Flip-flopping charges outside Romney event

The Republican charge that he flip-flopped too much may have helped derail the candidacy of John Kerry. But now Massachusetts Democrats have embraced the metaphor to wage war on one of their favorite political nemeses: Mitt Romney.

About two-dozen Democratic activists passed out yellow-, blue-, and green-dotted variants of the summer shoes yesterday evening outside Fenway Park, where Romney supporters were holding a barbecue .

As a fleet of Peter Pan buses shuttled the guests to Fenway's gates, the Democratic activists circulated foot-shaped leaflets imprinted with the former governor's words on issues ranging from gun control to immigration. Critics have accused Romney of changing his positions to appeal to red state conservatives.

"It's not such a terrible thing when people change their mind," said Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman John Walsh. "But I think Mitt Romney's level of changing his mind takes flip-flopping to an Olympic level. It's a wholesale change."

Romney's spokesman, Kevin Madden, dismissed the Democrats' flip-flop campaign as "name calling."

"The governor has a strong and consistent record on every issue, whether it's fiscal or social," Madden said. "As a Republican, you know you're doing something right any time Democrats are attacking you."

JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ