DOES ANYONE EDIT THE HERALD?:

Mitt: New & unproved--Prez hopeful takes conservatism for a 'spin' (Jessica Heslam, 1/12/07, Boston Herald)

Mitt Romney's multimillion dollar makeover is redefining the reform-driven ex-Bay State governor on the presidential trail as a Reagan conservative, employing top-notch spin artists and even "Mitt TV" on the Web.

"He has gone above and beyond anyone else in terms of hiring early talent, to the point where he's competing with John McCain for acquiring high-priced staffers earlier than ever before," said Jordan Lieberman, publisher of Campaigns & Elections Magazine. [...]

But his most important challenge is positioning himself as a true conservative in the field and that makes for some fast talking on gay rights and abortion.

"Romney has redefined, repositioned himself as a staunch conservative," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "It may or may not be true. You often wonder what these people really believe, if anything."

Madden defended Romney's positions on abortion and gay marriage, saying his abortion views have evolved and that he's always been for traditional marriage.

But Sabato said, "He is coming out as a champion of the pro-life cause and the anti-gay marriage cause. That's obviously a reversal from 1994 - no matter what he says."

Whether the remaking of Romney works remains to be seen. Conservative Republican primary voters are "very untrustworthy" to begin with, GOP strategist and Herald contributor Holly Robichaud said.

Even assuming that's what she said, it's obviously not what she meant. Why include it in the story?

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 12, 2007 7:56 AM