Romney has calculated that being exposed as a racist liar is well worth it

Romney has calculated that the downside of being exposed as a racist liar is well worth it, in exchange for the word "welfare" being said on TV more often.

I am sort of shocked that they would include the welfare lie in the convention. That is ideal for TV ads being shown in states the inside-the-beltway media types never go to anyway, but anything at the convention gets into "hard to ignore" territory. It demands attention.

Doing so (it is said that Santorum is about to deliver a welfare speech) constitutes seeking a national fight in the media that Romney cannot possibly win... at least not on the merits.

But he obviously thinks that simply having the fight redounds to his benefit.