I’m optimistic he pulls it off because he pulled off the last debate. I thought he didn’t appear fully in the campaign zone during any national performance until last week. I think he’s ready for his moment. It’s a moment in which he has the opportunity to talk about religious liberty and the important common values he shares with religious conservatives. I think if he approaches it in an optimistic way, he has a real shining city on a hill opportunity.

But we’ll see Thursday.

This speech is, in some ways, a media-created moment. They insisted he do this. Just as they insisted Huckabee would rock the race. Huckabee has indeed rocked the race, and maybe too soon for his own good — maybe the timing of it all works perfectly for Romney.