[Quote]:

“Then I had to deal with you people. And I’ll be honest — you’re crazy! You’ve made me pretend all year that making sure every Massachusetts resident had secure access to health insurance was somehow bad, and that Barack Obama’s desire to do this for the country is worse. You made me stand up and say that a deficit-cutting deal with $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in taxes wasn’t good enough! And don’t get me started on gays, guns or God.

“But I’ve done everything you’ve asked. And you’ve rewarded me for telling you what you wanted to hear. Why did I say a bunch of stuff I don’t believe? Because I know this: Once I get the power, it won’t matter what I’ve said before.

“That’s the flaw with all the comparisons of me to my dad. Dad gave back big bonuses. Dad put out 12 years of tax returns. Dad told the party where to get off. Well, my father was my hero. But you know what Dad never did? Dad never became the GOP nominee or the president. See if you can figure out the lessons I drew about the payoff for purity in American public life.