Jennifer Rubin on Tim Geithner’s tax troubles:
Geithner and the Obama team are betting that the mere invocation of the word “mistake” is enough to get by this snafu. Maybe it is. But there is something odd indeed about his inability or unwillingness to explain in a satisfactory way how this came about. Is he dishonest? Sloppy? We don’t know. All we know is that he is evasive.
Really, no surprise here. When a candidate hasn’t been tested by the media during the campaign, the best he or his people are going to have to offer is Nixon’s modified limited hangout, only lamer.
The media is supposed to try and ruin presidential candidates — otherwise Congress, domestic competitors, foreign enemies, or the pressures of the office will do the job instead. The media have failed us on this one, and unless something changes, then Team Obama (or, rather, all of America) will pay the price for at least the next four years.
Tim Geithner should be sued by Steve Martin for stealing one of his lines.
“How many times do we get into trouble by forgetting these two simple words– I forgot. I forgot armed robbery was against the law.”
We should now call it “the Steve Martin Defense.”
OK, what happens when ordinary citizens use the same excuse to the IRS for failure to pay taxes? That should be the standard Geithner is held to, nothing more and certainly nothing less.
“Mission Accomplished” the media set out to destroy John and Sarah, and they succeeded
at least in the short term. They turned an accomplished reformist governor into a laughing stock through distortion, ridicule and outright lies. They did the same to a long time war hero, who suffered agonizing physical and pyschological torment, had been at te forefront of the reform movement, into a doddering old man, devoid of dignity. What you expected something more balanced.
Could you imagine if this was one of W.’s appointees? Both Bush and the nominee would’ve been crucified.
Heck, even Clinton’s nominee, Kimba Woods got into more hot water over her nanny problem.
Geithner did his own taxes when he worked for the IMF and he was reimbursed for the tax due.
WTF?
No one in Geithner’s income bracket does his own taxes unless they’re chiseling.