Interviews like this are the major challenge that Mitt Romney faces in his quest for the presidency.

Contrast it with Rudy on Charlie Rose, and you will see why Rudy is gaining ground in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Having said that, Romney was more than patient with the neanderthal interviewer who sandbagged him about his religion. Romney defended his Mormon faith quite effectively against the interviewer who seemed to want to talk about none other than that faith. Romney displayed a passion and forcefulness while doing so that is exemplary. One would wish that many of our hapless politicians could do the same when explaining their advocacy of certain policies.

But the problem Romney faces is that it is inevitable that discussions of this kind are all too likely to devolve into a discussion of Mormonism as such, and that is not going to help win him the Republican nomination or the presidency.