The Republican National Convention is a few weeks away. The Romney campaign is probably hoping for a bump in the polling from the convention. Before the convention they still have to make a VP pick and they are hoping for a small polling bump there too. For the month of August they are expecting two events to try to gain momentum in the presidential race and push them to the finish line.
Just one small problem with that scenario: Willard Romney's taxes and lack of transparency. The tax issue is two fold: the first is what has Romney paid in the last decade and the second is how would he benefit from his tax plan should he become president.
Mr. Romney has not released his taxes other than incomplete 2010 returns. His campaign is going toe to toe with Sen Reid over the issue. Apparently, he lied in 2002 about his taxes. So now he is boxed in regarding releasing tax returns and proving whether he paid some or none.
Tax plan is a sham. As Ezra Klein said, "a mathematical impossibility." or as President Obama has said, "It is Robin Hood in reverse."
The tax issue bites two ways and yet the Romney campaign has two bullets left to change the news cycle and return to the offensive...except for that tax thing.
The VP choice will place the Romney campaign in a box as well. The vetting process had to include tax returns. Mitt gave McCain 20 years worth in 2008. How many did the Romney camp get from their final list of candidates? How many of those returns are already public for the final choice? (Rob Portman and Paul Ryan have not released any.)
The campaign full of ineptitude is already going to step on their VP launch because of taxes. So far they have not proven up to thinking ahead. The taxes issue should have been fixed back in 2008 and now it is about to hit them again when they pick a VP candidate.
Any bets that the Romney campaign screws up the VP choice like they did he did his great foreign policy trip?