Some prominent Mitt Romney supporters are saying the presidential hopeful's campaign should stop sending mixed messages about the Supreme Court's health care ruling.
Romney and his staffers have been going back and forth on whether to call it a tax as an attack on President Obama or not a tax, to preserve the argument that Romney never raised taxes in his state despite having a similar health care law.
Head spinning a bit? We'll backtrack.
On Wednesday, Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said the federal health care reform mandate constitutes a "tax," contradicting the way his senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom, of the Etch-a-Sketch gaffe fame, characterized his position earlier this week. But the similar individual mandate and fee he signed into law when governor of Massachusetts is not a tax, he said in a separate interview, citing the Supreme Court's decision last Thursday.
In March, Fehrnstrom made headlines for saying in a CNN interview that the transition from the primaries to the general election was "almost like an Etch-a-Sketch. You can kind of shake it up, and we start all over again."
Some people are calling the tax chatter another Romney flip-flop. Others are calling it the Etch-a-Sketch redux. Others, like editor of The Nation Katrina vanden Heuvel, are saying this incident makes the previous gaffe look like solid campaign strategy.
Romney now says health mandate is a tax. Making that Etch a Sketch look downright steady,stable and full of integrity.
—
Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) July 05, 2012And now, plenty of people, including his supporters, are hitting Romney on the issue and letting him know that either he needs to get himself aligned with his staff on these issues, or scrap some of the staff and get a new game plan as they charge into the general election.
Media baron Rupert Murdoch, never shy on his views, tweeted that while he supports the former Massachusetts governor he believes Romney needs to shake up his staff to have a chance to beat Obama's seasoned campaign staff.
Met Romney last week. Tough O Chicago pros will be hard to beat unless he drops old friends from team and hires some real pros. Doubtful.
—
Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) July 01, 2012And apparently, that tweet upset the Romney campaign, which prompted Murdoch to follow up with a tweet on Monday. He said he wants Romney to win, but instead of the campaign upset about the criticism they should heed some of the good advice Murdoch feels Romney is getting about trying to get his campaign in order.
Romney people upset at me! Of course I want him to win, save us from socialism, etc but should listen to good advice and get stuck in!
—
Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) July 02, 2012
Murdoch's tweets of fury were followed by agreement from Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, and then a blistering editorial from the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal.
Welch tweeted that he hoped Romney's camp would heed Murdoch's advice, noting that the Obama campaign staff is a well-oiled machine at this point.
Hope Mitt Romney is listening to Murdoch advice ont campaign staff..playing in league with Chicago pols..No room for amateurs
—
Jack Welch (@jack_welch) July 02, 2012And the Wall Street Journal went further with an elaborate editorial that declared the tax or not a tax issue is indicative of larger campaign problems. The editorial says what could have easily been a choreographed way to attack Obama has essentially turned into a political defeat for Romney.
"Why make such an unforced error? Because it fits with Mr. Romney's fear of being labeled a flip-flopper, as if that is worse than confusing voters about the tax and health-care issues. Mr. Romney favored the individual mandate as part of his reform in Massachusetts, and as we've said from the beginning of his candidacy his failure to admit that mistake makes him less able to carry the anti-ObamaCare case to voters ...
His latest mistake is of a piece with the campaign's insular staff and strategy that are slowly squandering an historic opportunity. Mr. Obama is being hurt by an economic recovery that is weakening for the third time in three years. But Mr. Romney hasn't been able to take advantage, and if anything he is losing ground.
The Romney campaign thinks it can play it safe and coast to the White House by saying the economy stinks and it's Mr. Obama's fault. We're on its email list and the main daily message from the campaign is that "Obama isn't working." Thanks, guys, but Americans already know that. What they want to hear from the challenger is some understanding of why the President's policies aren't working and how Mr. Romney's policies will do better."
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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its funny how the GOP thought they could use the healthcare ruling against obama
everytime they cry about it the obama squad can just go back and tell everyone that it was originally mitt romneys plan to begin with
Mitt needs a tiger in his team ,,,,,,,,like Windy,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
An immigration policy to push out people legally born in this country just because they have a Hispanic last name??? Even repubs won't go that far.
YOU ARE JUST AS CONFUSED AS ROMNEY.
HE TOLD YOU HE WILL SEND YOUR KIDS OFF
Sorry this was in response to another post (not about the article) that seems to have been deleted, but the responses remain. Just ignore it.
Given the chance, I bet there are those Repugs who would JUMP at the opportunity!
Careful, that sounds like a challenge I'm sure they'd take you up on.
To easchner: Wanna bet?
Oh yes they will – example is Govenor Scott of Florida with his voter purge rolls of Hispanic US citizens he is marking wtih a "do not allow to vote" mark for the November election. Republicans will cheat every chance they get when they know they are going to lose. Romney is a liar, a man with no principles, no character, no humanity, no knowledge of national government or foreign policy, and refuses to answer a single question on what he stands FOR – he is therefore unqualified and untrustworthy. He is even worse than George Bush. Find someone else Republicans or expect a landslide defeat.
I will keep my fingers crossed that you are right, but I think they could put a tie on a pumpkin and the republican half of the country would vote for it anyway.
Michael Bachamnn !!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Bachamnn !!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Bachamnn !!!!!!!!!!!
Romney has no spine.
Wrong,,,,,,,,,,,,his spine is just not as strong as Ron Paul,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but stronger than average,,,,,,,,,,,,,
neither does the hunchback, Dick Cheney.
No president can effectively lead a nation if he changes his mind everyday concerning important matters, like Mitt Romney.
Mitt is just CONFUSED!!
Nitt Witney was FOR Mandated Healthcare before he was AGAINST mandated healthcare!
WILLARD just doesn't know what to call the INDIVIDUAL MANDATE because, like a flag in the wind, he just doesn't know which position will GIVE HIM THE MOST VOTES, and neither does his campaign staff.... FLIP-FLOP...
In the final analysis, it really doesn't matter what it is called, a fee, a fine, a penalty, a tax or a Unicorn... what it DOES is VERY IMPORTANT!
It makes INDIVIDUALS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE for THEIR HEALTH CARE and it removes a HUGE BURDEN on the PUBLIC, who would otherwise have to PAY for the HEALTH CARE of all these FREE RIDERS!
IT IS GREAT PUBLIC POLICY!
Nicely put. Thank you!
What are you talking about???????????
It's all written on GOD's book,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"Romney and his staffers have been going back and forth on whether to call it a tax as an attack on President Obama or not a tax, to preserve the argument that Romney never raised taxes in his state despite having a similar health care law."
Why not business as usual? Tell the breathless audience whatever they want to hear – minus ANY details of course.
Willard can't help himself. He has no moral fiber, no center of gravity. Etch-a-sketch indeed.
Mitt does not have a great heart,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that's the biggest problem,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,other problems are minor,,,,,,,,,
Mitt Romney / Michael Bachmann !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
have fun,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,on planet earth ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Mitt Robme is kinda like John Kerry. One min. he is for something than the next he is against it. Did republicans slam Kerry for that?? Yes they did but yet they support Flipper Robme. Its all about party and beating Obama.