BOSTON (CBS) - Good luck to Mitt Romney as he starts his second run for president. He's going to need it.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

Talk to me all you want about President Obama's poor poll ratings, about soaring gas and food prices at home and dubious military ventures overseas, and I won't argue that things don't look great for a second term right now.

But mark my words, if there's even modest improvement in any of those crucial areas between now and November of 2012, the incumbent won't be easy to dislodge.

Especially for Romney, who brings both great positives and large negatives to this battle.

We saw both on display during his four years as governor here.

Romney is a bright, decent man with a real comittment (no pun intended) to public service inherited from his late father, the former governor of Michigan, and amplified by his deep religious faith.

He is a competent executive with an ability to take charge in a crisis that we saw after the Big Dig tunnel collapse, when he finally forced management changes at the Turnpike Authority that had been overdue for years.

And he is capable of developing thoughtful policy ideas with bipartisan appeal, such as the "smart growth" program that promotes housing and commercial development near public transit, and yes, the universal health care plan, a sincere attempt to cut costs and help people that has only delivered half a costly loaf.

Unlike the current incumbent at times, he understands how business works.

The downside is, Romney's grasp of how government works wasn't always that solid.

It's understandable that he was frustrated with a Democratic legislature that reflexively opposed almost everything he did, but if that happens as president, he won't be able to throw in the towel as easily as he did here.

And Romney must be more careful this time around to avoid the moments of casual hypocrisy that helped do him in last time around.

No one likes a flip-flopper, least of all one who doesn't even seem to know when he is trying to have it both ways.

As a person, I like Mitt Romney. There's no reason not to.

But I feel the same way about our current president.

So it's going to be up to Romney to make the case for change on its merits.

Good luck, Mitt. You're going to need it.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.