We're back in flip-flopping heaven!

There's nothing like a pleasant Hobson's choice:

President Barack Obama and his aides rapidly reversed their strategic course Thursday morning, shifting the center of their attacks on Mitt Romney back toward the oldest criticisms of the Republican: That he's a flip-flopper....

The Obama campaign denied any change in strategy, saying they are "honing in" on Romney's supposed dishonesty with the American people. But the message is clear — Mitt Romney will say anything to get elected president.

I for one am delighted to see the Obama camp revert to the flip-flopping Mitt-will-say-anything attack. It just feels right. Because as even schoolchildren know by now, Mitt will say anything. No one-especially his base--ever believed Romney was a sincerely severe conservative. Although he can be. And no one ever believed Mitt is a centrist. Although he can be. And no ever believed Mitt is center-leftie. Although he can be, and once was, until he needed to be something else.

Now will come that gorgeous torrent of Mitt-clips on every major issue. Mitt one day on taxes; an entirely different Mitt, another day, on taxes. Mitt one day on Romney/ObamaCare; an entirely different Mitt, another day, on Romney/ObamaCare. Mitt one day on Medicare; an entirely different Mitt, another day, on Medicare. And so on.

Ah, the good old days, admixed with today, and of course changeable tomorrow.

Comments

[Robert Lipscomb]

I am sticking with my "Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector around the imprenable walls of Troy" analogy. :-)

By God, I love seeing the Democratic candidate get into a street fight with the Republican candidate. Obama has finally unleashed the Chicago Boys on the preppies.

[japa21]

Much better to do thi this way than a mud fight on the debate stage. It is almost as if Obama wanted Mitt to put all the lies and twists and flip-flops out there so they could be used. Today, he spoke about the "spirited guy he met last night who claimed to be Mitt Romney."
Trust me, Romney has not seen anything yet in terms of what this campaign can do.
The more I think about it the more I think so many onj the left were in dismay over the debate was history. We are so accustomed to seeing a weak Dem candidate who doesn't fight back that last night triggered those old fears.
We forget all the times Obama has fought back and hasn't wimped out.
Popcorn is ready.

[Turgidson]

I'm sure the Obama campaign and Obama himself will "study the game tape," to borrow a sports cliche, and figure out how to keep Mittens from controlling the proceedings. But, as today unravels, it's clear it wasn't a total loss. Mitt's serial bullshitting is getting more attention than I expected, and the Obama campaign is being aggressive in pointing it out.

I think it's silly to deny that Obama needs to work on his delivery and be a little more assertive in pushing back on Mitt's mendacity, but if the enduring takeaway from the debate is that Mitt's a bullshitting con artist, the damage, if any, from losing on substance, will be minimal. The campaign is doing what they can on this front and that's good.

[Turgidson]

^ typo: meant to say "losing on style"

Mitt didn't actually provide any substance except for a big pile of brown stuff that smells really bad.

[Robert Lipscomb]

And they're off!!!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/04/1140029/-Obama-ad-hammers-Romney-for-lying-about-his-tax-plan-during-debate

[Marc McKenzie]

@japa21:

"We forget all the times Obama has fought back and hasn't wimped out."

Yep. And this attack on Romney is the TRUTH. That's exactly what he did last night, and what he's been doing for his entire campaign--flip-flopping, going from one bit to the other, putting more twists into logic and the truth than a pretzel has.

The "victory" that he gained by using this tactic may be short-lived. We shall see....

[Peter G]

Why not. Romney certainly provided a lot of ammunition last night.

[Skip K]

Performance, principles and values with ultimately prevail. There is little doubt that Romney came across as more energized, more commanding, even more feeling. However, for anyone who has been paying any attention, the performance makes him more scary. There is simply no way to know what he stands for; it was impossible to understand what he was for or against, especially if you knew his previously stated positions. he simply says anything. one example - he will lower taxes, not increase revenues, and yet rich people will pay the same share. how deceitful, especially once you understand that what he's saying is that once the economy GROWS (in how many years, and how much the deficit will grow in the meantime, who knows, who cares, right?) more revenues will come in. voila, no pain for anyone. why didn't anybody else think of that? at the end, Obama will win, and it'll be by quite a bit. it will not be close.

[Janicket]

Holy guacamole -- Ipsos/Reuters has post-debate polling info out and at first glance it appears good for Romney, but if you dig down into the favorability ratings, as Kos did, look at how much better Obama did with independents:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/04/1140220/-Romney-gains-after-debate-with-Republicans-Obama-with-independents

[Robinswing]

As a Chicago native I've watched our President for a while. First he beat the Daley machine(ask someone from Chi what this means). Then the Clinton war room. Finally an American war hero(to some). Throughout the primaries as I pointed this out, I read post after post of what he should do. He won. Then it was how he was being fooled by republicants and there tactics. Got rolled on health care,debt ceiling etc. Even so he managed to get things done that have only been pipe dreams for previous dems. As a black woman perhaps I need to say this. A black man who consistently wins in this country is smarter than shit. More people especially young people are engaged in the body politic than have been since my generation marched and protested in the '60's. We are watching a generational shift. He knows what he's doing. Our job is to get involved, stop pearl clutching and groom others to follow. As my grandmother used to say "Learn something. Then pass it on."

[thecommodore]

I note everything everyone has said here. But he still needs to show up the next debates, which he did not do last night, when he looked like Lebron James in Game 5 of the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, where Cleveland lost by 32 points.

Just sayin...