Wash. Post's Weisman: "I think McCain has" released his tax returns -- he hasn't

Summary: Responding to a question about the presidential candidates and the release of their tax returns, The Washington Post's Jonathan Weisman stated in a discussion on washingtonpost.com: "[Sen. Barack] Obama has released his tax returns, and I think [Sen. John] McCain has too." In fact, McCain has not released his tax returns.

During his March 5 washingtonpost.com "Post Politics" discussion, Washington Post congressional reporter Jonathan Weisman wrote: "[Sen. Barack] Obama has released his tax returns, and I think [Sen. John] McCain has too. [Sen. Hillary] Clinton said she would follow suit, in a bit. If she had gotten knocked out last night, she would have been relieved of that burden. Now, she's going to get excruciating pressure to make good on the promise." In fact, McCain has not released his tax returns. The Wall Street Journal reported on February 23: "The presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, hasn't released his tax returns either. His campaign has said it won't decide whether to release the returns until after he is officially the nominee." Weisman's own paper noted in a February 27 editorial that Clinton had not released her income tax returns and that McCain also has "so far refused to do so." The editorial further stated: "Most troubling, Mr. McCain isn't even pledging to release his returns once he becomes the nominee." The Post also noted in a June 19, 2007, editorial that McCain had not released his tax returns.

From Weisman's March 5 "Post Politics" discussion:

Prescott, Ariz.: Hi, I'm writing this Tuesday night as I watch election returns, and I have a couple questions. Firstly, someone mentioned that Pennsylvania is right around tax day, and that this probably meant the Clinton would get heat to release her tax returns. I'm just wondering if McCain or Obama have released the same tax returns that Clinton is being urged to release. If not, why? Also, I keep hearing words like "comeback" being used to describe Clinton's Ohio victory. Now, I pay attention to this stuff, and I could have sworn that she was leading Ohio in every single poll. How could a star-to-finish lead be any sort of comeback?

Jonathan Weisman: A) It's only around tax day if you are very tardy and file on April 22.

B) Obama has released his tax returns, and I think McCain has too. Clinton said she would follow suit, in a bit. If she had gotten knocked out last night, she would have been relieved of that burden. Now, she's going to get excruciating pressure to make good on the promise.

—B.J.L.