This week was supposed to catapult Mitt Romney to a new level -- one rivaling Sen. John McCain for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. And no question, the week had its high points -- the $6.5 million fundraising haul on Monday and Sen. Jim DeMint's (R.-S.C.) endorsement on Tuesday. However, communications blunders have left Romney looking very un-presidential.

The most significant occurred today when the Romney campaign released an official "Research Briefing" calling on reporters to "Meet the Real Brian Camenker." Camenker has caused more than a few headaches for Romney with his 28-page report attacking Romney's claims to be a social conservative. When the Associated Press wrote about Camenker today, Romney's campaign churned out the 706-word report.

Romney's report calls Camenker "not a credible voice." But then why bother putting out a hit piece on the guy? Granted, Camenker is most certainly an annoyance to Romney, but will Romney's campaign attack every Tom, Dick and Harry who criticizes him?

It's not only the Camenker incident that has me questioning Romney's viability. Earlier in the week, Romney's team accused McCain's campaign of creating an embarrassing video from the 1994 U.S. Senate debate between Romney and Teddy Kennedy. That accusation turned out to be completely false.

Conservatives are desperate for a presidential race that focuses on the issues, not ad hominem attacks. The mud-slinging that Republicans offered us in 2006 was rejected by voters, and any repeat would be disastrous.

It gives me no pleasure to write this about Mitt Romney, but I can only hope he takes this advice seriously. I, for one, hope he spends less time attacking the Brian Camenkers of the world and more time devising solutions for the future of our country.