Was something missing?

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. The convention likely won’t provide a lasting boost for the Republican ticket, thanks to Hurricane Isaac, some high-profile speech flops and continued questions over how the party would tackle issues like Medicare and spending cuts. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

There is some conservative anxiety over what Mitt Romney said – or didn’t say – at the convention, specifically this line:

“And let me make this very clear: unlike President Obama, I will not raise taxes on the middle class of America.”

That seems innocuous enough, until you examine the words, which do not include the word “cut”.

Romney’s announced economic plan includes a 20 percent rate cut. And after the speech, on CNBC, Larry Kudlow, who is a former Reaganite and a Romney supporter, was clearly concerned.

“Now, he did say he would not raise taxes on the middle class. But he did not say that he would cut taxes on the middle class,” said Kudlow, “and his 20 percent tax cut does that, and I think that he got all fouled up in that.”

That’s a pretty serious glitch, if it was indeed just a glitch. But I don’t think it was a glitch or a teleprompter hiccup.

I think he knows the numbers. I think they all do. And the numbers say revenues, somehow, must go up. And this supply side stuff, which says just to bring back jobs and revenues will fix themselves? Romney promised 12 million new jobs. But right now 23 million people want jobs. I listened to all the major speeches; nobody talked tax cuts. That can’t be a screw up. I think it’s a warning.