Rising Frontrunner or Fading Candidacy?

This past week has been an interesting one for Mitt Romney. He's found himself in the bullseye of both Republicans (Huckabee, Brownback, Rich Lowry, the Weekly Standard) and Democrats (DNC, Liberal Bloggers), all while managing to pick up notable endorsements anyway. Is this just a sign of Romney emerging as a serious frontrunner or is it simply Romney being squeezed out of the race? Hotline Editor Chuck Todd believes the Democrats fear Romney more than any other candidate, but what are we to make of this week's criticism by conservative flagships like the Weekly Standard and the National Review? Is this foreshadowing rough roads ahead for Romney in his pursuit of the Republican nomination?

Naysayers are already trying to turn Romney's biggest strength, his executive experience and reputation as "Mr. Fix-It," against him. Suggesting, as the Boston Globe's Peter Canellos did yesterday, that Romney's venture capitalist instict could in fact exacerbate his greatest weakness, the perception that he is a political opportunist who is feigning his turn to the right:

This venture capitalist's ability to size up a situation and take all necessary measures has defined both his message and his campaign. The implicit message is that Romney will be a far shrewder master of the Iraq war than Bush -- making clear-headed judgments and achieving maximum results.

But Romney, in preparing for his presidential campaign, made moves as governor that often appeared bloodless and cynical -- vetoing spending programs while knowing his successor will restore them; ordering police to round up illegal immigrants at just the moment that immigration becomes a big national issue; denying protection to a visiting Iranian politician to demonstrate toughness on Iran.

These moves may get him closer to the Republican nomination, but whether they reflect deep principles or merely a venture capitalist's professional sense of what's required to achieve his goal is already the defining question of the Romney campaign.

From pretty critical press in the conservative press on one hand, to rumored endorsements by much of the Republican House leadership on the other, what does this last week really mean for Romney? Were there another candidate in the GOP field that really seemed to excite the conservative base, I think it might have spelled more of a sea change in his rising candidacy... Romney could then have been slowly squeezed out of the race. But there just doesn't seem to be anyone emerging. Everyone who is currently in has his achilles heel; McCain's alienated social conservatives, Giuliani's too liberal, Huckabee's raised taxes, Brownback's perceived as not electable, Tancredo's nuts, and so on. So the question is, has this situation created a perfect storm for Romney, a candidate whose political skills seem unmatched in the Republican field? Is Romney the rising frontrunner in this campaign?

National Review Summit

Mitt Romney addressed the National Review Conservative Summit tonight in a "wide-ranging speech" that he used to introduce himself to conservatives and explain his changed views on social issues. Romney spoke of his opposition to gay marriage and civil unions and referred to himself as "a Ronald Reagan conservative" on abortion who "learned with experience." He also highlighted his business experience and his recently unveiled "Five Step Plan Of Action To Prevent A Nuclear Iran."