Obama team shifts argument on Romney

by Amie Parnes - 04/17/12 1:05 AM ET

The same goes for the infamous Etch a Sketch moment and Romney’s “weak” decision-making.

A senior administration official told reporters Monday that what voters are seeing is the real Mitt Romney. In a background briefing at the White House, the official said Romney might have taken a more moderate stance in 1994 to try and get elected in Massachusetts.

{mosads}But the Romney of 2012 has made his views known: he wants to get rid of abortion and gay marriage, the official said. He also wants veto the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to legal residency for children brought to the country as illegal immigrants, and deport all 11 million people in the country illegally.

The official, who would not go on the record, said these views represent Romney at his core, and not the more centrist positions he took as Massachusetts governor.

This is a bit of a shift for team Obama and its surrogates.

Democrats and even some Republicans have long accused Romney of changing his views on everything from healthcare to taxes and trade.

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“If you are willing to change positions on fundamental issues of principle, how can we know what you will do as president?” David Axelrod told reporters on a conference call last fall.

But what does Obama think of his likely opponent?

The official said Obama hasn’t had time to consume the latest moves and machinations of his opponent in any great detail.

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