Will Romney govern as a pragmatist or an ideologue?

As the New York Times pointed out in a piece written off the interview, there was the allowance that perhaps President Barack Obama’s health care reform is not all bad. (“There are a number of things that I like in health care reform that I’m going to put in place,” said Romney, though keep is a more accurate term in this context than put. “One is to make sure that those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage.”)

There was the acknowledgement that deficits could not be brought fully under control even in a single presidential term. And there was the admission that President Obama had made America safer with the execution of Osama bin Laden and the drone attacks on al-Qaeda targets.

Then came an exchange that got less notice but which I think is among the more revealing remarks Romney has made in a long time.