Romney spokesman Eric Fernstrom accused the Obama campaign of "hypocrisy" for refusing to release 23 years of tax returns, while calling on the presumptive GOP nominee to do the same.
"Maybe they should adopt as their new slogan: Barack Obama — making the world safe for hypocrisy," Fehrnstrom told BuzzFeed, mocking the Chicago team's continued struggle for a slogan to match 2008's "Yes We Can!" and "Change We Can Believe In."
On a conference call with reporters today Obama campaign manager Jim Messina called on Romney to release returns for the past 23 years — the same number he gave John McCain for vice presidential vetting in 2008. Romney's campaign has said so far that they will only release two years worth.
"I see no reason why he would give John McCain 23 years and the American public only two," Messina told reporters. "If you don't have anything to hide, release your tax returns just like every other presidential candidate in this country."
Asked by Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein whether the Obama campaign will hold itself to the same standard, Messina temporized:
"We have gone back to 2000," he said. "This is the standard that Romney set when he was talking to McCain about the VP deal. We have been very clear about what we have laid out. We have done tons of transparency throughout government."
In his 1994 Senate run against Sen. Ted Kennedy, it was Romney calling for transparency, demanding that Kennedy show he has nothing to hide by releasing his returns.
