Meditations, sort of

Imitating the world weariness of a Roman tribune, WaPo columnist Kathleen Parker admonishes the political media for its juvenile obsession with the flip-flops of presidential candidates. I'll stipulate that she has a point. But Parker then launches into a predictable defense of Mitt Romney's infamous flip-floppery, the real purpose of the piece. By her light, the constant changing-of-the-mind is the mark of a vigorous intelligence at work. Nice try -- but Parker's attempt to portray Romney as "Marcus Aurelius" in a business suit doesn't quite work. Mitt's problem stems from being so manifestly inauthentic and obtuse on the issues. If he has any core convictions, he seems determined to keep them a state secret. However, Parker does raise one salient truth in her imitation meditation: "In a saner world, we would not distrust those who change their minds but rather those who never do." On that score, even the real Marcus Aurelius would agree.