Josh Marshall at TPM is definitely on to something here–Mitt Romney and his campaign are willing to put up with reporters asking embarrassing questions about his refusal to release his tax returns, probably because what’s in them is even more embarrassing, and potentially damaging, than all the pesky questioning they’re getting and will continue to get for the foreseeable future. Invoking the “Buffet Rule” Josh points out that Mitt’s tax rate has likely been at the effective capital gains rate of 15% for years and not the rate about twice that paid by ordinary wage-earners. // more

Late update from TPM: A weird remark by one of Mitt Romney’s many sons, Matt–suggesting the Romney campaign may release Mitt’s tax returns once President Obama discloses his grades and birth certificate–has given Mayor of Minneapolis M.T. Rybak, DNC Vice-Chair, an opening to hit Romney over his lack of transparency. “It’s a bad joke that the Romneys think they can repeat a lie to distract from his failure to be honest about his income.”