The Washington Post published a lengthy article today about “pranks” and “troubling incidents” by Mitt Romney in high school. In one case, “recalled similarly by five students,” Romney ambushed and forcibly clipped the hair of a younger student who was “perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality.”

The story sparked so much attention that Romney was forced to address it during a “hastily scheduled” appearance on Fox News Radio. Romney told host Brian Kilmeade: “Back in high school, I did some dumb things, and if anybody was hurt by that or offended, obviously I apologize for that.” Romney added that he didn't remember the hair incident specifically, and “I certainly don't believe that I thought the fellow was homosexual. That was the furthest thing from our minds back in the 1960s, so that was not the case.”

On RedState.com, CNN contributor Erick Erickson dismissed the Post's story as “Mitt Romney cut a hippy's hair at his preparatory high school”:

Mitt Romney cut a hippy's hair at his preparatory high school. A day after Barack Obama caved on gay marriage, the Washington Post “coincidentally” says Mitt Romney cut the hair of a boy who “was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality.”

Let's leave out the fact that the kid who got his haircut was subsequently thrown out of school for smoking one cigarette, but we're to believe that the assailants of his hair, witnessed by many, were ignored. Oh, and the guy who got is hair cut never, ever, ever mentioned it, including to family, and died in 2004 so it can't be verified. But a handful of students who now probably support Barack Obama have a crystal clear memory of events from 50 years ago. The people who were adults at the time of the incident and still alive have no memory of it, but remember Romney and said he was never a disciplinary problem.

Erickson also emailed his Redstate.com Morning Briefing list about the story with the subject line, “BREAKING NEWS: Mitt Romney Went to High School. Seriously.”

The “cut a hippy's hair” quip may have been lifted from RedState.com co-founder Joshua Trevino, who earlier posted a similar sentiment on Twitter, much to Erickson's enjoyment.

Erickson also tweeted: “DC reporters believe a 50 year old undocumented incident, but don't believe Obama is a socialist.”