Another Romney "Shift": Campaign Stance On Gay Unions Clashes With Earlier Position

The New York Times:

Mitt Romney seemed comfortable as a group of gay Republicans quizzed him over breakfast one morning in 2002. Running for governor of Massachusetts, he was at a gay bar in Boston to court members of Log Cabin Republicans.

Mr. Romney explained to the group that his perspective on gay rights had been largely shaped by his experience in the private sector, where, he said, discrimination was frowned upon. When the discussion turned to a court case on same-sex marriage that was then wending its way through the state's judicial system, he said he believed that marriage should be limited to the union of a man and a woman. But, according to several people present, he promised to obey the courts' ultimate ruling and not champion a fight on either side of the issue.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[Mort]

02:48 AM on 09/09/2007

All politicians pander to whatever group they're meeting with. They all talk out the sides of their mouths. They all break promises. They all change their minds. They all play the game. Yet when Romney does it many of you think this behavior is suddenly unusual. And what's worse, some of you use it as an opportunity to show how bigotted and hateful you are.

Complain about his record, his platform, his hair, whatever. But for crying out loud... I don't see you railing on Methodists in every thread about John Edwards or Hillary Clinton. Yet you spew epithets at Mormons every chance you get. Bias is ugly, folks.

[IMPRISONBUSH]

09:30 PM on 09/08/2007

I have just sorted it out ROMNEY seeks GAYS out when he is running in a BLUE STATE, SEEKS blacks out when in a LARGE SPOUTHERN STATE and seeks MILITARY MEMBERS OUTwhen his SONS are three states away.
AS a VERTERAN I continue to get MAD and not at ROMNEY but at the VETERABS THAT ALOEW MITT to speek about the WAR and THE TROOPS FIGHTING THERE.
ARE VETERANS that stupid that they forget whw they are called VETERABS
" WE ARE VETERANS BECAUSE WESERVED OUR COUNTRYSOME IN THEMIST OF BATTLE AND OTHERSTHAT STOOD READY."
YOU COULD SAY WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE ONES WE LEFT BEHIND AND TO THE FUTURE SERVICE MAN AND WOMAN.
MR. MITT ROMNEY IS NEATHER WHEN HE WAS CALLED FOR NAM " HE HIDE BEHINDHIS RELIGION, LEING OTHES TAKE HIS PLACE.
ANS as he has shownhe has said to the PEOPLE OF AMERICA MY SONS ARE TO PRESURE TO ME THEY WIIL NOT ENLIST.
THIS SAME MAN RUNS ON CONTINUEING THE WAR IN IRAQ AFGHANISTAN WITH YOUR CHILDREN BUT NOT HIS.
VETERANS SHOULD STAND FOR MEN AND WOMAN WHO WAITED AND SERVIED THEN FOR " COWARDS WHO HID BEHIND. WE HAVE SEEN WHAT TWO COWARDS COULD DO RUNNING OUR COUNTRY AND RUNNING A WAR.

[Fernando]

08:17 PM on 09/08/2007

Romney contradicting himself for the sake of political support? Surely, you jest!

I cannot fathom why this sorry excuse for a candidate has such a large following. His willingness to promise what his base want to hear -in spite of his record- are so obvious is insulting! He is almost a cartoon character, or a bad actor is a class B movie playing a trite role.

Ye gods!

[JackNasty]

06:17 PM on 09/08/2007

Newly minted anti-gay Mitt and some of his buddies from the Mormon church are on a mission to win the hearts of gay American voters, in spite of their anti-gay politics. See Men on a Mission, below!

http://www.mormonsexposed.com/

[Shadow51]

02:31 PM on 09/08/2007

Bullshit in its purest form. If he gets elected, that tune will change so fast it will make your head spin. It's called pandering.

[sandiegoconservative]

02:08 PM on 09/08/2007

I guess I am a tad bit confused. The only thing this article says which seems like a change of position is backing an amendment to oppose civil unions. He has always been opposed to the concept, but the article states that he has followed the law.

That was when he was governor of a state. Why is it that you think he cannot champion a personal belief of his now that he is running for another office?

Ted Kennedy was once an advocate for the anti-abortion group and now he is a big supporter of the pro-abortion position. I don't fault him for that, it is his position.

It sounds like most of you do not like his position, which is prefectly reasonable. But why is he not allowed to back something when running for a completely different office?

[jaschrod]

02:08 PM on 09/08/2007

Romney is nothing, but a two faced religious hypocrite.

Ron Paul is the only candidate in either party that has always been right in the past, is currently right, and is right with his plan for the future of this country.People need to look real hard at Ron, if he does not win the republican race for president, I hope he entertains the idea of a third party.

[negogato]

01:08 PM on 09/08/2007

I don’t give a rat’s ankle about gay marriage. On the list of 100 things that Americans should be concerned about, gay marriage is around 99. Somewhere below national health care for pets.

Banning gay marriage is akin to vegans and those who keep kosher getting out the vote for a ban on barbeque.

[LorettaSingbiel]

01:59 PM on 09/08/2007

"I don’t give a rat’s ankle about gay marriage."

I assume you're "NOT GAY, NEVER BEEN GAY"?

"On the list of 100 things that Americans should be concerned about, gay marriage is around 99. Somewhere below national health care for pets."

I assume you're a pet lover ... MORE SO than a PEOPLE lover? Well, we DO LOVE our pets enough to euthanize them (UNLIKE the HELL we SANCTIMONIOUSLY put dying PEOPLE thru). SADLY, we had to euthanize OUR 13 year old mutt last week. We'll have his DNA (ashes & hair) to remember him by.

So let's recap...in order of importance:

National Health Care for PETS.

GAY Marriage.

(Pray tell...where is National Health Care for PEOPLE...in your list of importance?)

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[negogato]

03:34 PM on 09/08/2007

Thanks Loretta,
I should leave comedy to the professionals.
I was commenting on the relative importance of this gay marriage - to issues that matter.

Let us say that there is a scale of 100 things that Americans should be concerned about today - with number one rated as the most important, and 100 being the least. Gay Marriage is 99. And to make my point absurdly I rate gay marriage as less important than National Health Care for Pets. Which is at, say, 98. Keeping Fluoride in the water is around 50 on the list of important things for America - and I am all for Floride.

Voter Rights, Global Warming, Ending the War in Iraq, National Health Care, and Equal Education top my list of 100.

Now, in the spirit of full disclosure. My dog has no heath insurance. I am not a Vegan. I don’t keep Kosher. And I am not advocating a ban on BBQ.

I’m just a too serious person who thinks the whole thing is silly.

[JustADumbFireman]

12:12 PM on 09/08/2007

He's just a 6"2" chameleon. And that's a nice way of putting it.

[sinnerjizm]

11:27 AM on 09/08/2007

When will Romney be taken to the mat for his comments regarding his son's lack of military service in this war?

he said something to the effect that they are serving their country better by helping him get elected.

God, these people know no shame

[sinnerjizm]

11:20 AM on 09/08/2007

Why are gay republicans surprised when they get thrown under the bus by their leaders?

[GayGrandpa]

11:07 AM on 09/08/2007

It must be hard to swallow so many...views.

[ResistanceisFutile]

10:54 AM on 09/08/2007

This man will shit marshmallows to get elected.

[MrFiskar]

10:19 AM on 09/08/2007

Just like the old commercial;"I can't believe I ate the whole thing",well Flipper you ate it!!

[consrevil]

10:18 AM on 09/08/2007

Fee Fee the Flip Flopper is as slirrery as they get. He won't raise taxes but he will reach into your wallet for any Fee he can get and he will tell you anything you want to hear.