From that Romney slam in the Washington Post today from Ruth Marcus:

Precisely two years ago, Mitt Romney, then the governor of Massachusetts but already eyeing a 2008 presidential bid, sat in the coffee shop of a Washington hotel, doing his best not to explain his views on abortion. Romney was speaking to a few of us from The Post, and my colleague Dan Balz noted the similarity between Romney’s expressed views on abortion rights and the stance of another Massachusetts politician, Sen. John F. Kerry: Both men said they were personally opposed to abortion but did not support making it illegal. From there, Romney proceeded to expound one of the odder positions I’ve heard in years of listening to politicians talk about a subject most would prefer to avoid: “I can tell you what my position is, and it’s in a very narrowly defined sphere, as candidate for governor and as governor of Massachusetts,” he said. “What I said to people was that I personally did not favor abortion, that I am personally pro-life. However, as governor I would not change the laws of the commonwealth relating to abortion. “Now I don’t try and put a bow around that and say what does that mean you are — does that mean you’re pro-life or pro-choice, because that whole package — meaning I’m personally pro-life but I won’t change the laws, you could describe that as — well, I don’t think you can describe it in one hyphenated word.” Got it? I didn’t, and I asked, “Do you support making abortion illegal? I’m not talking about what you would do as governor of Massachusetts.” Romney: “But that’s the furthest I’m going to take you right now. I’m governor of Massachusetts, and I’m telling you exactly what I will do as governor of Massachusetts, but I’m not going to tell you what I’d do as mayor of Boston or a congressman or any of those positions.”

I don’t know whether this represents flip-flopping or just exquisite tip-toeing.

UPDATE:

Captain Ed here:

Inconsistency has to be considered in evaluating the candidates as the primary season progresses through 2007, but we have to be careful not to create a purity standard that none can meet. One of the purposes of the pro-life conservatives in engaging the political process is to win converts, just as it is with any political movement. It seems more than passingly strange to pursue conversions and then to persecute the converted — and that seems to be what a few conservatives have done with Romney. If all that conservatives value is consistency, then let me introduce you to President Rudy Giuliani — or President Dennis Kucinich.

MORE UPDATE:

An e-mail:

Rich,

Funny that Captain Ed cited Kucinich as a paragon on consistency — in fact, Kucinich is a famous flip-flopper on . . . you guessed it, abortion. See this NRO piece from 2002.