Byron York: If Perry doesn't attack Romney, Obama will

(By Byron York, Campaign 2012) - In the past week, Barack Obama has run a more effective campaign against Mitt Romney than any of Romney's opponents for the Republican presidential nomination. Top Obama strategist David Axelrod hit the former Massachusetts governor hard with charges of flip-flopping on abortion, health care, the environment and other issues. "We're having this call because Gov. Romney has been so brazen in his switches of position," Axelrod said in a conference call with reporters last week. "You get the feeling that there is no principle too large for him to throw over in pursuit of political office," he said on ABC's "This Week."

Axelrod has nothing good to say about the GOP field's efforts to take on Romney. Assessing Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Axelrod said simply, "He hasn't exactly gotten the gun out of the holster."

Axelrod's critique irritates many Republicans, but he's doing them a favor. For all his strengths, if Romney becomes the GOP nominee, he will bring significant weaknesses to the race. And so far, at least, Romney's Republican rivals have not effectively exploited those weaknesses. The Obama campaign will.