Flip-flop ad suggests Dems think Romney is The One

There’s no doubt former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has taken some inconsistent positions on issues over the years. In fact, the joke goes that Romney at one point or another has taken every position on most issues.

In a new, 30-second, movie-trailer-style ad and a longer, four-minute video montage, Democrats brutally show Romney at his flip-flopping best.

He’s shown on both sides of the abortion, human-caused global warming, automobile bailout, bank bailout and illegal-immigrant hiring issues. At one point, after Old Mitt Romney declares he’s not trying to go back to the Reagan-Bush era and New Mitt Romney extols Reagan’s philosophy, the Gipper appears in debate footage, scolding, “Well, there you go again.”

Ouch. (You can see the videos for yourself on my blog, www.SlashPolitics.com.)

But the real question isn’t whether Romney is a flip-flopper. The real question is, why are the Democrats bringing it up now? The new ad was rolled out in several key battleground states, including New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Iowa, Florida and Massachusetts.

And here in Nevada, too: Nevada state Democratic Party Chairwoman Roberta Lange and Andres Ramirez, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Hispanic caucus, took turns slamming Romney on Monday.

“Mitt Romney is taking every position under the sun to get elected,” Lange said. “He doesn’t really know what he stands for.”

Said Ramirez: “I don’t think he has any character,” meaning no core beliefs, aside, of course, from the desire to get elected president.

Then again, Democrats are more forgiving of some flip-flops than others. Recall that then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama was adamantly opposed to fellow Sen. Hillary Clinton’s idea to force people to buy insurance policies as part of health-care reform. But President Obama eventually flip-flopped on that issue, embracing the individual mandate that now lies at the heart of a constitutional controversy over the program.

For Romney supporters, the ads are actually a sign of strength, not inconstancy.

“This is a hallmark of a campaign that is scared,” said Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, a longtime Romney supporter and friend. “Obviously, they’re concerned about his candidacy, they fear his candidacy.”

For the record, Romney agrees. He recently accused the administration of being “obsessed” with attacking him, an obsession that allows him to claim he’s the candidate Obama fears facing the most.

Democrats maintain they’re simply trying to educate the public — especially early state primary and caucus voters — about a candidate who they think will say anything to get elected. But the timing of the ads suggests Krolicki has a point: It seems Democrats want to dissuade Republicans from voting for Romney by suggesting he’s guilty of a cardinal sin in their party: lack of fealty to real conservative principles. Is it really that hard to imagine the president would rather face off against Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain or Rick Perry than Romney? Otherwise, why not save this very effective attack until after Romney secures the nomination?

Ramirez explains no other candidates have been leading in the polls long enough to justify spending money on ads that scrutinize them.

Speaking of scrutiny, the Democratic ad takes some liberties with Romney’s words. A remark praising the health care reform for using exchanges (a feature of Romney’s Massachusetts reform plan) is not the same as Romney endorsing Obama’s overall approach to the issue. And saying there’s a need for economic stimulus is not the same as saying the way Obama went about it was the way Romney would have.

But there are plenty of bona fide flip-flops, and Romney will have to own those. That’s what happens when you’re the front-runner.

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist and author of the blog SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/SteveSebelius or reach him at (702) 387-5276 or ssebelius@ reviewjournal.com.