. >> lois romano is a senior political writer for politico.an understand party sensitivity when you start talking about third parties but jon huntsman is clearly someone who is never really comfortable with the right word tilt of his party in these primaries. >> i think it's very hard to figure out what jon huntsman is doing. he endorsed mitt romney but made very clear he wasn't going to lift a finger for him. he wasn't going to go out and campaign. there's a lot of speculation that he's actually interested in a third party for himself because he's mentioned it on numerous occasions. he's denied that. but it keeps coming up. and he actually unfortunately sounded a little bitter making that comment comparing the party to the chinese communist party. >> and it does sound -- of course, the connection is that he was our ambassador to china and ambassador for president obama in china which is one of the reasons why he had so much difficulty with the conservative wing of his own party. so he's -- he seese to be a man without a country, if you will.

. >> my panel today, nia-malika henderson, lois romano and jackie kucinich. elite media all represented here, except for "the new york times." whatever it s the old gray lady there. lois, doctrine verps suss practices, very interesting almost admission from romney, if you will. >> smart. very, very smart way to approach it 'cause he will talk -- he doesn't want to talk about what's in that book of mormon but he will talk about that he is devout and that he gives to his church and that, in fact, he went on to say during that that he mentored people, avenues counselor for a while, people have a lot of trouble. he is trying to personalize it, maybe connect with the christian base and say let's not worry about that, you know, just like catholics don't particularly read the bible as much. >> they don't want to talk about go to the doctrine stuff, which nobody wants to -- people don't like to have that discussion. >> people consider themself religious and spiritual but not doctrinal. >> just had this discussion with governor sununu, the whole hand wringing being on,