To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Nation

Words boost, bedevil Romney

Jeb Bush gives a coveted backing; aide likens campaign to an Etch A Sketch

Mitt Romney sought to capitalize Wednesday on his sweeping victory in Illinois, hailing the surprise endorsement from one of his party’s beacons, Jeb Bush, while trying to corral support from other prominent Republicans. Yet comments from his own top adviser inadvertently evoked a nagging challenge for Romney to lock up the GOP nomination for president. Eric Fehrnstrom appeared to imply on CNN that Romney could essentially wipe away the arch conservative views he’s forcefully espoused in the primaries once he pivots to take on President Obama in the general election.

Are you a home delivery subscriber?

Get FREE access as part of your print subscription

Start Here

Contact us for help

Comments

Hey Santorum...you may actually believe what you say, but the problem is that WE also believe that you believe what you say!

Nice move on lapdog eric's part. How many more chanes will this f*****get?

Given the political zigs and zags Romney has made in his career, I can't help but wonder if Fehrnstrom didn't make a Freudian slip. Anyway, this episode just reinforces my doubts about the credibility of our former "severely conservative" governor.

of course you reset

How is this nitwit still winning? Just shows what his competition is .

One of the better analogies of the campaign season, good job Eric. Any candidate has to get through a primary past ideologues, many of them irrational, in order to get to talk with the majority of voters, in order to get elected and save the world. What else can you do but play etch-a-sketch? It's either that or don't bother running. The trick is to stay true to your principles that really matter, in Mitt's case it's the issues that impact the economy, and not apologizing for America.

Does this mean Fehrnstom will be riding on top of the car on the way back to Boston?

Fehrnstrom has accurately (and cynically) pointed out that, for the 'anybody but Obama' crowd, the Republican nominee (clearly he wants Romney nominated, but the same applies if Santorum or anyone else gets the nomination) can pretend like the pandering and posturing during the primary season never existed. Sadly, he's right. And it's not like this is unique to one party or the other. Unfortunately, voting for 'anybody but so-and-so' doesn't mean the the better person wins. Disclaimer: this is not an endorsement of any candidate, real or imagined.

Better than staying behind in the pound, Potlemac :)