A candidate falls into the Twitter Trap when he allocates substantial time, energy, and resources to chasing the news cycle and scoring points with reporters and pundits. This sort of strategy may keep staff busy and amused, but it is not the way to victory. Romney must avoid playing at Obama’s level. He must project an image appropriate to the office of the presidency while attacking endlessly the incumbent’s record on the economy, the debt, and health care. He must strike a drastic contrast with the president, who is going to run this campaign small and petty because he has no other options.

A typical incumbent tells the American people that he deserves reelection because the country is doing well and his administration has overseen popular initiatives. But the country is not doing well and Obama’s “accomplishments” are, in the view of most Americans, nothing of the sort. No one but economists can seriously believe that the stimulus was a success. The health care law is a disaster in the making that Americans want to repeal—if the Supreme Court does not do it for them…

The worst thing Romney could do is step into the net. Let aides trade Tweets with Obama spokesmen now and then, but don’t make it a priority. Let others take the low road.