Quite correct, Ian C - the "spin" in this case is to state that "the JSF was never designed to replace the A-10", which is flat-out false: the USAF did not say it would abandon CAS or develop a separate A-10 replacement. And of course CAS remains a primary reason for the Navy's army having its own air force.
That said, the F-35 will do CAS in the same general way as other FJs - primarily with guided weapons, the targeting pod and digital comms with the ground and other assets (like UAVs). However, there is no Rover yet and the limitations of the EOTS (no HDTV, limited field of regard) have been discussed here.
MSOCS is right, however, to say that it's not a driving requirement and that JSF is designed to do things that the A-10 can't (we all knew that). However, that underscores another point: the USAF could afford to run an A-10 force alongside F-16s and F-15s. The F-35 business case involves eliminating every other tactical aircraft except the F-22.