Yes, what he is doing is to bring out the Etch A Sketch. He showed Friday and today that he will ignore what he said about immigration during the primaries , and hope that the voters do too. He came out with a very mealy mouthed non-definitive statement, one that did not align itself with his previously stated policies, but which at the same time allowed him to disagree with Obama. In effect, he said nothing.
He cannot allow his earlier statements on immigration to be ingrained into the minds of the electorate, especially the Hispanic electorate, because that would result in an even worse showing in his favor among Hispanic voters. Of course he cannot agree with Obama, because that would enrage his radical right wing followers. So he vaguely states that he is thinking along the lines of what Rubio advocates. What Rubio advocates does not comport with the immigration policies as stated by Romney during his primary run. Of course not......if he had on Friday and today put forth his immigration policies as they evolved during the GOP primary season, his standing among Hispanic voters would drop even lower than it already is at this point in time (the argument during the primaries was centered around how high, wide, and electrified the border fence should be, and how to rid the country of all undocumented immigrants in the most efficient way possible).
Therefore, in regard to this issue and others, he has to give vague answers that can be interpreted in many ways, which leaves him an escape hatch.
For example, with regard to contraception issues, when it is brought up, he now says something like "I have no interest in changing the laws that govern contraception. They're fine the way they are." Of course the Blount-Rubio amendment, which he supports, would outlaw many forms of contraception. But he wants that to be forgotten, or in other words, to be Etch A Sketched out, thereby turning that issue into a non-issue. I'm STILL waiting for a member of the press to call him out on his support of the Blount-Rubio amendment, asking "But Mr. Romney, your support of the Blount-Rubio amendment would outlaw many forms of contraception, so how can you say that you have no interest in changing the laws that govern contraception?"
Another example is the issue of the economy and taxes, and how he would deal with those subjects. He does not want moderate voters to remember his plan as stated in a much more definitive way during the primaries. He also does not want his radical right wing base to think that he is abandoning his aforementioned tax policies. Those policies call for even lower taxes on the wealthy, plus many other positions that would favor the wealthy, and which would harm the middle class, AND the country as a whole. So, just like you heard today on Face the Nation, he now states vague policy positions about what to do with the economy and taxes, but he will not be specific in almost any way.
And the press lets him get away with it.
I hope the President and his team do not let him get away with it, and I don't think they WILL let him get away with it. I can see the ads, first showing spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom making his Etch A Sketch comment, then have Romney being shown on an Etch A Sketch stating a position he took during the primaries, to be followed by the Etch A Sketch being cleared, only to show him stating the exact opposite. Those will be very effective, as will ads showing all of his GOP primary opponents point blank calling him a liar!
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