Gingrich's latest surge in the polls, the Romney campaign today held a conference call with former New Hampshire Governor and George H.W. Bush chief of staff John H. Sununu, one of Gingrich's most vocal critics.
On the call, Sununu and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) hammered Gingrich for his "ego," "narcissism," and "baggage" -- including a 1997 ethics investigation that resulted in a $300,000 penalty for Gingrich. Sununu warned that the records of that investigation could serve as the basis for a pro-Obama "October surprise" if Gingrich become the nominee.
"The point is that there was a 7-to-1 vote in that ethics committee, which means the material was pretty convincing, even to the four Republicans, three of which [voted] against him. I think it reflects on his reliability as a leader. And frankly, affects on the fact that whatever Congressman Pelosi was part of that process and whatever Congresswoman Pelosi knows, President Obama knows," Sununu said.
"And if Pelosi knows, Obama knows. And if Obama knows, this is certainly a ripe package for an October surprise. And we ought to at least wring out the laundry now. He ought to ask for the release of the complete records of the ethics process and get that out in public so that he doesn’t become a vulnerable candidate if he wins the nomination and doesn’t become vulnerable to an October surprise."
But when NBC News asked Sununu whether, speaking of potential surprises, Romney should release his personal income tax returns sooner rather than later -- as Romney's Republican rivals have demanded repeatedly of late -- Sununu suggested the tax returns would quickly become a non-issue.
"That issue will work its way out as you guys keep asking the question. I am not an expert on what horrors may be in the tax return. I generally find that the important thing about tax returns is people asking the question. And when they come out, people end up saying 'Is that all there is to that?'" Sununu said. "Probably the most stunning thing you'll see is how generous he's been in supporting charities."
Strikingly, the exchange over Romney's tax returns was not included in the campaign's official transcript or audio file of the call, which was emailed to reporters.
Asked by NBC why the tax return question and answer were omitted from the campaign's transcript, a Romney campaign spokesperson replied: "It was a really long call."
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Tell Romney and his Bain Capital to stop using Cayman Island as a tax shelter.
In the ImMoral words of John Sununu,"Thats a bunch of Horse Pucky"!
October Surprises are commonplace with most Elections.
Occupy SoggyBottom!
Oops, someone got caught with their hand in the cookie jar trying to control the narrative of topics being discussed. Wonder if anything else was cut from the official transcript? So much for being official.
Possible indication of what a Romney Presidency would be like? Seems like a Bush Jr. tactic.
One thing about those tax returns that Romney probably doesn't want people to see actual numbers on is the amount 'donated' to the Mormon church. He has to give 10 percent in order to stay in the running to someday be god of his own planet. Well, 10 percent for a guy like Romney is huge. It would really drive home the point to someone who wasn't aware of the tithing rule just how much of a Mormon he is.
You fool !!!! Romney will be our next president. I know you don't agree. But, you will find out soon enough.
I think Paul M may be on to something. Imagine what the evangelicals will do when they find out he gave millions to the Mormon church.
Detroit -- Its at least 10% of his income. That's in the bible. He probably also gave Money for missionary service. That is the same for all the wealthy, and not wealthy individuals. We all try to give 10% of what we make a some to the missionary fund. That is not a bad thing.
Jari,
I frankly don't care who he gives his money to, but its not about what I think. The super-rabid evangelicals that think Mormonism is a cult are gonna have a coronary when they find out the amount.
Yeah ... and it's 10 percent of the gross. There are no deductions in their accounting.
Here's another possibility. It could be that Romney isn't afraid of letting the voters know, he's afraid of letting his bishop know. His bishop has no way of knowing whether Romney actually gave the full 10 percent. The church can't actually audit him like the IRS can. So maybe Romney was cheating on the church and that's who he's afraid will actually find out.
Ya think ???
Porter, it could be one or the other, possibly both. If it turns out he skimped on his tithing he will not only lose credibility, but also the Mormon vote, and possibly be excommunicated.
Romney will win the nomination. He was always going to win, it is his turn.
The establishment hates Newt Gingrich almost as much as it hates Ron Paul.
Romney 2012 !!!
Since Bain Capital contributed far more to Democratic campaigns than to Republicans, perhaps we should check how many weathy liberals use the Caymans...since they created the law...
This tidbit will never be reported on MSNBC
Nice avatar, bOb...
By the way..."many weathy liberals" aren't running for President of the United States...Mittens is...he and his 15% tax rate...
...have a good evening...be sure to catch the ABC interview with Noots ex-wife tonight...
Nope Mickey they aren't running for President but they sure are running for re-election like my state's Claire McCaskill. Right about now she isn't too well liked in the show me state with her whole private jet fiasco and other things. She got a big chunk from Bain too.
Want to know what would be fun? Lets all ignore bob! Never answer him back. Lets do that to all the righties! Ignore them all!
Romney's supporter had better be careful what he wishes for. People are hurting out there and don't enjoy watching this character flaunting his wealth and his immoral if not illegal handling of his finances. I can't see how anyone could trust him after what he did to American workers and how he is using the system to avoid paying the taxes that the rest of us by law are expected to toe the line on. He claims that anyone would do the same thing as he does to put more money in his wallet. Really?
No, not really. But some people -- a growing number, I'm afraid -- view the world that way.
It's just a 21st Century tricked out variation on "the ends justify the means."
When your object is solely to make money, without any regard for how you make it, or who gets hurt in the making of it, this is exactly what you get. Especially when Congress is perfectly willing to help you do it.
So Romney plays the system so, according to some on the right, do poor people. Gaming the system whether by rich or poor isn't good and hurts everyone. The difference is that hypocracy rests with those who find it okay for the wealthy but not for the poor.
October surprise? I think Suburu is in for a November surprise. Wonder what cabinet position he's fishing for?
I saw Sununu on a talk show the other day. He is just plain crazy, not to mention crude.
@ Bob-1887910 --
As I just observed on another thread -- you're falling for the old trick of the shiny object. It isn't the accounts themselves. It's what Bain does to make the money that goes into those accounts that makes a difference.
As for the legality of the accounts, and even the legality of what Bain does, you can pass a law that lets you do just about anything. If Democrats passed a law tomorrow legalizing murder, would it make murder right?
You know it wouldn't, any more than two wrongs make a right (which is your argument).
Just because something is legal doesn't make it moral. And just because Democrats may have Cayman Islands accounts doesn't make that right, nor does it necessarily place them in the same category of immorality as Mitt Romney and Bain Capital.
Try to keep your thinking straight, Bobby.
Team Romney should be worried about their January surprise right now...
Dangerfield, Just for interest if you are not familiar with the site ... topdocumentaryfilms.com
Romney and the 'black swan' moment?
I will check it out...(is Mila Kunis in it?)
January 21st could be a BIG surprise for team Romney, and tonight Newton can set the ball on a T...
Always figured Romney might not win South Carolina. That doesn't do much to diminish his chances of nomination, in my view. He still has the cash and organization for Florida, and if he wins there it would be really tough to stop his momentum going into Super Tuesday.
More important than the South Carolina results would be news on whether Perry was turning over his campaign warchest to Gingrich. At least then he'd have some chance of trying to throw together a quick campaign in Florida.
Ethics and morality ain't exactly Mitt's strong suit either I hate to tell Mr. Sununu.
Why are the GOPers so ethically challenged yet they will be hauling mud at every one and pretending to be squeaky clean until you check their fingers and see the silt all over it?
Gingrich will be hard pressed to gain the distinction of being the nominee. Gingrich will right next to Chris Christi at the buffet table. Look carefully at the candidate. He doesn't look presidential at all. Neither does Christi!
Who cares what they look like - it's the job they get done that counts. Christi has done a great job in NJ. But you wouldn't know because it's not in your partys spin!!
Christie has done a great job in Snookieland? Here's a differing viewpoint from NJ State Senator Barbara Buono:
You can't fool me about the "great" job Christie has done, givemeabreak...I've been to New Jersey.
This is great! Couldn't be better!
* Gingrich's surge means that he's be in it for a long time to come. I sincerely hope he makes it all the way to the convention floor. That would be almost too much to hope for, but I'm hoping for it anyway.
* This means that, as a gift from the Republican Party, we will have a genuine debate on predatory capitalism. It's really the only issue Gingrich has a hope of successfully turning against Romney and he hasn't been shy about using it so far. Gingrich will try to defend the position that it's just Romney that he's arguing against, not capitalism. But Romney hasn't done anything that isn't mainstream, everyday business practice in predatory capitalism.
* There's nothing like the threat of a candidate actually making it to the final round to bring out absolutely every little secret that exists. And Gingrich is such a low-life sleaze ball that I'm looking forward to a campaign that will have him looking like the Roman emperor Caligula before it's over.
GAWD! This will be great!
Big surprise? Who doesn't know Halloween is in October. Republicans are already playing someone they really aren't, and filling their trick-or-defeat bags with crap that should not be consumed.
Linus "What did you get?"
Lucy "I got candy bar"
Sally "I got some candy corn"
Charlie Brown "I got a rock....wait, thats no rock, its Mitt Romney."
Linus "Easy mistake, easy mistake."
The republican party really needs to cease to exist. I don't really like Obama, but unless Ron Paul gets the nomination , I see no alternative whatsoever. Paul has some views that won't acually work, but I think that if he were elected he would realize it and make a change. The other idiots in the republican primary are part of that 15 to 20 per cent that make up a vocal and dangerous right wing lunatic fringe. I like to think that there is still enough common sense left in our population that idiots like these could never actually get elected. That leaves us with Obama, who will then have to deal with a congrss of fools since lunatics are more easily elected there. I think that the republican party has gone so far over the edge that it would be extremely difficult or impossible to get it back to anything resembling the party of Ike. We need a new party of moderate people who will put country ahead of ideaology.
Ideology not ideaology. Sure you are not demo?
I just might vote for Newt after all. He is much stronger that I anticipated. My wife and I just changed our party affiliation to Republican. The Democratic party, the way it is going, will cease to exist at all in a few years.
It is becoming an insult to even be called a Democrat. Like being called an idiot.
Senate will revert to Republican control this November. It would be a miracle to do otherwise.
Old time Democrats coming up for re-election are beginning to sense the size of the tsunami coming at them, and want to disassociate themselves from Obama and his disastrous policies.
Sorry folks, too late to get religion now. You all bear the dreaded "D" after your names like the mark of Cain.
As opposed to Newt, that has the scarlet "A"?
Rob it seems that you can not face reality when it is staring you in the face. Defense jobs are jobs, as you said. Suppliers to GE, Textron, etc. employee additional people.
Hotels, restaurants, businesses depend on roads, side walks. Apparently, you are not familiar with government supported revitalization in such cities as Boston and New York and Dallas, the permanent jobs they produced.
Rob it seems that you can not face reality when it is staring you in the face. Defense jobs are jobs, as you said. Suppliers to GE, Textron, etc. employee additional people.
Hotels, restaurants, businesses depend on roads, side walks. Apparently, you are not familiar with government supported revitalization in such cities as Boston and New York and Dallas, the permanent jobs they produced.
It all can hurt, right Newton. What does having 35 or so grandchildren have to do with being a great president?
You got screwed. Remember...........career retiree..................I don't want you to get a heart attack or diabetes.