David Axelrod, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama said Sunday that the Republicans seeking the presidential nomination don’t understand the reasons behind the “Occupy” protests that haves sprung up around the country, including Boston.

Axelrod told ABC’s “This Week” that people “want a financial system that works on the level. They want to get a fair shake.”

The remarks came the day after dozens of protesters from Occupy Wall Street were arrested in Times Square in a violent clash with police.

Meanwhile, the Occupy Boston protest has continued to grow after two weeks, and a similar movement has begun in Providence.

Axelrod said that American’s aren’t “impressed” by GOP presidential candidates saying they want to “roll back Wall St. reform.”

He also slammed frontrunner Mitt Romney for changing positions on issues throughout his political career.

“I think there’s this question about what his core principles are,” Axelrod said, citing changes in Romney’s positions from earlier in his political career when he was running for U.S. Senate and Massachusetts governor. “Then he was a pro choice, pro gay rights, pro environmental candidate for office. Then he decided to run for president. Did a 180 on all of that.

“So time and time and time again he shifts – and you get the feeling that there is no principle too large for him to throw over in pursuit of political office.”

Axelrod has specifically targeted Romney recently.

“If I were Governor Romney I’d be worried about all these changes in position and what kind of message that sends to voters,” Axelrod told “This Week” anchor Christiane Amanpour.

About The Author

John Guilfoil is the editor-in-chief of Blast: Boston's Online Magazine and the Blast Magazine Network. He can be reached at [email protected]. Tweet @johnguilfoil.

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