The American Spectator

In addition to another poll showing him trailing McCain Romney gets whacked by the Wall Street Journal today. In the WSJ's lead editorial (subscription required) the editors ostensibly look at HillaryCare vs Obama's essentially mandate free ( at least for adults) healthcare plan. But along the way they throw in this: " This so-called 'individual mandate' has become the preferred liberal health policy tool after Mitt Romney introduced it in Massachusetts." Later on they explain: " Massachusetts has exempted almost 20% of uninsured adults who don't qualify for subsidies from mandated coverage because it is too expensive. (No thanks to the state's health-care regulations, which Mr. Romney now prefers not to mention.)" As if that is not enough Dorothy Rabinowitz offers glowing praise for McCain, announcing "It is cruel to compare the senator to most of his Republican competitors." To complete the trifecta Kimberley A. Strassel in a column entitled "The New New Mitt"( you know where she is heading) chides Romney for just recently pulling out the "Washington is broken" theme from his bag of campaign tricks. It might be fair to conclude that Romney is not their top choice.