Romney Makes “Flip-Flopping” A Campaign Staple

In March of 2006 I had the pleasure of meeting potential presidential candidate, Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts when he appeared at a well-attended reception in the town where I live.

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I can never forget how gracious and down to earth he was that day, spending an inordinate amount of time with me and a close friend. Usually candidates for office, and particularly so for the office of president of the United States, stop and shake hands and briefly acknowledge your existence here on planet earth. Not so with candidate Mitt Romney; he stayed and talked with my friend and me for a good 10 to 15 minutes, posing for photos of the three of us. The conversation was not a one-sided affair with Romney running off his well rehearsed campaign palaver; no, it was down-home folksy rapport about families, jobs and other non-political subjects. I have in my possession right now, over five years later, three photos given to me by the photographers, which I take pride in having. The impression I came away with from that short but memorable occasion was not how well qualified I found him to be for his run for the presidency, but what a likeable and charismatic person he was. Unfortunately, his likeableness and charisma were not enough to secure for him the nomination to be the Republican candidate for president in the November 2008 Primary contest. That honor went to Senator John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin. But even that long ago, the charges of position changing, otherwise known as "flip-flopping" were rampant wherever and whenever Romney spoke on the campaign trail in his run for the presidency. And today, as the same gracious Governor Mitt Romney makes yet another run for the office of the president, the same position changing charges are being heard from the electorate. The WashingtonExaminer.com July 06, 2011 edition carries a story written by Steve Chapman, well-known conservative columnist for Townhall.com and the Chicago Tribune titled, "Romney Strikes a Blow Against Romney". The article, as you might surmise from the title, is not an especially flattering piece on the candidate for President of the United States. Chapman begins by explaining that "Any candidate for president can fall victim to occasional stumbles, lapses, gaffes and clunkers. But Mitt Romney has a shot at raising ineptitude to an art form." That bit of criticism was followed by this example: "The other day, he had to answer a question about how the economy has fared under the current administration. Before he was done, though, Romney managed to give the impression that if he dove off a dock, he'd miss the water. He also undermined his chief assets in the campaign: a supposed mastery of economic issues and a reputation for competence." Knowing the Governor from our personal contact in 2006, I recoiled a bit at reading this and considered not reading any more. But then I recollected, I too was writing a column on Romney, and for the same reasons that he had created in peoples' minds; flip-flopping on the issues. And even though the above example of Chapman's was not in that category directly, it did indicate that the Governor was apt to change directions while in 'answer' mode to political questions. Chapman next stated that Romney "has accused President Barack Obama of taking a weak economy and applying leeches. Announcing his candidacy last month, Romney said, 'When he took office, the economy was in recession. He made it worse.' In a June debate, he said, 'He didn't create the recession, but he made it worse and longer'. "But when Romney was asked last week about the accuracy of his contention that Obama worsened the recession, he did not claim to be invoking a truth that trumps mere facts. Instead, he denied making such an assertion. "I didn't say that things are worse," he insisted. "What I said was that the economy hasn't turned around." Chapman followed that with "The denial makes him look confused and dishonest. it did not help when, a few days later, Romney went back to saying Obama "made things worse." Chapman further explained that these incidents are not just occasional flubs but are reminders of Romney's flaws such as changing positions if he can gain by it and also his tendency to deny having done so. He gives another example of when in 2008 Romney accused McCain of offering amnesty legislation. Later in a debate McCain challenged him and Romney denied using the term "amnesty" only to be forced later to admit it. In another turn-about , Chapman says Romney indicated favorability for banning "assault weapons" but in 2008 he opposed the idea. Romney has been well known and quoted on the abortion issue as Chapman points out when in 1994 he ran for the U.S. Senate seat against Ted Kennedy he spoke out in favor of abortion "being safe and legal in this country" but in 2008 he admitted reversing himself on abortion rights. And as Chapman pointed out that pro-life groups disagreed with Romney when he said that as governor, on "every issue that related to protecting the sanctity of life, I came down on the side of life" Candidates have been accused rightly and wrongly of being position changers, some occasionally and others prolifically, but as Chapman says in Romney's case, he betrays his touted abilities on economics when he can't maintain a consistent position or stay with the facts. His business background and managerial strengths are weakened with his inability to remain consistent with his message. And it reminds Chapman of Ted Kennedy's wisecrack about Romney's abortion views: "I am pro-choice. My opponent is multiple choice." Which is why Chapman says, "Romney should be debating the Obama administration on the economy. Lately, he's debating himself, and he's losing."