Ted Cruz, Reince Priebus, Harry Reid and More Sunday Talk

Reince Preibus: Harry Reid Is a ‘Dirty Liar’

RNC chair Reince Priebus took to This Week today to defend Mitt Romney against Harry Reid’s claim that the candidate hasn’t paid taxes in ten years. The allegation is a “made-up issue,” Priebus said. He went on to argue that the Senate majority leader’s comments are only the most recent in a string of attacks against the wealthy at the hands of Democrats, pitting the Obama administration against fundamental tenets of the “American Dream.”

Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Romney Charges Are a Quick-Fix

On This Week, host George Stephanopoulos grilled DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz on whether she backed up Harry Reid’s allegation that Mitt Romney has evaded taxes for the past decade. Wasserman Schulz, however, stayed largely on message, declining to comment on exactly how much stock she put in Reid’s anonymous source—instead choosing to criticize Romney.

Ted Cruz: Tea Party Is Still Powerful

On Fox News Sunday, Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz discussed what seems to have become the most dirty word in politics: compromise. Cruz dismissed allegations that he, along with other Tea Partiers, cause legislative “gridlock” by refusing to make any friends across the aisle, arguing that compromise is possible as long as taxes aren’t raised.

Harry Reid’s McCarthy Moment?

On Face the Nation, host Bob Schieffer compared Harry Reid’s recent Romney accusations to those of Senator Joseph McCarthy, arguing that a charge of tax evasion based purely on a single anonymous source is no better than a charge of communism based on hearsay.

David Axelrod: Obama’s Military Suit’s True Purpose

Fox News Sunday’s famed lightning round, senior Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod, had more than a few words to share about the campaign’s current lawsuit in Ohio, which aims to bar military members from receiving extended voting time. Axelrod argued that the suit isn’t a fight against service men and women, but rather an attempt to ensure equal voting rights for all Ohioans.

Lindsey Graham: Obama’s Tax-Plan is ‘Stupid’

The tax debate continued on State of the Union, as Senator Lindsey Graham railed against Obama’s proposed tax increases for the wealthiest Americans, dismissing them as a “short-term” measure that is “stupid.” Graham instead advocated for the Simpson-Bowles plan, a bipartisan effort that would both cut spending and raise taxes.

Do Romney’s Gaffes Tell the Whole Story?

Why was the only news to come out of Mitt Romney’s tour of England, Israel, and Poland reports of his awkward gaffes? On Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz talked to San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders, who argued that the media’s mocking approach can be boiled down to two explanations: one, reporters resent the Romney campaign’s stinginess with the press, and are wont to express their annoyance in coverage; and two, the 24-hour hour news-cycle is friendlier to gaffes than in-depth policy reports.