Romney and Abortion: You Tube-ing Around Again

ABC’s Kate Snow Reports: Another "You Tube" moment for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. 

This time it’s a portion of a television interview from 2002, during Romney’s successful campaign to be that state’s governor, in which Romney and his wife, Ann, talk about his support for abortion rights. LINK

Romney has faced questions in conservative circles about the evolution of his views on abortion.  He has said publicly many times that his view changed about two and a half years ago.

Romney’s campaign says the 2002 video is nothing new.  Spokesman Kevin Madden told ABC News: “Governor Romney has been very clear and very emphatic about his pro-life position and, like Ronald Reagan and Henry Hyde before him, he has changed on this issue.”

While he says he has always personally been opposed to abortion, he did — for a number of years — feel that women should have the right to obtain an abortion.  Indeed, Romney was on the record in 2002 saying he supported the substance of the Roe v. Wade decision and supported a woman’s right to abortion.

Critics say the change in his views was politically driven.  Running for Senate against Ted Kennedy in 1994 and then running for governor of that “blue” state, critics say Romney wanted to appear more liberal. 

Romney now calls himself “pro-life.”  In a recent interview with ABC’s George Stephanopolous, he said: “Abortion is taking human life.”  In a separate interview recently, Ann Romney said she supports her husband’s anti-abortion position.

“This is something that I spent a lot of time agonizing over, because I’m personally very much pro-life in my own life, my family’s life, but didn’t know what the role of government should be and it’s been something that I’ve given a lot of thought to,” Mitt Romney said.

  In the You Tube video clip identified as an interview with a reporter from WBZ TV in Boston, Ann Romney says “I think women also recognize that they want someone that is going to manage the state well.  I think they’re maybe more nervous about him on social issues.  They shouldn’t be. Because he’s going to be just fine but the perception is that he won’t be.  It’s an incorrect perception.”

After what looks like an edit in the interview, Mitt Romney adds: “So when asked will I preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose? I make an unequivocal answer.  Yes.”

The clip follows another You Tube posting back in January featuring Romney.  In that clip from 1994, Romney is seen debating Senator Ted Kennedy.  “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country,” Romney said in that debate.  In the same debate, Kennedy retorted that Romney seemed to be “multiple choice” on abortion.

“Governor Romney stands as a testament that someone who was wrong on the issue of abortion can–by living, learning and understanding-change on this issue and be welcomed by those who have long advocated the cause,” Madden said.

Whether that explanation will be enough to satisfy conservative voters is unknown.

For its part, Romney’s camp is pointing reporters to better news for the candidate out of the same television station, WBZ in Boston.  A new poll of likely Republican New Hampshire voters conducted last week by the station and Franklin Pierce College shows Romney with the support of 22%, behind John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani.  Campaign officials believe it’s evidence that Republican voters see Romney as a strong conservative.

But the latest ABC News national poll found just 4% of U.S. voters who lean Republican would support Romney, far behind Giuliani with 44% and McCain with 21%.

There is still time for Romney though.  According to the ABC News poll, 40 % had no opinion of the candidate yet.