mitt_romney.jpgWASHINGTON (AP) _ President Barack Obama's presidential campaign is accusing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney of changing his positions on taxes, health care and China trade in what could be a preview of the 2012 presidential campaign.

Obama's campaign says in a conference call with reporters Wednesday that Romney's shifting stances raise questions about what he would do if elected president.

It signals that Obama's team increasingly views Romney as in command of the Republican race, and the “flip-flopping'' charges could serve as a central argument against Romney's campaign next year.

Obama senior strategist David Axelrod criticized Romney's position on a payroll tax cut for employees. Romney said in a Republican debate Tuesday that he supports permanent changes to the tax code and referred to payroll tax cuts as “temporary little Band-Aids.''