Romney's assault on 'ObamaCare': Smart politics or blatant hypocrisy?

The likely GOP presidential candidate vows to repeal Democratic health care reforms, while defending a similar law he instituted in Massachusetts

"Obamacare is bad law constitutionally, bad policy, and it is bad for America's families," said Mitt Romney Saturday to New Hampshire Republicans.
(Image credit: Corbis)

In a speech Saturday night in the key early primary state of New Hampshire, Mitt Romney called for the repeal of President Obama's health care reform law. The attack offered a likely preview of the 2012 presidential campaign, for which Romney is a potential GOP nominee. But health reform is a tricky subject for him, because the federal law, which has become Public Enemy No. 1 for many on the right, was largely modeled on reforms Romney put in place in Massachusetts, when he was governor. Can he get away with attacking "ObamaCare" while defending "RomneyCare"? (Watch a local report about Romney's comments)

No, Romney is a hypocrite: Romney's "clumsy" flip-flopping is bound to backfire, says Blue Texan at Firedoglake. He's saying it's "tyrannical and unconstitutional" for the federal government to tell you to buy health insurance, but fine for the state of Massachusetts to do it. The Tea Party won't buy such blatant hypocrisy. He ought to just "say the whole thing was a mistake and apologize. Or blame Ted Kennedy."

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