It looks to be a continuation of Romney's general election primary strategy, to simply run as if he's got the nomination in the bag.
From First Read:
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said today he will unveil his jobs plan on Sept. 6th, the same week as President Obama unveils his plan -- possibly even the same day. It's also one day before the NBC/Politico debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA. On Sept. 5th, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is hosting a candidates forum in Columbia, SC.
"If it's a continuation of what we've seen in the past, we know it will fail," Romney said to Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto of the president's plan. "I'm also in Nevada on Sept. 6th, and I will be coming out with my jobs plan, and it will be very different from his. And if we follow my jobs plan we'll get America working again."
Two things:
1. The Romney Campaign looks to me like they think they are going to be able to shake off Rick Perry without too much effort. They appear confident and intent on following their plan. That shows a good bit of campaign discipline.
2. Capitalizing off a big free media opportunity to try and get Romney's face right in there with the President's seems like a no-brainer. The President created this opportunity so it seems only smart that Team Romney should get in on the game.
That being said, I'd call this an error. The President, being Barack Obama, is almost certainly going to lay out a plan that isn't too bold and isn't too big and isn't too daring. A bit of the middlely, bipartisany, art-of-the-possibly, adult-in-roomy stuff we've gotten from him so far with respect to the economy. None of it will actually work of course, but at least he will be seizing the opportunity to claim the mantle of responsible deficit reducer/guy you'd buy life insurance from.
Romney, however, faces a very different pressure. In that, he has to not only come up with a jobs plan, he's got to do it in a way that guards his right flank (plenty of tax cuts & regulatory cuts) and contrasts well with whatever Obama puts out (must also address the deficit).
If Romney puts out a plan close to Obama's, Obama will likely give Romney a big hug and a big kiss. If Romney puts out a plan that looks like he's trying to cover his tax cut ass, then he will use Romney as a foil over the deficit.