Was it Marc or Dom riding that wave. Hey guys, which one of you was it? Or was it Mitten's being chased by a wave of questions regarding his tax returns?

Obama/Biden 2012

All I saw was some surfing

What's the difference between Domenico and Mark putting up surfing and watching libs like Feisty cry everyday, week after week, because they can't go fishing.

I wonder if the clowns will answer my question about why they chose to be political hacks rather than journalists.

Then again, based on their child like intellect I can probably understand why.

LMAO

Maybe they need a simpler question to answer. How about the following:

Q: What is 2+2?

Their Answer: Obama is great

Q: What color is the sky?

Their answer: Obama is great

LMAO

Then again, based on their child like intellect I can probably understand why.

Redsux - If anybody at all, you would know about child like intellect, since you use yours quite frequently (:

Obama/Biden 2012

OMG! That was me, before I got so sick. I am quite the surfer! LOL Hey, still looking for camera advice for a new hobby. Righties and lefties - you are always so full of opinions, I need some advice

I wonder if the clowns will answer my question about why they chose to be political hacks rather than journalists.

Then again, based on their child like intellect I can probably understand why.

Dude, if you hate NBC so much why are you here? Can't you find an internet gambling or porn site instead?

Phine,

it all depends on your price range and what kinds of things you want to be shooting. I have a few cameras and my favorite is still an old Kodak fixed focus my grandmother gave me when I was 7.

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/19/157002254/tax-professionals-scrutinize-mitt-romneys-returns

Lee Sheppard, a contributing editor at the journal Tax Notes, wants to know how Romney amassed so much money in his tax-deferred retirement account.

"All we know is really that it's a big number, and we're a little bit baffled as to how it got so big," Sheppard says.

Candidates list their assets in broad ranges, so we know Romney's retirement account is worth somewhere between $21 million and $102 million. Law professor Ed Kleinbard of the University of Southern California says that's a lot of money considering the most Romney could ever contribute to the account was $30,000 a year.

"Either Gov. Romney is sort of the modern-day equivalent of Jack and his magic beans, who somehow created a mighty beanstalk, or he took a very aggressive position with respect to valuing insider stock," Kleinbard says.

Kleinbard means that Romney might have loaded up his retirement account with assets from his private equity firm, Bain Capital, and assigned artificially low values to those assets in order to get around the federal contribution limits.

If so, Romney would still have to pay taxes on the real value of the assets when they're withdrawn from the account. But in the meantime, the money can grow tax-free. Tax Notes' Sheppard says that's an advantage most taxpayers don't have.

Noid, I love NBC. They are great fodder and so fun to play with. You can stick with your porn and gambling. That is more your speed.

Want to take lots of nature shots. Need something easy to use, I sometimes get a bit shakey and weak because of my breathing problems. Thanks for the advice, Detroit!

We already picked a couple of other questions and will be posting our answers to those this week.

Please keep in mind my question about whether the Obama Administration will be able to make it all the way to election day without a special prosecutor looking into the "avalanche" (so says Diane Feinstien) of national security leaks that came for the highest levels at the White House.

Because there could be as much as ten years when Romney didn't pay taxes? How would that look? And how dumb can he be knowing since 2000 that he planned to run for POTUS? Apparently Cheney paid near a 30% tax rate in his returns -- One good thing revealed about him from the Romney scandal, hmm? This guy Romney is truly out of touch with a sense of entitlement. But the secrecy, inaccessibility to the media, etc. is NOT presidential, nor his snippy temperament and compulsive lying.

Romney hasn't even supplied 1 full year, and the 2011 returns won't be released until close to the election -- We call BS on this! We need to see Romney's returns at least 8 years back like President Obama released -- and not taking into account financials Obama provided while in the Senate (the same as McCain) thereby providing information for even more years than that.

If Romney chooses to stonewall, this will be the topic all the way to November...

I don't think this has anything to do with timing guys. It is all about Mitt not wanting to release them. He would be smart to do so as quickly as possible so that anything embarrassing in the contents of the returns has a chance to die down by November, and it would seem to me that the Olympic hoopla would be the perfect smoke screen. Mitt won't do it though. He is used to people following his orders, but my feeling is that most voters will reject Mitt Romney. Unlike the corporate types, we don't have to listen to his jazz.

The tax issue is a lot like the birth certificate issue. A few loons can try to run with it, but the majority just doesn't care.

I can summarize his returns for you.

1) He made a ton of money

2) He hired good tax attorneys and accountants to allow him to keep as much as possible

So, in summary he did what EVERY American does, except he had the luxury of hiring professionals to help.

Libbys are so fun.

Hey MSNBC goofballs, if you take the tax question how about talking about why Obama won't release his college records?

The difference redsox, is that this has been a long standing tradition for candidates to turn over their taxes for voter consideration, and Mitt feels he is above all that. It has not been a long standing tradition for presidents to turn over their birth certificates or their college grades. Bush by the way, never turned over his grades, and he had more to hide than the president on that score, that's certain. Mitt would be smart to turn over the taxes and let the people see what they are supposed to be buying. But he won't. He won't get elected, either.

Why is this an issue? MAYBE because his own own father, George Romney, released 12 years of tax returns when he was seeking the Republican nomination in 1968. The senior Romney did so to portray a sense of transparency. Some peoples' kids...(shakes head)

Brockton Barlow -- That's because conspiracy theories are not promoted here at NBC. TheBlaze has some kickarse conspiracies going on if you want to go there.

Wayne-1656909 -- Imagine if John Edward's affair was discovered AFTER he was elected president? This is why many Republicans also want Romney thoroughly vetted before the convention/election. Romney couldn't even be approved for a cabinet position with this crap going on, let alone what Team Romney will demand of the VP pick.

After Romney's lie about not knowing if he ever paid less than a 13.9% tax rate, I KNOW there are years he paid little or nothing. Imagine Romney having to resign like Nixon because of TaxGate. Rightwingers would do well to demand 10 years of returns, or stay home and wait for 2016 to take another shot at the White House -- it's too risky.

Bet RedSox would be yelling all day and night if President Obama had not released his tax returns. Conservatives demand everything but the kitchen sink from President Obama but willingly accept nothing from Mitt Romney because he says, "I'm special, trust me".

IMO the whole tax return issue is probably a dodge. More likely than not, the Romney's paid less than 15% (maybe nothing) in one or more years, on millions of dollars of income.

If Mitt Romney earned had carried interest of $25million each year for the last 10 years, that amounts to $250,000,000. If taxed as normal earnings, you would assume about 30%, or $75,000,000 in taxes. However, Romney likely paid, at most 15% or half of that. And on top of that, much might have been received after he had retroactively retired from Bain Capital, so effectively, he received "money for nothing." For the average taxpayer, who is paying 20% on their $50,000 of income, it does not look good.

The entire controversy just reminds everyone, everyday, that the Romneys are not like "you people."

The other thing is, and this is the real reason why he won't release the returns, if you have hundreds of people who are determined to find that you did something wrong, one or more of them might just find the grey areas where Romney identified an item one way, while 99.99999% of tax professionals would interpret what he did another way. Even if he would eventually win, opening up yourself to an IRS audit, complete with ammunition provided free of charge by your political enemies, particularly while trying to run a campaign is not a good idea.

That's because conspiracy theories are not promoted here at NBC

Diane Feinstein is a prominent Democrat on the Senate's Intelligence Committee. She's a conspiracy theorist?

How about this guy...... Is he another conspiracy theorist??

Recent national security leaks have put lives at risk and may ultimately cost Americans their lives unless there is an effective crackdown, the head of the Special Operations Command Admiral William McRaven says

No sense getting all shook up over a story that is a hypothesis. Any beef?

what

I wonder if Mitt doesn't want to release those ten years of returns because he stiffed his cult/church their 10% of the tithing settlement. That could cost him his Celestial Glory and the right to be a God of his very own planet. But in his defense, a couple of million bucks a year adds up...even for the mitten man.

I repeat myself...

If what Senator Reid of Nevada said is true, that Romney hasn’t paid any taxes for ten years, well here’s a little math to enjoy....

Just from Bain Capitol alone, Romney takes home: $50,000.00 a-day... (Fifty thousand dollars) That's $18,250,000.00 a-year (Eighteen million two hundred fifty thousand dollars.) For a grand total of TAX FREE INCOME for the past ten years of $182,500,000.00 ( That's One hundred eighty two million, five hundred thousand dollars.)

Think about that on election day as well as on April 15th when we all pay our share... Ya Right...

Feisty - congratulations on having your question picked!

Jody, Iowa -- "RedSox would be yelling all day and night if President Obama had" a dressage horse -- especially one used as a business write-off. Romney and his car elevators makes Kerry's windsurfing look downright common doesn't it?

Brockton Barlow -- You sir are no "turd blossom." Your amateur attempt to twist my words is a hoot.

Terry-Ca -- Harry Reid is a "no drama" guy, and based on his record I don't think he is just taking a page from the Republican playbook. But even a year or two of paying little or no taxes would be damaging for Romney, so aside from considering the source (Reid being very credible) there is no need to exaggerate the 10 years. Where there's smoke, there's fire...

WOOT!

Thanks Mark & Domenico, what a nice surprise to come home to!

Your perspective is always appreciated by me & many others! ☺

Obviously Romney is making a calculation. Some say release the returns now so that whatever embarrassing issues come up die down before the election. His calculation is that if he releases the returns, whatever issues come up will NOT die down before the election and they will prevent him from winning the election.

So how does it play if/when incriminating information comes out after the election? That's the bigger question.

Red Sox, Obama's college records are sealed because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Rights Act which prevents release of ANYONE'S college records, not because Obama had them sealed. That is just another false rumor from the right designed to make it look like the President has something to hide.

I question the Dressage Horse as either a business deduction or a medical deduction for Ann Romney's MS therapy. In order for something to be a business deduction, it has to be something that is used in a business you make money from. Unless the horse is on the professional show circuit, I doubt they are making money from the horse. I have never heard that the Romney's have any kind of horse business that contributes to their income. As far as it being a therapy horse for Ann, that is very difficult to believe. This is an Olympic level horse. No one who rides a horse in the Olympics is going to permit that horse to be ridden by an inexperienced rider. The level of communication between a horse and rider required for an Olympic level horse can be destroyed by allowing the horse to be ridden by an inexperienced rider. Even if Ann Romney has a lot of Dressage experience, I would be VERY surprised if she was above Second Level. A Second Level rider does not ride a Grand Prix level horse unless the horse is not competing and it doesn't matter if the rapport is compromised.

Red Sox Sux is also conveniently forgetting that Etch-A-Sketch failed to mention his assets in Bermuda on no fewer than seven state and federal financial disclosure reports. Other investments may well be hidden from public view, also. This is more than just a political issue, Sux; it is a matter of integrity and moral character. These principles are important to voters and Romney is failing miserably on that count.

He will not release them.................And to me that means he has some very damaging stuff to hide...And it should mean the same to everybody..........If he had nothing to hide he would release them PERIOD......The only reason someone wouldn't release them and suffer the damage from not doing so would be if more damage would be done by releasing them PERIOD......

I do believe that Mr. Romney will lose this election because, frankly, he does not care about the nation's people, period. We all know that he has something big to hide on his taxes..he IS one of the top 1%. He has recently shown us that he has no diplomatic experience...in the least, and we know that he would have a very hard time keeping his religious opinions out of his political policies, as the LDS people do not separate the two... Obama/Biden supporter

Why Is Barrak Obama HIDING his past?

If Americans would have known what the citizen journalism community knows about Barack Obama, he would have never been elected. Large sections of the official records from his past have just disappeared. His college records, for example, are "sealed" - no one can investigate what classes he took, what kinds of subjects he studied, or what kinds of papers he wrote. Don't you find it disturbing that we have a president about whom we still know so little? And what we DO know is bothersome indeed.

Bernie Madoff flew by the IRS for twenty years. So did Ken Lay and other people at Enron. So just because Romney somehow managed to fly by the IRS doesn't mean he isn't a crook. After all, how much money *did* the good governor repatriate during the amnesty for holding funds overseas illegally?

But we'll never know. The Bain records are sealed. The 2002 Olympics records were destroyed. Most of the records of Romney's governership were destroyed (made Palin look like an amateur, really).

All we have is his word.

And it doesn't matter what else Pres. Obama releases--unless his school records show all F's and smoking dope, you'll just say it was all a forgery anyway.

Hey, if the alternative is watching Romney dodge the question from Brian Williams again, can we have the surfing video back? Ursula's right, that was pretty awesome!

Good question, Feisty! Will watch video to see what the answer is!

Hey! It won't play!

newday,

It is just a video showing my hot surfing skills! LOL

Rats. I don't even get to see that, phine, clearly a don't miss!

Glad to see your sense of humor is still percolating!

Phine--no matter what camera you get, consider purchasing a monopod and/or tripod to help with your steady your hand while taking the shot. Also, digital cameras, even little point and shoot ones, can take some great pictures. If you get a fancier one, like a Nikon D-80, make sure you get the lens(es) you need to take the greatest number/type of photos. Good luck and happy shooting!

JoAnne, I actually saw the video and congrats Feisty! But your comment about Brian Williams and Romney ... PRICELESS! :)

Like I said the other day, you left wingers just keep talking about Romney's tax returns and Bain Capital, which most people, except for the left wing nuts, don't really care about. We will continue to point out it's the economy, spending, unemployment and the debt. Obama can't defend his record on those important issues so he tries and deflect by negativity.

When you can't run on your record you attack, lie, insinuate and distort. Typical left wing tactics.

I might agree with you, sfcret, if all of the President's proposals for economic recovery had been given a fair chance by the Republicans. Since they haven't and, in fact, we've learned that the Republican plan was to obstruct the President at every turn, regardless of the impact on the economy. Even with that obstructionism, we are better off than we were when George Bush drove the economy into the ditch.

I think the issues of Mitt's taxes and Bain do resonate with independents---like everyone else they must wonder what is in those tax returns that Mitt won't release them.

Being a Browns fan I normally wouldn't agree with a Steelers fan,but your comment was right on target.

Steeler Fan - It's Harry Reid and the Democrats that control the Senate, it's up to Harry Reid to bring the bills to the floor for discussion. Quit spouting the same liberal talking points about the Republican plan to obstruct the President at every turn. There has been compromises made by the Republicans, but the Republicans are not going to roll over for this President. Can you image what the economy would be like today had the Obama administration gotten it's way? Thank goodness for the filibuster and the Republican controlled House. Reagan and Clinton both had congresses controlled by the opposite party and was able to work things out. Obama lacks LEADERSHIP, has to big of an EGO and thinks the Federal government knows best.

Also remember who controls the purse strings, it is Congress, and who controlled Congress in 2008, it was the Democrats, so both are responsible especially in the financial sector.

As for the tax records and Bain resonate with independents, you might want to check some of the polling date, I believe taxes and Bain is quite a way down on the list of what is important. Further, the President's campaign spent over $100 million in the last month just bashing Romney on Bain and Tax returns and didn't move the needle.

Thanks, Rich, for support from the dog pound!!

Sfcret---the Republicans held a dinner on the night of the President's inauguration in order to discuss plan their obstructionism. At whatever cost to the economy--it didn't matter to them. And given the Republicans' unprecedented abuse of the filibuster, it effectively negated the Democrats' control of Congress. There is a reason their approval rating is so low.

sfcret: "There has been compromises made by the Republicans, but the Republicans are not going to roll over for this President."

And yet, Republicans expect the President to roll over for them. A lot of liberals (and no, that doesn't include me) think the Presidents already rolled over for them too much and too often.

It takes two to compromise. And in a true compromise, neither side "rolls over". They work together, they give and take, they attempt to find common ground, and they actually talk to each other. What a concept, huh?

P.S. - It's not just "left wing nuts" who care about Romney's tax returns:

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/19/news/la-pn-poll-most-americans-think-romney-should-release-more-tax-returns-20120719

sfcret--you cannot tell me that you guys on the right wouldn't care if the reverse were true (if Obama weren't releasing his returns). It's just so. . .fishy. And it stinks!

Bethie - I personally don't care if any candidate releases their tax returns. There is no law that requires it, all that is required is the Federal Financial Disclose, which Romney has released. He has released his 2010 tax returns and will release his 2011 tax returns when filed. Out of the last 34 Presidential candidates 7 refused to release tax returns. I think it was a stupid practice to begin with. Most people on these posts couldn't and wouldn't understand Romney's tax returns if they were released.

JoAnne - No, we don't expect the President or the Republicans to roll over but we do expect them to act like adults. I do not expect my President to run around the country making excuses and bad mouthing the other party because he doesn't get what he wants. What part of LEADERSHIP doesn't this President and the left understand? It's the person at the top that has to show leadership and bring sides together, like Clinton and Reagan did. When you are a leader you have to swallow your pride and ego sometimes, something Obama can't/won't do.

Steeler Fan - Same old talking points, the Republicans would do anything to see this President fail. It's politics get over it and don't tell me the Democrats won't do the same thing. I have never seen a President that has made more excuses for his failures as a leader.

sfcret - the Democrats have never gone into a room and declared they will do whatever it takes to make a Republican President one-term and you know it. As a US citizen you should be outraged that a party has basically said to hell with the country just to get their way.

And, you're lying - you would be among the first to scream if President Obama had not released his tax returns.

Obama/Biden 2012

SeekingSanity - You should be careful about calling people a liar, unless you can back it up with some kind of proof. I have said from way back that tax returns mean nothing and prove nothing. It have always maintained that I think demanding candidates to release them is asinine. If tax returns are so important lets pass a federal law making it mandatory that tax returns be released. In absent of a law it is moot and not worthy of a lot of time. It is Romney's call and if he doesn't want to release them fine. BTW, you left wingers aren't/won't vote for him no matter, so why does it concern you?

sfcret - you're a liar - you and every Republican would be up in arms if President Obama refused to release his tax returns. Your saying you wouldn't is so disingenuous it is pitiable.

It concerns every American citizen that this fraud is hiding his returns. The fact that it doesn't bother you shows everything about you and none of it is good. High ranking GOP leaders want them released.

Obama/Biden 2012

SeekingSanity - You are showing your stupidity again, calling people a liar, like you must have a crystal ball or something. It must really make you feel like you are accomplishing something with your name calling and snarly remarks. If you can't add something to the conversation just STFU.

Speaking of cyberbullies, our friend libbie takes the prize.

You don't like what Seeking writes? You have an ignore function, use it.

And quit whining to the moderators. It gets you NOWHERE.

Come back when you are ready to have some honesty about what the right wing calls others on FR on a daily basis.

sfcret

- I am a conservative and usually vote republican and I care a great deal about these tax returns, as do a number of republican senators that have asked Romney to release his taxes.

I care because I want the GOP to win the presidency and since the GOP didn't bother to vet Romney during the months of debates and seem like they are just going to let him walk right into the nomination, now is the time to get rid of him before we get to a can't win situation.

Think of it like this - President Obama and his administration can very easily get copies of Romney's current tax returns. They've already seen them, they already know what is so damaging and they have been working day and night to dig up everything they can on him.

This is the problem with neocons (I consider myself to be more of a traditional conservative). They never dot the i's and cross the t's and it just might lose us this presidency.

We can still get a real candidate in for the GOP nomination. One that doesn't have quite so many skeletons in his closet.

Unfortunately for the Republicans with the disrespect being displayed for President Obama there may be dark devious shadows at work here.

I predict that the Tax Returns will be leaked to the Press.

I also believe these will not be the Genuine artical and these will most likely be bad..very bad and will show America he is not fit to be President because of questionable ethics.

This will force Romney's hand to release and prove he has the real ones.....and these will be just as bad.

Either way he's backed into a corner.

@ King K Obama might just stop and answer your question, unlike Romney.

Romney must not be "duping many voters,"

they are not coming out in large numbers to hear his BS.

In Ohio today President Obama spoke to

a large diverse cheering crowd.

Obama 2012

Nice try Sandy

Obama doesn't take questions on the campaign trail unless they are from hand picked Obama supporters. Mr. Romney, on the other hand, routinely takes questions from voters.

Romney is "duping voters."

Romney does not even take questions form reports.

Romney should hold a TOWN HALL meeting and answer

voters questions.

3 questions in a 6 day trip is hardly routine, Mittens

KingK

Nice try Sandy

Obama doesn't take questions on the campaign trail unless they are from hand picked Obama supporters. Mr. Romney, on the other hand, routinely takes questions from voters.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! that is the funniest thing i've read in weeks. Too bad you actually believe your own drivel. "If the glove don't fit, you're full of sh!*."

why don't you take a look at the defecits that the Ryan budget will create with their tax cuts for the wealthy on the backs of the rest. i do recall reading that the republican budget would outgrow the Obama one significantly over the next 10 years, but that's ok to you because it isn't Obama's budget, right?

sandy, you've been duped.....by msnbc campaigners

Romney worker to reporter

trying to ask a question.

"Kiss my Ass.."

That is how Romney answers questions.

sandy - we all know President Obama answers questions at every event he attends and they are not planted. Romney won't answer ANY questions from the very few people who show up at his non-events.

Obama/Biden 2012

Apparently team Obama has a hard time distinguishing between hack reporters and the voting public. The first category is the group Obama responds to whenever they ask puff ball questions. The second category is the group Romney responds to when they ask all kinds of questions.

I'm sure J. Kerry will go with you.

Sure! But we also need to go where we can catch some waves and go boogie-boarding! Cocoa Beach, FL is one such awesome place--wanna go?

Kerry was wind-surfing, KingK. Romney's the jet-skier:

http://www.businessinsider.com/romney-jet-ski-photo-2012-7

Phine, if we're going to dream, let's dream big. Skydiving, anyone?

@ Kingk

I just donated to the DNC in your name.

KingK - isn't it sad you don't have a clue about what is going on in the country? President Obama's campaign is again getting millions of individuals to contribute to it, as they did in 2008. Romney is getting the foreigners who can hide the origin of their donations. President Obama will far exceed Romney in individual donors and that is what the country is built on.

Obama/Biden 2012

Sandy

-That was funny.

Heard someone the other day mention that Obama's job creation and economy is good for FAMILY VALUES because a lot of young single college graduates and other unemployed young people are moving back in with their parents. LOL, maybe this is what bringing the family together means.

sfcret and KingK - and yet President Obama has done FAR better than McCain - who didn't know our economy was in trouble; or Romney who frankly doesn't give a damn.

Obama/Biden 2012

Idiot Sanity - How can Obama do far better than McCain, when McCain was never President? You really are dense. Maybe you should put that crystal ball up your rear end along with your head, I am sure they will both fit.

But why discuss it or report on here, right guys?

KingK - you're totally ignorant - you know? It is NOT President Obama's job to police the GSA! Idiot!!!!

Ahh, yes it is Sandy. As head of the executive branch of Government he oversees the executive branch agencies. Please go ask for a refund from whatever school you went to, because they did a terrible job with you. Or where you a member of the Choom gang too, and now your brain is fried?

Acting Administrator
Daniel M. Tangherlini

As Acting Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Daniel M. Tangherlini serves a vital role in President Obama's agenda to build a more sustainable, responsible and effective government for the American people.

Why won't Mittens tell the truth about Bain and all the people who were put out of work,and had their pensions stolen from them?

They asked for questions yesterday, King. Please try and keep up.

Layton-3733410

They asked for questions yesterday, King. Please try and keep up.

based on the content of his posts, keeping up might be a bit too taxing for them. it probably took them the past 36 hours to come up with these questions because beck & Limbaugh co. didn't come out and say "go over to First Read and ask them these questions for their video spots..."

KingK

They will "get around to addressing substantive issues?"

As soon as Romney does.

Governor Walker stated "Romney needs to start talking about the issues.

And stop running only on, anybody but Obama."

does Fox have to proclaim themselves the RNC propaganda channel?

until they do, MSNBC can run ads however they want to as well. good for the goose and all that...