What's this? Tea Party darling Marco Rubio reneging on his repeal pledge?

I’m with a small group of reporters in a D.C. coffee shop, chatting with Florida Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio. He just mentioned that there are two parts within the Obamacare legislation that he doesn’t want repealed*. The first is the ban on insurance companies denying coverage based on preexisting conditions and the second is that he thinks that children up to age 26 should be allowed to “buy into” their parents’ coverage.

But the lapse was short-lived:

* UPDATE: Team Rubio seeks to clarify: Marco believes the health care law should be repealed – all of it. [blah, blah, blah, blah, blah ...]

With recent polls showing Charlie Crist ahead, Rubio knows that he has to tack to the center if he's to have any chance of winning ... but he can't afford to offend the lunatic fringe that got him the nomination.

Rubio is caught between a tea bag and a hard place.