Reporters from mainstream media outlets spent all of Sunday evening and Monday trying to convince Americans just how important the New York Times' story about President Trump's leaked tax returns was after it was published, often calling it a "bombshell."
In essence, the tax returns showed Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and paid another $750 in 2017, along with paying "no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years — largely because he reported losing much more money than he made."
Interestingly enough, the tax returns, which were not published to protect the Times' sources, also did not "reveal any previously unreported connections to Russia."
With reporters and pundits finally getting the behind-the-scenes financial information they had sought for so long, they could not contain their excitement to an audience that largely has bigger concerns.
CNN Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter said the NYT "bombshell is one of the most important stories of the [past] five years."
This @NYTimes Trump tax bombshell is one of the most important stories of the fast five years. pic.twitter.com/P2CRyrUPxo
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 27, 2020
In his Reliable Sources newsletter, he adds the caveat that "Most minds are made up and some votes are already being cast. But the $$$ figures in the story are still astonishing. And the tax avoidance story is singularly important because it fills in a big part of Trump's portrait."
A tax return bombshell reveals Donald Trump's image is a sham | Analysis https://t.co/MeUlMSn4v9 pic.twitter.com/VNPs5CyVuN
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 28, 2020
PBS White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor told MSNBC while saying the story was a "bombshell," she also called it a "blockbuster."
.@Yamiche on Trump’s tax returns: He’s “fighting so hard to be re-elected not only to be re-elected but also because he’s worried if he’s not, he could actually face jail time and be carried off like a lot of his personal associates … this store is a bombshell, a blockbuster" pic.twitter.com/gPcwK3Fiyc
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 28, 2020
"Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski said, "What is being seen in this reporting is avoiding, evading, perhaps robbing and cheating, we’ll see."
.@morningmika on NYT’s Trump tax returns article: "What is being seen in this reporting is avoiding, evading, perhaps robbing and cheating, we’ll see. But it doesn’t look good." pic.twitter.com/n6w4Mwfe3C
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 28, 2020
In all likelihood, the tax return story will be an afterthought for most Americans, save for Democrats and their allies in the media, as the country gets closer to Election Day.