According to the Democrats, “Romnesia” is “a failure to recall previous extreme stances.”
The word immediately took off on Twitter and jumped within the hour to a worldwide trend term. Team Obama, understandably excited at the quick popularity, jumped on the trend by promoting a tweet from Obama under the trending hashtag.
The campaign actually did not coin the word, but Obama's use of the term in a campaign speech certainly brought it to the attention of a wider audience.
"He's forgetting what his own positions are, and he's betting you would too," Obama said of Mitt Romney at a campaign stop in Virginia on Friday. "He's backtracking and sidestepping. We've got to name this condition he's going through. I think it's called 'Romnesia.' I think that's what he's going through."
Conservatives responded with their own hashtag: #Obamnesia. Twitter analytics said thousands used the alternative hashtag on Friday, but it did not show up in the trending terms although #Romnesia remained a hot topic well into the afternoon.
.@barackobama diagnoses Mitt Romney's pre-existing condition: #Romnesia, a failure to recall previous extreme stances. j.mp/T38QWs
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) October 19, 2012
Good news: Obamacare covers pre-existing conditions—like "#Romnesia." OFA.BO/GuVkG4
— Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaTom Brokaw retiring from NBC News after 55 years Obama remembers baseball legend Hank Aaron as 'one of the strongest people I've ever met' Baseball legend Hank Aaron dies at 86 MORE (@BarackObama) October 19, 2012
As governor of #MA, @mittromney supported action on #climatechange. Now he uses it as a punchline. #romnesia #globalwarming #p2
— Ed MarkeyEd MarkeyDemocrats shoot down McConnell's filibuster gambit Biden signs executive order invoking 2-year lobbying ban for appointees Five centrist Democrats oppose Pelosi for Speaker in tight vote MORE (@MarkeyMemo) October 19, 2012
Updated at 3:04 p.m.
