Originally Posted by
Mal
Politically, though, these strengths are of very limited value, IMHO, to Romney. The former can't even be alluded to by him without leading to a discussion of his health care plan in Massachusetts and how it helped supply the framework for the ACA. That both kills him with his own base and makes it hard for him to distinguish himself on policy from the President with independents. Obama can even turn it into offense, and a discussion of how it's one thing to pass legislation at the state level, but the ACA is similar to policy even Nixon wanted to get done, and no one accomplished it at the federal level until now. The latter doesn't really distinguish him much from the current occupant, who has little difficulty projecting himself as serious and even-keeled, but with more of a common touch. I don't see a significant majority of independents who would vote on the basis of disposition choosing Romney here.