I have a new column at Columbia Journalism Review on the differing narratives that the press has applied to the changing political positions of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Here’s how it begins:

Are Barack Obama and Mitt Romney so different after all? Despite the media’s portrayal of Romney as a uniquely craven politician, the recent controversy over Obama’s views on gay marriage highlights the ways that both candidates—like nearly all politicians—have adjusted their positions over their careers for political reasons.

Read the whole thing for more.