Mitt Romney sits for an interview, and not just on Fox News

Mitt Romney sat down for an interview on 'Face the Nation,' fielding hard balls not typically thrown at him on Fox News. Meanwhile, Obama strategist David Plouffe darted among four other Sunday talk shows, zinging Romney and defending Obama's controversial moves.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / June 17, 2012

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gestures during a campaign stop at Mapleside Farms on Sunday, June 17, 2012 in Brunswick, Ohio.

Evan Vucci/AP

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Mitt Romney threw off his media security blanket Sunday. That is, he sat down for a substantial TV interview that was not hosted by the friendly folks at Fox News.

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Appearing on CBS?s ?Face the Nation,? he faced veteran newsman Bob Schieffer, who peppered him with questions about the economy, immigration, Europe?s financial crisis, and other issues.

It wasn?t exactly the Spanish Inquisition (no verbal water-boarding), nor was it anything like a proper press conference where reporters could tag-team him.

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But there were follow-up questions. Three times, for example, Romney ducked answering whether he?d repeal President Obama?s order regarding the children of illegal immigrants brought to this country.

That?s a tough one for Romney, who?s feeling pressure from some prominent Republicans (Jeb Bush,?Marco Rubio, and?Haley Barbour among them) to back away from the very tough line he took on immigration during the GOP primary debates.

Now, he told Schieffer, ?I would work with Congress to put in place a long-term solution for the children of those that have come here illegally.? (On immigration, it seems, he?s sounding more and more like that old softy Newt Gingrich.)

Romney was questioned on another ticklish subject ? Obamacare, the model for which was Romney?s own health insurance program when he was governor of Massachusetts.

With the Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutionality of Obama's health care law expected as soon as Monday, Romney described what he would do if the justices threw it out.

He wants to make sure people "don't have to worry about losing their insurance" if they already have a medical condition and change jobs; that individuals can buy coverage on their own, if they choose to do so, "on the same tax-advantage basis" as companies do; and that states, aided by federal dollars, take responsibility for the poor and uninsured.

Again, that sounds at least somewhat more nuanced than his ?I?d repeal Obamacare on day one? line.

Here?s Romney?s exchange regarding Europe?s financial crisis:

Schieffer: "If the European economy falls apart, the American economy is going to be in big trouble. What should we be doing right now?"

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