Romney's words replayed out of context by each opponent

On Monday, Mitt Romney said when discussing purchasing health insurance that he "likes being able to fire people who provide services to me." While the context was being able to change insurers if they're not providing good service -- and the incentive that that possibility instills in providers of services -- Romney's opponents wasted no time taking his remarks out of context, making it sound as if Romney was making a blanket statement about relishing firing people.

Jon Huntsman knew he was wildly misconstruing Romney's words when the former said that "Gov. Romney enjoys firing people" which, even out of context, Romney didn't say. But putting aside that such an interpretation was clearly not what Romney meant, even if he had said "I like being able to fire people" as a more general statement, one has to wonder what his critics would propose as alternative. Should a businessman not be able to fire people? Once again, Mussolini's heart warms at the words of Romney's critics.

That said, Romney's words will be referenced or replayed out of context by each opponent he will face over the coming 10 months; it was perhaps his first important gaffe of the campaign even though an honest observer would find his statement unremarkable. When it comes to dishonest observers, it's hard not to think "With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats?"