WASHINGTON, May 10 (UPI) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, in an interview with Time magazine, tries to explain his change of heart on abortion.
"It hit me very hard that we had so cheapened the value of human life in a Roe vs. Wade environment that it was important to stand for the dignity of human life," he said. "We learn with experience. We gain perspective over time, but the principles remain the same. I have a number of principles, and the principles remain the same."
Romney's previous stand on abortion served him well in Massachusetts, one of the most liberal states in the country. But it was a liability with Republican voters in next year's presidential primary, who appear not to trust his new views.
Romney also talked about his beliefs as a Mormon and growing up Mormon in Michigan, where his father, George Romney, headed American Motors before going into politics. He said that being Mormon as a child and young man was "not a burden."
"I think it's a helpful thing for the development of the character of a young person to be different from their peers," Romney said. "It's a blessing to be different and stand up for that."
