Mitt Romney just scored a key Christian right endorsement in South Carolina, that of Bob Jones University president Bob Jones III.

Jones said the endorsement "is all about beating Hillary," and also preventing Rudy Giuliani from getting the nomination. "If it turns out to be Giuliani and Hillary, we've got two pro-choice candidates, and that would be a disaster," Jones said — a sign that a recent outreach effort by Romney supporter Mark DeMoss, made along those same two lines, might be working.

But don't go thinking that Jones' support means he's softened his view of Mormonism, which he considers to be a cult. Along with the endorsement, Jones also made such comments as:

• "What is the alternative, Hillary's lack of religion or an erroneous religion?"

• "As a Christian I am completely opposed to the doctrines of Mormonism. But I'm not voting for a preacher. I'm voting for a president. It boils down to who can best represent conservative American beliefs, not religious beliefs."

• "I'd be very concerned if he tried to make it appear in any of his statements that Mormonism is a Christian denomination of some sort. It isn't. There's a theological gulf that can't be bridged."

Update: For some context, Jones previously wrote in 2000, "The diminution of evangelistic enterprise to cults which call themselves Christian, including Catholicism and Mormonism, is frightening."