Throughout the campaign, Mitt Romney has promised to issue all 50 states an Obamacare waiver on the first day of his presidency. But in a meeting with the Washington Examiner’s editorial board this morning, Romney conceded that such a waiver could be tied up in lawsuits for months. He also expressed confusion about what part of the health care law his waiver would be based on, and eventually referred the question to his lawyer.

The pledge to issue a “day one” executive order has been a cornerstone of Romney’s efforts to overcome conservative opposition to his Massachusetts health care record. He’s typically employed the waiver promise to claim he could put Obamacare on hold while pursuing full repeal with Congress. For instance, in an October debate, Romney said, “as president, I will repeal Obamacare, I’ll grant a waiver on day one to get that started.”