Obama 2012 Campaign Accuses Mitt Romney Of Flip-Flopping

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's top strategist on Wednesday accused former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney of changing positions on a series of issues, offering a preview of what could be the campaign's central argument against the Republican presidential candidate next year.

David Axelrod, the Obama campaign's senior strategist, said that Romney had shifted his stances on taxes, health care and trade with China, raising questions about what he would do if elected president.

"If you are willing to change positions on fundamental issues of principle, how can we know what you will do as president?" Axelrod said, during a conference call with reporters.

The stepped-up criticism by Obama's campaign staff signaled that they increasingly view Romney as having command of the Republican race, and the flip-flopping charges could serve as a key argument against the Republican's campaign next year if he lands the nomination.

Romney has led the Republican field in recent polling, delivered strong debate performances and picked up the endorsement of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, building a sense of inevitability for the nomination.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the comments were "deflections and diversions from what really matters, which is President Obama's failure to create jobs."

The former governor has emphasized his experience in the private sector and questioned Obama's leadership. "He said he'd bring us hope and change. Instead, he's divided the nation and tried to blame other people," Romney said in Tuesday's debate.

Axelrod scrutinized Romney's position on a payroll tax cut for employees, a key part of Obama's jobs plan. Romney said in the Republican debate Tuesday that he supports permanent changes to the tax code and referred to payroll tax cuts as "temporary little Band-Aids."

Democrats circulated a transcript of an August interview in which Romney, when asked about extending the payroll tax cut, said he was "in favor of keeping taxes down and keeping burdens down on American businesses and employers."

Obama and Democrats have called for the extension of the tax cut, which is set to expire at the end of the year. Typical workers would get an extra $1,500 in their paychecks next year under the cut.

___

Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

 

 

Comments

[tokyomk]

02:50 PM on 10/13/2011

If Ron Paul is not on the ballot, then I am writing in his name ... because I would never vote for Romney.

[kev22]

07:44 AM on 10/13/2011

wow thats funny....obama is the undisputed king of
flip flop!!...

[bill bixby]

07:00 PM on 10/12/2011

Obama pointing out a flip flop! HYPOCRITE

[Cloe Savage]

06:47 PM on 10/12/2011

all this political mumbo jumbo makes me want to scream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqLMjYT3b4w

[GoDems2012]

04:18 PM on 10/12/2011

They will have a massive list of flips from Mitt. They are going to be prepared for the inevitable GOP nominee. They will make sure everyone is aware of his political schizophrenia and he will be constantly on the defense.

[cdavispapa]

08:41 AM on 10/13/2011

for every flip obama, mitt can bring up 4x as many on obama. I can not believe axelrod is that dumb.

[AUveritas]

04:02 PM on 10/12/2011

Obama once claimed that union campaign donations were "special interest" money. He promised to not allow any lobbyists into his administration. He promised to close Gitmo. He promised to have the most transparent administration in history. Should I go on?

I guess if anyone knows a flip-flopper, it's Obama.

[GoDems2012]

04:20 PM on 10/12/2011

When the list of Romneys flips grows by the week, people will be less inclined to hold the President's pivots against him. Just this week Mitt was against the OWS crowd, calling them dangerous, before he tried to feel their pain. Mitt can't help himself. He's a terrible candidate that will say and do anything to be President. I guess he doesn't realize we have cameras now.

[AUveritas]

04:33 PM on 10/12/2011

"Mitt can't help himself. He's a terrible candidate that will say and do anything to be President. I guess he doesn't realize we have cameras now"

Oh, the irony....

[cdavispapa]

08:44 AM on 10/13/2011

obama knows there is cameras, he will look into it and lie.

[Sock Monkey]

03:59 PM on 10/12/2011

I think I just heard the voice of experience saying that someone was flip-flopping.

How quaint !!

[SoCalGrandma]

03:52 PM on 10/12/2011

Be careful of excusing someone of flip-flopping. That could come back and bite you in the backside when the real campaign starts.

[amaboss52]

03:52 PM on 10/12/2011

One other thing, I would like to slap each of them, hard. What a bunch of fools.

[shoegirl]

03:50 PM on 10/12/2011

Mi.tt claimed he understood the protesters. I think to prove that Mi tt should work a job that pays about $55,000 a year. He has a family of 3. His "wife" is slightly ill and has had medical expenses lately, they do have healthcare, but deductibles are high. Now, tell us how you make a million M itt.

[cdavispapa]

08:46 AM on 10/13/2011

how did obama make a million when he never had a job?

[shoegirl]

12:53 PM on 10/13/2011

I don't know if you are trying to be ignor.ant or if it just comes naturally. Ob ama did have jobs and if you would turn fo x propa.ganda off for five seconds you would have learned that long ago. Part of the problem with this country is there is too much willful ig.nor.ance. He was a lawyer, his wife a lawyer, and he taught Constitutional Law at Harvard. Then he was a Senator. He has written books as well, which could be where the bulk of his money is from. Mitt on the other hand inherited his wealth from his father and then made the rest by fi.ri.ng people. What else ya got fo.x bo.t?

[amaboss52]

03:49 PM on 10/12/2011

Good, hit em hard everytime, Romney is a conman, trying to everything to everyone. I truly think the guy is just a talking wood carving. He scares me.

[shoegirl]

03:47 PM on 10/12/2011

Did anyone see him one day say the wall street protesters were dangerous and then less than 24 hours later he said he understood and he sympathized with them. I mean I know he has two faces, but wow....that may be a record flip flop....

[GoDems2012]

04:22 PM on 10/12/2011

He wished failure on the auto industry: "Let Detroit go bankrupt". The next year he said it was HIS idea to save them. There are tons of examples of his blatant LYING.

[tokyomk]

02:53 PM on 10/13/2011

Go Tigers!

[scott7841]

03:45 PM on 10/12/2011

This coming from a president that has done more flip-flopping in the past three years than an IHOP short order cook on Sunday morning.........

[letsbepeaceful]

03:50 PM on 10/12/2011

list please

[scott7841]

03:58 PM on 10/12/2011

I will close GITMO............GITMO not closed

I will get lobiest and corporate CEO's out of Washington - Administration filled with them

I will get us out of Iraq in 16 months - leaving Iraq under Bush's time table

I will put negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is supporting what - request made / request denied by White House

I will balance the budget in my 1st 4 years - HAHAHAHAHAHAHA increased debt by 4 trillion in 3 years

I will see that those on Wall Street that created this mess are punished and not rewarded - 800 billion in bailouts to Wall Street with massive bonuses paid.

Thats enough for now I think...............

[Just logic]

04:19 PM on 10/12/2011

That guy forgot alot but so i will put a couple in.

As a congressman he said that a president shouldnt use executive orders to legislate. And it is illegal to do so. Now he issed 4 to start wars.

I will listen to the people. But then passed Obamacare even though well over half of America doesnt want it.

I'll let someone else take over from here

[shoegirl]

03:51 PM on 10/12/2011

Not so much flip flop as cave to give repubs "98% of what they want."...J. Boe hner.

[scott7841]

04:16 PM on 10/12/2011

see post above and then explain how Boehner had anything to do with these things when they were done in Obama's first 2 years with democratic control.

[dconklyn]

03:45 PM on 10/12/2011

This coming from the Flip-Flopper-In-Chief

[shoegirl]

03:47 PM on 10/12/2011

He has caved on issues, to bend to what you republicans want.

[Sock Monkey]

04:01 PM on 10/12/2011

That was his choice and his doing. Hold him accountable.

[cdavispapa]

08:50 AM on 10/13/2011

he wants what obama wants. obama is con man.

[Spadreisle]

03:37 PM on 10/12/2011

Letting the payroll tax cut for real workers expire is inexcusable. Especially since the same people who will argue for letting it expire will fight to the death to defend NOT letting the tax cuts for the wealthy expire just a couple months later!
Perfect demonstration of just who they believe is worth protecting.