In Massachusetts, as the Washington Post has reported, Mitt Romney promised to protect and preserve the right to abortion, to work behind the scenes for gay rights (but not for gay marriage), and to work to arrest “climate change.” Then he ran for president in the Republican primaries, his views took a U-turn, and charges were brought upon him of flipping, which still linger on to this day.

Before we judge him too harshly, two things should be said: One, that in 2007 both E.J. Dionne of the Post and National Review editor Rich Lowry broke the news that most politicians don’t care for abortion one way or the other, and toe their parties’ lines for much the same reason shop owners pay money to gangsters.