I don't think they're going to be able to make hay out of this. Tax returns aren't a very juicy story. The media can't really do much with that. I also think going negative on her is risky. She seems to do best when voters start sympathizing with her. When she attacks most voters don't seem to mind; if he starts attacking he could be perceived as mean.

And here we go ...

We'll let our candidates do McCain's dirty work for him.

I liked it better when they respected each other and were proud to be in each other's company, even though they believed they had substantive disagreements. That's when this seemed like it might be a meaningful campaign on the issues.

But I guess it had to go to "gotcha!" because, after all, it's politics, and these are Democrats with a traditionally unique gift of turning every advantage to some sort of disadvantage.

'eh?

BTW- I had to scratch my PhotoShop itch this afternoon.

http://www.bgladd.com/JohnMcBuush.jpg

LOL.

Also, 4/15, when she says she'll release them, is prior to the next real primary, so what can his complaint possibly be? The voters will get a chance to see her returns if they're so inclined before making their decision.

Is this the across the aisle, respectful work with your opponent that Obama was touting?

Lets step back a thing and look at the facts:

Clinton had a campaign ad about a phone ringing at 3 am and claiming that she is experienced to answer the phone. It may have implied that she is more experienced than her opponent, but you need to be very touchy to claim that it was a personal, dirty, attack ad.

MSNBC and CNN pick up on that story and pundits rush over each other claiming that this is an attack ad. Directed against Obama. Very nasty attack ad, so they say, until this becomes conventional wisdom. Then Obama looses Ohio and Texas and all hell breaks loose.

Suddenly, he is going after her with very personal negative attacks on issues of her experience, on issues of her being "secretive", on issues about her tax returns.

This is not the politics of respect and issues. This does not help to disagree with your opponents, yet build bridges on issues you may later agree on.

Does Obama think that Republicans will be any softer on him? Does he think that he will be able to work with them, and go beyond divisive politics?

Today his actions were not where his words are.

It pains me that on the very day when Hillary intimated the possibility of a Clinton/Obama ticket, his campaign went overborard, killing hope at an Obama/Clinton ticket.

I chuckled at Obama's characterization of the 3:00 am ad as "throwing the kitchen sink." What was his Harry and Louise ad? The toilet?

Actually tax returns are very juicy and have lead to many a politicians end, not to mention jail time. Clinton has refused to show her returns before she in nominated, when she will have little choice, therefore it is safe to assume that there is something in there that she feels will harm her chances to secure the nomination. A lot of questions have been raised about where the money to loan her campaign came from and the ethical and possible legal issues that might arrise from Bill's business dealing and possible influence peddling of the good Senator from NY. I think it is fair to say if there was nothing questionable, we would have seen them already. Not to mention there is a little publized trial under way in which Bill is being sued for business fraud, while Hiliary has been removed as a defendent the accuser insists she is guilty of using Bill's business deal to launder donation to her campaign and is going to file a separate suit. I dare say her desire to keep a lead on where all of there money has come from is tangled up in this convulted story.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49651

Go after Hillary and she will cry again, and every Boomer wife who has been put upon by her philandering husband will freak and cash out her 401k's to help poor l'il Hil.

That Obama! He'll say or do anything to get elected.

Oh, wait...I think I've heard something like that somewhere before. Let's see...

How is asking about the release of a PUBLIC OFFICIALS tax returns being a "personal attack"?!

aren't you Clinton supporters even the slightest bit curious as to WHY her returns are being secret?!!

..or what about her records from her White House years?

you know....the years she is touting as her "experience"?

don't you want the full story of who you are supporting?!!

you are truly duped.

How is asking about the release of a PUBLIC OFFICIALS documents on his dealings with a sleazy slumlord being a "personal attack"?!

aren't you Obama supporters even the slightest bit curious as to WHY he won't tell us the real story about Rezko?!!

..or what about his records from his support of a nuclear engery company at the expense of his own constituents?

you know....the deal made to turn a good bill into one they like better?

don't you want the full story of who you are supporting?!!

you are truly duped.

Yeah, personal attacks are personal attacks, even if a Saint is the one making them. Huh??

The singular phenomenon that has become known as Barack Obama became such because a large segment of the (Democrat) voting public interpreted his words, his demeanor, his aura, even his physical presence as being something other than the typical politician's.

Ironically, he was seen as a White Knight astride a sturdy steed gazing down upon his mud-covered opponents. He was clean; they were not. Although obviously in the fray, he somehow seemed simultaneously above it. He alone was the non-scumbag of the bunch---his passionate desire was to win, not to destroy. Somehow, people could not envision him in some hotel room being counselled by such creatures as Rove or Carville or Penn or Rollins. Barack was clean, no steroids, no HGH. It was the other guys who were "juiced," not him.

Maybe Bill Clinton was correct after all when he described the Obama-phenomenon as "a fairytale."

If he suddenly decides to play on HRC's turf, he's giving up the home-field advantage. She and her team are the undisputed heavyweight champs of mud-wrestling. And maybe, in the final analysis, politics is the ultimate form of mud-wrestling. But perhaps a potential president needs a little dirt under his fingernails to handle the job he or she is seeking. And, if that is the reality, Barack must enter the ring.

As an idealistic, overly romantic fool, the White Knight scenario captures my heart. And yet, the pragmatic, realist side of me is not totally convinced that rolling in the dirt with dogs is the way Barack is going to win.