"The editorial came several days after Rupert Murdoch met with Romney and came away with an unfavorable impression of his campaign operation. Murdoch is the chief executive of News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal." And the trolls that post here say the BG is liberally-biased. Poor conservatives! They so much want to defeat Obama, but all they've got is Governor Romney who resembles nothing so much as a weathervane shaped like a rooster.

Seriously. The first Romney response to the Court ruling was the same as mine: the mandate is not a tax; wasn't a tax with the Massachusetts version, isn't a tax now, the Court is wrong. But then reality sets in. If the Court says it's a tax, it's a tax. If it says it's a duck, it's a duck. So we live with what we have, for now. The Republicans will play the game they've been given and get a roll call vote on House Democrats voting against repeal and therefore for a tax. Romney isn't going to get in the way, especially since calling it a tax embarrasses Obama.

I can only hope that people who are considering voting for Romney are able to read and remember. Reading give you a framework of his donors, his ever-changing policy positions (some call it pandering), his lack of core values, his cavalier attitude toward the poor and the unfortunate and where his money comes from, both personally (the manner in which he acquired it) and politically (the people who donate to him and what they expect when this is over.) Remember what his fellow Republicans thought during the traveling circus known as the Republican Debates: remember his act, the Circular Firing Squad. Remember, then be careful with your vote. He is poised to return us to the days of yesteryear...boom and bust economy, good times for the wealthy and pushing the middle class further into despair.

Yes, it is too much to ask Mitt to actually think about the race. He doesn't think. He repeats what he has been taught and he reacts to polls, but he doesn't think. He is also confused and politically dumb. He hasn't ever been able to win a race unless you count the one where he first pretended to save the olympics from ruthless mormon businessmen. Nice job on candidate selection guys.

This is hilarious. The Globe is quoting conservative leaders for criticizing Romney's campaign. When will we see a front page article about the numerous conservative criticisms of Obama's divisive, imperial and ineffective reign?

Arkansas/Missouri dude: this is a credible election news story. Go read some Ark. and Missouri papers if you want to see ill-informed fawning over Mitt Romney.

One only has to read the Globe comments section to see one of Fehrnstrom's glaring weaknesses. He's the one who developed the Mass GOP "strategy" of populating internet discussion groups and twitter with GOP sockpuppets. The general concept is to shout down all other commentators, ideally by posting "funny" nastiness and/or falsehoods about the opposition. In practice, it just becomes unpleasant noise. Think about it: how many of you have ever been swayed, even slightly, by a post from TheSystemWorked, Ozark, migh, boatwrote, etc.? Liberals suck!!!! L-O-L!! L-O-L!!! L-O-L!!!

I'm pretty sure that Mitt isn't rolling out of bed at 10am this week asking himself what he should do with his day. It's the appearance that he's taking a few days off that are driving the base nutty. That said, I do think Eric Fehrnstrom is fast becoming a liability for many reasons. Romney needs to jettison or at the very least marginalize that guy.

Toooooo funny - what is worse? Obama's Chicago gang with Valerie Jarrett(?) leading the troops with Obama refusing to provide time to Democratic elected officials or the advisers of Gov. Mitt Romney's team? Take a guess as to, "who is winning?"

Yes sawmill2, you are right when you say that people don't read. People also have very short memories and fail to remember Obama's campaign promises from four years ago. NOW - THERE is a Globe front page story which would rock the U.S.A. voters . . . but that is a story the Globe would never, never, print!

Stuff 1 is trying to make us think he/she has the inside story about Rupert Murdoch's impressions? Puuuuuleeeeeze - this is too much brain overload!

esf, Go ahead and try to dismiss me as s sock puppet. In fact, I am a registered independent who used to be a Democrat. Yes, I support Mitt Romney but I am not a paid member of his campaign staff. I apologize for making you so uncomfortable. Perhaps you doubt that Imperial Obama will win in 2012?

Touchy, touchy, Kate. Is doubt creeping in that our imperial president might not win another term? By the way, your comment reflects the liberal elitist point of view that is leading to Obama's electoral defeat.

The conservatives are voting for Romney no matter what but this constant switching positions and pandering to the extreme right won't go over well with the people who will decide this election.... people in the middle who are Independents.

A registered Independent who's posts ALWAYS mirror the latest GOP talking points. How could anyone ever doubt you? BTW, the claim to be an independent and the "making you so uncomfortable" schtick are sockpuppet classics. But I'm sure you know that.

Don't mess with Ozark, Kate. He's "a registered independent who used to be a Democrat." When he says stuff like "the liberal elitist point of view" he's speak as a True American (TM), not a GOP troll.

Bill Kristol was one of key conservatives to visit Sarah Palin in Alaska to urge her to be on the ticket as V.P. in 2008. So much for his political instincts.

I'm flattered that you follow my post so closely that you know what I ALWAYS have to say. Are you a paid Obama staffer who has been assigned to track the opposition?

Oh cool, the "I know what you are, but what am I defense." ALMOST (but quite) as lame as a "registered independent" who says stuff like "Is doubt creeping in that our imperial president might not win another term? By the way, your comment reflects the liberal elitist point of view that is leading to Obama's electoral defeat." L-O-L!! L-O-L!! L-O-L!!

If Barbara258 is correct about Republicans' intentions, they will then have to explain why the penalty under Romneycare is not a tax. One should carefully throw a boomerang.

Hmm . . . I think there is merit to Kristol's critique of Team Romney. The "it's not a tax, yes it is" play on the Obamacare penalty was amateurish. [NEW PARAGRAPH] Frankly, I'm beginning to think the reason the election is poised to be close is that neither Obama nor Romney has the "gravitas" to offer a compelling vision which makes the country stop and reflect. Rather, both are pursuing "risk-averse" campaigns at a time the country really wants a compelling game plan. Instead we're getting warmed-over "hope and change" vs. "Etch-A-Sketch" economics. It will be interesting to see if this campaign brings out the articulate visionary in either man.

Republicans just now realizing that the guy they picked to run HAS NO principles, policies, programs or ideas...he is the Hollow Man T. S. Eliot referred to and the best he can offer is "I'm not Obama"... although if he thought it would get him some votes he'd change his position on that too.

That post earned you another $.023, TSW, is that Willard's idea of job creation?

Yeah, which means Mittens will have laid one helluva tax increase on Massachusetts taxpayers' heads...and yet he claims to NEVER have increased taxes. Better get out the etch-a-sketch, Willard, and spin, whirl and hop...bwahahahahaahah.

***Stuff 1 is trying to make us think he/she has the inside story about Rupert Murdoch's impressions?*** Rupert said it himself, on the record, in public. But maybe you know how much Republicans lie...is that the problem, Cantaloupe?