For years Mitt Romney had a fairly soft position on abortion. When he ran against Senator Kennedy in 1994 Romney disclosed in 1994 that he became committed to legalized abortion after a relative died during an illegal abortion. He said the abortion made him see "that regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal."

When he ran for governor in 2002, Romney pledged not to change the state's abortion laws, despite his personal opposition. He also pledged to "fully protect a woman's right to choose" abortion.

But his veto in 2005 of an emergency contraceptives bill & his comments in recent months have sparked speculation among critics that Romney is hardening his opposition to abortion to gain support from GOP conservatives. Romney says his anti-abortion views have "evolved and deepened" since he took office, colored in part by the debate over embryonic stem cell research.

In New Hampshire in 2006, he deflected conservative concerns about his record on gay marriage and abortion. He said he now describes himself as "firmly pro-life."

I am all for changing view points even among political candidates. But, this particular change seems to be completely politically motivated and has nothing to do with deep, heart-felt beliefs.

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