Mitt Romney: That Was Then, This Is The '08 Election Season

Romney strongly arguing in favor of abortion, back in his 1992 senate campaign against bridge-diving enthusiast Ted Kennedy.

Instapundit and his Repubican co-host, Dr. Helen, interview him. He says he's evolved, with a little crowd-pleasing self-deprecation about being older, wiser, and heavier.

Hugh Hewitt has the transcript, if you don't want to listen:

"Of course, I was wrong on some issues back then. I'm not embarrassed to admit that. I think most of us learn with experience. I know I certainly have.

"If you want to know where I stand by the way, you don't just have to listen to my words, you can go to look at my record as governor. Frankly, in the bluest of states. Facing the most liberal media in the country. I've led the fight to preserve traditional marriage. I've taken every legal step I could conceive of, to prevent same sex marriage.

"I have also taken action to protect the sanctity of life. I vetoed bills that authorized embryo farming, therapeutic cloning, Plan B emergency contraception, and of course a redefinition of when life was going to begin as well.

"I've also fought for family. I've promoted abstinence education in the schools.

"I fought for English immersion in our schools and school choice. And of course as you'd expect from a Republican, I've held the line on taxes and I've worked to re-instate the death penalty.

"And I'm proud that at the same time, I've fought discrimination. I believe every American deserves equal opportunity.

"Now, that's my record. And maybe that's why people on the other side are dredging up 13 year old history and attacking me now."

I don't know. Who cares, really? I think if a politician cares strongly about one issue beyond his own career, he's in the upper tier of principle.

I just think we're being unrealistic to think a politician cares so strongly about every single issue as to have formed an unwavering opinion on each of them from an early age from which he has never once deviated.

I know Rudy Giuliani really hates crime, really likes cops, and thinks raising taxes is a fool's game.

Am I troubled by his position on social issues? Not terribly. I expect him to flip-flop on them, mostly. Because I really don't think he cares a lot about abortion or gay marriage or even immigration. So I don't think it will be too psychically damaging for him to suddenly reverse his previous positions.

Romney did the same.

John McCain kinda-sorta did the same, when -- supposed staunch pro-life advocate he -- said he'd discuss a possible abortion with his daughter were she to, hypothetically, tell him she intended to get one.

And I'm not really terribly sure that if Mr. Says What He Means, Means What He Says Bush really cares that much about these issues either.

The governing class, no matter what their stated politics, comes out of the same coastal monied class that all good liberal twacks do. That rubs off some.

Voters want their leaders to strongly embrace their particular values, and care about them strongly, but each voter has a different set of priorities he needs his leader to unswervingly support. Meaning that we have politicians who are supposed to care about everything passionately.

We have a word for people who care about everything passionately. We call them "maniacs."

I'm not sure what Mitt Romney really cares about the way I know what Rudy Giuliani really cares about. Time will tell, I guess. At the current moment I like the fact that Romney says all the right things, but... I'm also bothered that he says all the right things.

Almost as if he's calculating what positions to take for best political positioning.

Again, we'll get a sense of what he really cares about eventually. If we end up getting to see a real core there, and that core seems like the sort of thing we'd want making life and death decisions, we'll like him. If not, then not.

But this is all pretty weak tea. Whoever put this video on YouTube hopes we'll all be shocked, shocked to find politics going on in politics.

And I'll be equally bored when I find out that it was Rudy's people, or McCain's people, or Gingrich's people who loaded the Romney speech on to YouTube.

Scandal! Skull-duggery!

Whatever.

Isn't this all starting awfully early? I really don't want to even bother with this crap yet.

Can y'all just wait for maybe May or June?

posted by Ace at 02:08 AM

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