From our New York Times Corp. Kissin’ Cousins desk:

The Boston Globe and its kissin’ cousin the New York Times have very different takes on how presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney (R-How You Like Me Now?) is viewed by the GOP’s conservative base.

From Saturday’s Globe:

Romney fires up conservatives with jabs at Obama

Mitt Romney, who battled to win the votes of skeptical conservatives during his primary campaign, is reaping praise from some prior critics for his pluck and creativity in taking the fight to President Obama now that he is the Republican presidential nominee.

“I’m telling you, this is not the McCain campaign,’’ radio host Rush Limbaugh told his listeners Thursday.

He spoke just after energetic Romney workers stymied an Obama rally in Boston, and Romney himself made a surprise visit to Solyndra, the California solar panel manufacturer that went bankrupt despite a $535 million loan guarantee from the administration.

Limbaugh also lauded the former Massachusetts governor for not distancing himself from Donald Trump earlier in the week, after the boisterous real estate magnate and television host – while gearing up to host a fund-raiser for Romney – reiterated his belief that Obama is not a US citizen.

From Saturday’s Times:

Critics From Base See Romney Pulling Punches on ‘Nice Guy’ Obama

To hear Mitt Romney tell it, President Obama has slowed the economic recovery, apologized for America abroad, taken his cues from the social democrats of Europe and wasted hundreds of millions in stimulus dollars on companies like Solyndra.

But there is one more thing Mr. Romney regularly reminds voters about the president: “He’s a nice guy.” Those were Mr. Romney’s words last month at a campaign stop in Fort Lupton, Colo., where he added, for good measure, “I don’t have a problem with the man personally.”

That followed Mr. Romney’s portrayal of Mr. Obama in April as “a nice guy” who “spent too much time at Harvard,” and his description of the president in October as “well meaning, but just over his head when it comes to the economy.”

Even as Mr. Romney steps up his attacks on the Obama administration, his measured portrayal of the president himself — his He’s-a-Nice-Guy-But approach — has stirred some concerns among fellow Republicans who are eager, after nearly four years of an Obama administration, to see the president demonized.

So, to review: The Globe says conservatives think Romney is bashing Obama. The Times says conservatives think Romney is babying Obama.

What say you, splendid readers?