Today on Bainwatch, er, the Dish, Andrew wondered what in Romney's tax returns could be so damaging that he would opt to "twist in the wind," noting the growing headcount of conservatives supporting the release of his returns (including Ron Paul). As the Romney campaign tried to shout down the baying for his tax returns, Andrew framed the effect of the Bain ads on voters and recalled the candor and transparency of Mitt's dad – and the more fiscally responsible values of his era. Meanwhile, Krauthammer doubled down on his insistence that no evidence ties Romney to any involvement with Bain from 1999 to 2002. As the Obama team came out swinging on Romney's tax returns, musings on what McCain thought about Romney's tax returns in 2008 roused more discussion on what drama Palin might kick up at the convention. And Romney amassing a $100-million+ IRA remained another mystery.
Today's news cycle revealed another Romney Achilles' heel: in 2002, Olympic torchbearer uniforms were made in Burma. By going after Obama for past pot use, the Romney campaign again proved it has nothing, as Andrew had argued last week – and Rush being Rush seemed to confirm as much. The blogosphere marveled as well at the campaign's feckless response to questions on Bain and tax returns. Looking for clues in the Globe archives, perhaps Romney was unprepared because his line of defense from 2002 – denial of involvement – actually worked that time. Meanwhile, Waldman pointed out that, despite his much-touted business experience, Romney has crafted an economic plan that offers nothing besides old GOP playbook standards. Finally, a former Mormon lamented Romney's flimsy backbone when it comes to anti-Mormon bigotry.
Elsewhere, Andrew's latest response in an ongoing discussion with Tom Junod about drone warfare reminded us of the dangers of expanding executive power. Andrew also responded to Ray Bradbury's refusal to get a driver's license with his own reflection on auto-free life. Klaidman took on reader questions about Obama's degree of involvement in drone killings and Bartlett noted that the stimulus might have had a more tonic effect had it allocated more toward investment and consumption. This post probed our hypocrisy on steroid use in sports, while this one mused on Mississippi's leg-up on Minnesota in producing NLFers. For 50 years, the FBI amassed a colossal porn stash. And while Gaffney chased after an Egyptian conspiracy theory, Lehane, groping the zeitgeist for political portent, landed on Batman.
The end may be nigh for cable TV, this post laid out the history behind WWII vets' strange animosity toward the Red Cross, this post explored the work of an artist who generates DNA-based portraits from randomly collected hairs, and Tom Chiarella tried out compliments on strangers. Meanwhile, every two and a half days last year, someone attempted suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge. It's good to get kids started saving early, David Simon likened America's refusal to abandon the Drug War to addiction, and chalk got a good looking-at. The VFYW contest proved how amazing Google's algorithm is ("huts across from hotel" worked!), and light traveled many thousands of leagues under the sea. The question roundup for Ask Jane Mayer Anything is still open, so ask away. And Barney Frank is also taking the hot seat to field Dish reader questions, so ask him anything here. MHB here and VFYW here.
– G.G.
The Dish 