Early in the general election campaign, Mitt Romney made it clear that he was not going to disclose the details of his plans before voters cast their ballots. …
With the candidates running neck-and-neck 2 weeks before Election Day, Romney has no choice but to walk a tightrope on either side of which lie his irreconcilable claims.
His own party has moved so far to the right that the path to the nomination forces Republican candidates to adopt positions that cannot be sold in the general election.
To accommodate both the conservative wing of his party and the demands of mainstream voters has required Romney to dodge tough questions, but in many ways he has gotten away with it. [cont.]
Thomas Edsall, Columbia U. (NYT)