Sorry, E.J.–Obama vs. Romney is not a “momentous choice”: E.J. Dionne takes the vague platitudes Mitt Romney feeds the Republican primary electorate (“a choice between two destinies”) and concludes 2012 really is a “make or break moment” for “the consensus that has governed American political life since the Progressive era.” Please. Even in December Romney isn’t saying anything that commits him to radical change, and unless he has a simultaneous strategy and character transplant he won’t be saying even that in September. And even if he says it in September he wouldn’t be able to implement it in February. …
Dionne isn’t stupid. He knows this. But, as he argues, “raising the stakes of 2012” is “playing into Obama’s hands.” So raised stakes it is. That seems to be the Dem message this week. … The question recurs: Is there an actual memo that goes out? …