Romney's 2002 News Flashback: 'My Views Are Progressive

This is the clip you're likely to hear a lot about in the coming days. Back in 2002, while campaigning for governor, Mitt Romney gave an interview to a local TV station while at a campaign stop. And now it's starting to go viral. Why? Well, here's what he said:

"I think people recognize that I am not a partisan Republican. That I'm someone who is moderate, and that my views are progressive."

Here's the video:

But here's an important question: Is the video as damning as some might think?

Consider that the term "progressive" may not have had the same stigma in 2002 as it has now. Many already know that Romney is not the staunchest conservative in the field, and his policies as governor of Massachusetts have raised eyebrows (i.e. Romneycare). So then the question becomes: Is this Mitt admitting he's an FDR-Teddy-Roosevelt-type progressive, or is this him trying to pander to a liberal electorate in Massachusetts before the term progressive was the dirty word it has become today in conservative circles?

You decide.

By the way, the video wasn't unearthed by a liberal think tank. It's the work of Andrew Kaczynski, a young college student who describes himself as a "moderate Republican."

(H/T: Business Insider & Hot Air)