Romney Clings to Guns and Misses a CPAC Opportunity

By Jill Lawrence // February 10, 2012 | 4:01 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington D.C. on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. (Chet Susslin)

It was probably too much to expect a Sister Souljah moment from Mitt Romney at CPAC. Too bad for the media and for him. A speech challenging conservatives, even just a little, would have made news and might have helped Romney.

Instead, firmly in his "I'm one of you" rut, Romney described himself as the governor who "prevented Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas of gay marriage" (take that, swing-state Nevada) and taunted President Obama with the assertion that "we conservatives aren't just proud to cling to our guns and to our religion. We are also proud to cling to our Constitution."

Try to imagine the sophisticated, urban, ultra-wealthy Romney clinging to his gun. It's not easy, especially given his awkward campaign-trail relationship with guns.