There seems to be a WHOLE lot of verbal semantic gymnastics going on, by both sides. It has gotten to be a real art form.

His argument was whatever is in the returns is probably very damning. His most interesting point was that perhaps those running his campaign havent even seen them because Mitt knows they are devastating and doesnt want to risk a leak. Seems like Reid has been around the block enough to know when he's being snowed. I think the returns show what Reid says they show, personally.

Could be wrong but I doubt it. Given Romney's reluctance to release the records and his implicit admission that there's stuff in there that could be politically damaging, I can't see how this could be a setup. First off, Romney's campaign doesn't seem that smart and, second, if and when Romney does release his tax returns and we find out that there is nothing there, people will ask why he took so long and risked the damage this whole situation has caused/is causing his campaign.

...because MittWitt could have ended it right here and now if he would have released his returns.

His failure to release the returns, in my mind, is implicit admission of guilt.

about his income tax returns. If Obama is the mark, not Reid, that would explain why Romney is holding back.

They went after Dan Rather with false intel over the Bush AWOL thingy.....

where they lured him with the truth and then gave him fasle documents, which sunk him, if I remember.

Romney and his campaign are no geniuses. They are incompetent, unless you believe all the other gaffes and dumb mistakes (like that advisor using "Romneycare" as an attack).

He is being damaged every day those tax returns are not released, and his image as a tax-dodging, out-of-touch billionaire is being cemented. But whatever is in there is obviously even more damaging, which should say a lot. It would make no sense at all to let this drag on for months.

The thought has crossed my mind, too.

...Ried would be under no obligation to protect the name of his source and could embarass him greatly.

It points out AGAIN that Mitt won't release his tax forms.

AND his team are handling it VERY badly.

And if Reid turns out to be wrong, he says sorry. And Romney will have wasted WEEKS trying to deal with this.

Where's the trick?

Whatever he may be trying to do is backfiring on him badly. Real badly.