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No. I don't think I am spinning. I fault Romney for being deceptive on the issue rather than being pro abortion.
First, pro choice is not equivalent to pro abortion. He comes to pro choice because of his mother's views and because of the close relative who died in an illegal abortion. He has to be anti abortion because of his religious background. It would have been impossible for him to be pro abortion and hold the positions he held in the Mormon church. I don't think you can show that as a bishop or a stake president he ever counseled for an abortion.
So the first thing you have to say is he has ambiguous feelings on the issue. I say he has an internal struggle over the issue.
So what does he do? He compounds the ambiguity and takes haven in the promise not to change the law. He lets MA people think he is pro abortion.
Perhaps you can explain to me, however, what could Romney have done as a governor to change the law on that anyway?
That is decided on the Federal level. He merely promised not to go on a crusade to change what he couldn't change.
However, when the issue came to his desk in more minor forms and he had to make a decision, he came down on the side of life.
I believe Romney ran on a fiscal agenda and that is how he governed.
I also think people, because they don't like Romney, are playing up the hot button issues and are exaggerating and distorting his record.
And he doesn't help his case by doing so much rhetorical fence straddling.