Quizzed about the president’s double standard on unsubstantiated allegations in presidential campaigns, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney seemed not to have an answer in this afternoon’s briefing. But Reid “speaks for himself,” Carney assured everyone, and doesn’t “take direction” from the White House:
Why is the Harry Reid tactic okay?
“Again, I don’t speak for Harry Reid. But there is a way to resolve this dispute. It’s for the governor to follow a tradition, established by his father many years ago, of presidential candidates releasing multiple years of their tax returns… Senator Reid doesn’t, you know, take direction. He speaks for himself.”
You’ve been very tough about unsubstantiated allegations against the President that come from, whether it’s a Donald Trump or someone else. Explain to me why this is different, what Harry Reid is doing?
I speak for the President. I explain and defend his policies. And I am very clear when I believe that his policies have been falsely represented as is the case here, or when his words have been completely mischaracterized.