I was going to lay off Mitt Romney for a while, but then Romney had to go on Imus:

DON IMUS: Talking with Mitt Romney here on the "Imus in the Morning" program. This book is called No Apology in the Case for America's Greatness. Now, when you changed your mind abortion and went from pro choice, I guess, to pro-life, what -- walk me through the, what caused that.

MITT ROMNEY: Well, you know, I never really called myself pro-choice, but I did say when I was running for governor that I would keep the law as it was.

Pardon? But Romney did a little more than say he would support the current law:

[to Planned Parennthood] "I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government's. The truth is no candidate in the governor's race in either party would deny women abortion rights. So let's end an argument that does not exist and stop these cynical and divisive attacks that are made only for political gain.

As he had with Planned Parenthood, Romney answered "Yes" to questions asking whether he supported Roe v. Wade and opposed attempts to restrict abortion. After completing the questionnaire, Romney met with three NARAL executives. In this meeting, NARAL executives recount, Romney evidenced no hesitation about his pro-choice views. He also tried to pique the executives' interest in endorsing him by bluntly acknowledging that he had higher political aspirations, saying, "You need someone like me in Washington." Moreover, those present recall that Romney argued that his election would make him credible in the Republican party nationally and thus help "sensible" Republicans like him overshadow more conservative elements in the GOP.

That spring, Romney also personally telephoned the group Republican Majority for Choice and asked for its endorsement. Completing a questionnaire similar to those of other pro-choice groups, Romney got what he wanted from the pro-choice Republicans. His campaign trumpeted the endorsement with a press release.

Now, it should be noted that while he pledged to support a woman's right to choose, Romney didn't call himself pro-choice, which should mean-well-something.

Of course, lots of politicians have switched positions on abortion. Probably ever President from Carter to George W. Bush was on the other side of the abortion debate at one time or another. Why does Romney get into more trouble? W. James Antle at the American Spectator nails it:

But Romney's problem has never really been that he changed his mind. It has been the fact that he can't resist insulting people's intelligence about his past record when discussing his current position. This is a perfect political climate for Romney to downplay abortion and run as an economic problem-solver. But if he continues to pretend he was never pro-choice or play word games about his previous stance, abortion will plague his candidacy again in 2012.

Antle's right. I think Romney has a legitimate shot at moving beyond abortion if he doesn't focus on it and provides a convincing and non-insulting narrative. But for whatever reason, Romney seems to perpetually be shading the truth on his past, opening the door up to YouTube to tell the tale of the tape. I think in this environment even if a voter's big issue isn't abortion, trust is probably the big issue for Romney, and he doesn't help himself with all this subterfuge.