( CNN ) -- `` This is a man without a core , a man without substance , a man that will say anything to become president of the United States . '' Rudy Giuliani uttered these harsh words when describing Mitt Romney eight months ago . But then , four months later , Giuliani endorsed Romney . Is Giuliani correct ? Is Romney truly a man `` without a core '' ? The simple answer : No . Romney has a distinct core -- not that of a politician , but of a CEO . What do I mean ? We have become accustomed in these highly partisan times to politicians who adhere rigidly to their ideological positions . They do n't change their views to attract supporters . Rather , they want voters to agree with the positions they advocate . In contrast , a CEO is not shackled by ideology . A CEO 's success is measured by the bottom line , not by how many principles he or she sticks to . To the CEO , if a product is not selling , you do n't stick with it until the product destroys your business . Instead , you tweak it . You rebrand it . You try a new slogan or new packaging . And if people are still not buying it , like New Coke , you drop it . You regroup , come up with a new product and then start selling again . Romney is first and foremost a businessman . In fact , Romney has repeatedly made this very point to us with statements like : `` I spent my life in the private sector , not in government . I only spent four years as a governor . I did n't inhale . I 'm a business guy . '' I 'm not defending Romney 's acrobatic flips on issues . In fact , if Romney loses this election , he would make a great circus performer . I can see the ads : `` The Amazing Romney -- he can change positions in midair . '' At times , I truly wonder if Mitt realizes we have Google and can look up his record on issues . But Romney 's `` evolution '' on certain key issues does not technically constitute a `` flip-flop , '' which is defined by Dictionary.com as , `` A sudden or unexpected reversal as of direction , belief , attitude or policy . '' Romney 's changing views are neither sudden nor unexpected . Rather , they are astutely calculated by Romney the businessman to appeal to the customers he 's targeting at that very moment . This is a man clearly driven by the adage : `` The customer is always right . '' For example , this week Romney declared that the individual mandate imposed by Obamacare is a tax . Yet when Romney was the governor of Massachusetts , he implemented an identical individual mandate but consistently denied it was a tax . Romney has simply modified his `` product line '' to attract the most customers based on the current marketplace conditions . Even `` Mad Men 's '' Don Draper would have to be in awe of Romney 's business acumen . This strategy is even more apparent when you contrast Romney 's views from when he ran for office in Massachusetts with those he espoused when seeking the Republican presidential nomination . In Massachusetts , Romney fashioned a product that appealed to the left-leaning consumers who populate the state . But when seeking to sell his wares to the more conservative Republican primary market , he customized it accordingly . For example , on abortion , Romney was unequivocally pro-choice in his run for the Senate in 1994 and for governor in 2002 . In fact , during a 2002 gubernatorial debate , Romney stated , `` I will preserve and protect a woman 's right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard . '' But when Romney sought the Republican nomination , he tweaked his goods to appeal to these right-leaning buyers by saying , `` I support the reversal of Roe v . Wade . '' On gun control , Romney admitted during his 1994 Senate race that his views were , `` ... not going to make me the hero of the NRA . '' Indeed , as governor , Romney signed into law a ban on assault weapons , dubbing them `` instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people . '' Flash forward to 2012 . During the Republican primaries , Romney again fine-tuned his merchandise to attract the more conservative gun owners . In April , he even addressed the NRA 's national convention , explaining , `` We need a president who will enforce current laws , not create new ones that only serve to burden lawful gun owners . '' Romney not only revamped his product line , he also repackaged himself . During his 1994 Senate campaign , Romney told Massachusetts voters , `` I 'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush . '' But when running for the Republican presidential nomination , he shrewdly rebranded himself as a self-described `` Reagan Republican . '' For many , a CEO-style president could be a good fit . Romney 's track record indicates he will likely be a pragmatic leader , not rigidly beholden to ideology . But for others like myself , Romney 's CEO core and ever evolving product line lead to doubt about every word he says . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah .
Dean Obeidallah : Is Mitt Romney truly a man `` without a core '' ? No . Obeidallah : Romney has a distinct core -- not one of a politician , but one of a CEO . He says a CEO is not shackled by ideology , but by how well he can sell a product . And that's why the GOP primary voters are so excited about him and his message. Romney the businessman modifies his messages to get the customers .