Romney’s $10,000 mistake

This was, by some margin, the most talked about moment of Saturday night’s Republican debate. Accused by Rick Perry of changing a passage in his book advocating an individual health care mandate, Mitt Romney stretched out his hand to the Texas Governor and said ‘I’ll tell you what, ten thousand bucks? Ten thousand dollar bet?’

For Romney’s opponents, the bizarre challenge provided the perfect clip with which to attack him. It combines Romney’s biggest negatives into one neat sound bite: his record on healthcare, his flip-flopping, and the idea that he’s an out-of-touch Wall Street millionaire. And, just as when Perry got a rise out of him over immigration in October, it calls his temperament into question.

Immediately, Jon Huntsman’s campaign bought 10kbet.com (‘Why Mitt Romney owes Rick Perry $10,000’), Democrats put together a web video labelling him ‘Simply out of touch – ten thousand times over’, and Rick Perry released this ad, declaring ‘One bet you can count on… the truth isn’t for sale’:

Just how bad a blow this is for Romney remains to be seen, but those betting on the outcome certainly seem