BREAKING: Romney Announces Presidential Exploratory Committee

Guy Benson | April 11, 2011 4:06 PM

In a shock to absolutely nobody, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee:

The only genuinely surprising element of this inevitablity is its timing. Today is, after all, the

five-year anniversary of 'Romneycare' -- which is widely viewed as Romney's most acute vulnerability heading into the GOP primary slog. Was today's announcement timed to distrupt an unfavorable meme, or is Team Romney sending an implicit signal that they aren't afraid to confront the issue, and will refuse to let it control their approach?

Or was it merely coincidental, forcing talking-head dopes like yours truly to grasp for some larger symbolism?

A final stray thought: The motif and tone of Romney's announcement video is conspicuously different from Tim Pawlenty's offering last month. Which approach is more effective, and does it matter at all?