Halperin's Take

Plouffe is part of a disciplined message team that specializes in reinforcing the most negative memes about Republicans through delivery across multiple platforms. Many Obama advisers shake their head at Romney’s political skills. They are paid to worry, so they worry about him as a general election candidate. But in their hearts, they don’t have any grave, primal fear of facing off against Romney next year. But they certainly will never pass up an opportunity like this to try to define the man who at this point is far and away the most likely to be their main obstacle to re-election.