Romney’s not the only flip-flopper

HE’S A flip-flopper who can seem disconnected from average citizens, and wears health care reform as a political albatross around his neck.

That’s the standard line of attack against Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. But, the same critique could also apply to President Obama. That means if Romney gets past GOP doubters and wins his party’s nomination, the 2012 election could be a head-to-head between two men with similar vulnerabilities.

On the surface, they have little in common. Romney and Obama represent dramatically different backgrounds and cultivate vastly different political images. But they share some interesting traits.

With or without a tie, Romney is a stiff candidate who is overly reliant on PowerPoint. With or without a tie, Obama is more relaxed, but he can be overly reliant on teleprompters. Neither is particularly good at Bill Clintonesque emoting. You can tell that Romney is upset — or wants you to think he’s upset — only when his hair flops slightly onto his face. And from the gulf oil spill to the Tahrir Square rebellion, Obama’s cool demeanor opens him to criticism for remoteness.