As he contemplates a less fanatical general-election audience, he is beginning to talk about the interests of women (not mentioning his plan to “get rid of” Planned Parenthood), conceding that the occasional regulation might be useful (though he wants to eliminate many of the most important), even admitting that President Obama didn’t cause the recession.

His problem, of course, is that wherever he goes, he will be followed by those extreme positions and careless statements, and others he made to get to the front of the pack. No shake of the Etch A Sketch can erase them…

His party has rewarded him for advocating government passivity in the face of economic struggle. A larger electorate is likely to be far more skeptical.