Mitt says he 'misspoke' about his sons and military service

Mitt Romney was raked over the coals for saying this in Iowa last week when he was asked why his sons did not sign up to serve their country:

"It's remarkable how we can show our support for our nation, and one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I'd be a great president. My son, Josh, bought the family Winnebago and has visited 99 counties, most of them with his three kids and his wife. And I respect that and respect all of those in the way they serve this great country"

First his campaign tried to say the remarks were "taken out of context." If you watch the above video, that didn't pass the smell test. So today, he had to clarify those remarks.

"I misspoke,'' the former Massachusetts governor said today on "Fox News Sunday.'' "It's not service to the country, it's service for me, and there's just no comparison there.''

...Romney said today that he "didn't mean in any way to compare service in the country with my boys in any way. Service in this country is an extraordinary sacrifice being made by individuals and their families.''

***

Mitt's a bit on the ropes, even though he bought off walked away the most votes in the Iowa straw poll this weekend (31%). Second-place finisher, covenant marriage advocate and Baptist minister Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas took a few potshots at the former governor of Massachusetts.

"Republicans are looking for a conservative who has had consistency in his principles,'' Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, said on the CBS "Face the Nation'' program. "There are not going to be any 'YouTube' moments saying something different.''

YouTube, a Web site with videos submitted by the public, contains clips of Romney expressing support for abortion rights during his term as Massachusetts governor. Now he describes himself as "pro-life.''

Romney today defended his abortion-rights turnabout on "Fox News Sunday,'' saying he expects voters to see through political attacks about his change of position.

"People want to look beyond the attacks and understand what is it that a person stands for,'' Romney said. "I changed my position on abortion. I was effectively pro-choice, given the statements I had made, but I am pro-life. I'm proud of that."

Hmmm...wasn't the whole "flip-flop" campaign against Kerry all the right wing rage in 2004, Mitt?

This can't make him happy either:

A fund-raiser for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign resigned from his volunteer post last week after being indicted in Maryland for allegedly defrauding companies of $32 million.

Alan B. Fabian, 43, a Maryland businessman who cochaired the national finance committee for Romney's campaign, was indicted Wednesday by a Maryland grand jury on 23 counts of mail fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, perjury, and obstruction of justice, according to the US attorney's office in Baltimore.