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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney steered clear of social issues almost entirely in his address this morning before the socially conservative activists at the Values Voters summit.

Romney's speech never veered much from the economy and the size of the government, leading one longtime Romney adviser to say, "It was an adult speech because he didn't pander."

"The Obama administration promised that they would ‘fundamentally change the way Washington works,'" Romney said toward the end of his remarks. "They misled us. They are trying to change the way America works, and we will not let them do it."

Ron Kaufman, a veteran Republican operative who's supported Romney's efforts in the past, said, "It wasn't a rah-rah speech, which is what people usually give here. It was a thoughtful speech that made everyone in the audience think."

Romney's critics have questioned his authenticity and ability to connect with voters throughout his rise in national politics, and a former adviser to Romney's last presidential bid told RealClearPolitics recently that there was a real concern in 2008 that "Romney didn't know who he was." In his remarks today, Romney appeared to be chipping away at that obstacle and revealed a more genuine side that came across as concerned, not angry.

He offered a message on the economy that was more fine-tuned than some of his Republican contemporaries have done recently by choosing to offer optimism rather than stoking fear. "Of course, the economy is slowly getting better and eventually it will right itself," he said. "It will be thanks to the hard work and innovation of the American people. Vice President Biden will say that he and the president deserve the credit. No, they have prolonged the recession, extended the pain of joblessness, and added to the burden of debt that will hang over the economy for generations." He went on to offer this prophetic note: "Their failure is one reason they will serve only one term."

The Democratic National Committee pounced soon after Romney finished speaking and offered a new rendition on their attempt to brand him as a flip-flopper. "Another Romney speech, another round of flip-flops," read the subject line on an e-mail the DNC blasted to reporters. Not all of the five the committee lists are true shifts, however.

One refers to Romney's recent book, "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness," in which he suggests that the stimulus would accelerate economic recovery. The DNC suggests that it was a flip-flop for Romney to say in his speech today that the stimulus the administration implemented did not have the desired effect.

In another case, the only time Romney mentioned social issues in his speech was to say that supporters of two things - "the sanctity of life and the preservation of marriage" - were in the audience today. The DNC's document asserted, "Romney used to run as a pro-choice candidate," because in his 1994 Senate race against then-Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, he said he did not favor overturning Roe v. Wade.