On the Trail, Romney Not Eager to Engage on Gay Marriage Issue

Jae C. Hong/Associated PressMitt Romney spoke to the overflow area at a campaign event on Thursday in Omaha.

OMAHA – Mitt Romney rarely passes on an opportunity to respond to President Obama or the actions of the White House. But that is precisely what he did here on Thursday.

As Mr. Romney addressed hundreds of supporters while campaigning in Nebraska, one of the nation’s most reliably Republican states, the topic of same-sex marriage did not cross his lips. He urged voters to focus on health care, the expansion of government and the country’s debt burdens.

“I’m concerned about where we’re headed with this president,” said Mr. Romney, whose message echoed Republican leaders back in Washington who were intent on not becoming distracted by the president’s newfound declaration of support for same-sex marriage.

Since becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, Mr. Romney has struggled to keep the campaign conversation focused squarely on the economy. His economic speeches have been overshadowed by a series of unrelated events, including the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s killing and now, the gay marriage debate.

In a 10-minute speech along the Missouri River at Rick’s Café Boatyard and during a separate luncheon fund-raising event, Mr. Romney railed against the administration on a variety of topics. Marriage did not make his list.

But during a Thursday interview on the Fox News Channel, as well as in a series of local television interviews, the subject could not be avoided. He said that he “respects” the president’s decision and acknowledged differing viewpoints on gay marriage, adding, “This is something you can’t really convince someone about.”

As the president and his re-election team celebrated and sought to rally campaign donors to contribute money in wake of the gay marriage announcement, Mr. Romney said, “I don’t think the matter of marriage is a fund-raising matter.” And he implored voters to avoid distractions from “shiny objects” held up by Mr. Obama and his advisers.

“You have positions. You describe what they are,” Mr. Romney said in the Fox News interview. “Hopefully, people are focused on the major issues of the day.”

In the television interview, he called the marriage issue “tender and sensitive,” and renewed his objection to same-sex marriage. He called for “a national standard to define marriage between a man and a woman.” He said that he supported allowing gay couples to adopt children, but said that he did not view the gay rights cause as a civil rights issue.

In a half-dozen interviews with Republicans who came to see Mr. Romney, not a single person voiced an objection at his decision not to dwell on the issue of same-sex marriage. They said the election would be decided on the economy, health care and Mr. Obama’s first term.

“It’s none of my business. We don’t need to talk about it,” said Mo Birkel, 70, a retired custodian from nearby Papillion, Neb., when asked about gay marriage. “I can’t say if I’m for it or against it because I don’t know what my grandkids will be.”

Hal Daub, a former member of Congress from Nebraska and an enthusiastic supporter of Mr. Romney, said that it was wise for Republicans to avoid falling into what he called a “trap being set by Democrats.” He said that he hoped Republican activists followed party leaders and did not become distracted by gay marriage debate.

“There is a more tolerant viewpoint in the Republican Party,” Mr. Daub said. “You can see that here in Nebraska.”

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Romney eager to connect with Southern voters

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Eager to connect with Southern voters, Mitt Romney burnished his business credentials — and his new-found love for cheesy grits — as he sought support for his Republican presidential campaign in a region that presents significant challenges for the former Massachusetts governor.

Romney greeted the crowd at a town hall meeting Friday with a hearty "Morning, y'all!"

"I got started right this morning with a biscuit and some cheesy grits," he said. "Delicious!"

With voters in Mississippi, as well as Alabama, headed to the polls on Tuesday, Romney is battling against his perceived weaknesses in the Deep South. He focused heavily on his private sector background while answering voters' questions, and sought to cast himself as the Republican candidate best-suited to tackle the nation's economic problems.

"In business, you have to be a fiscal conservative. If not, you go out of business," Romney said.

Romney spoke as the latest jobs numbers showed the economy added 227,000 jobs in February, though the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3 percent, largely because more people streamed into the work force.

Romney did not directly address the fresh economic data, but he criticized President Barack Obama for failing to bring the unemployment rate back below 8 percent.

The GOP front-runner also faced a question about who he would pick as vice president. He side-stepped the inquiry, saying only that the party has excellent governors, senators and former leaders and that he would pick a running mate who has the capacity to serve as president.

Romney holds a solid lead in the race for delegates to the party's summer convention as the primary race turns to the South. While Romney's campaign says the delegate math makes it almost impossible for his rivals to catch up, both Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich see the Southern states as an opportunity to make up ground in the race.

One of Romney's top surrogates in Mississippi said that while the former Massachusetts governor may be an underdog in Tuesday's primary, his campaign infrastructure in the state gives him the opportunity for a strong showing.

"We are the most organized campaign in Mississippi," said Austin Barbour, a national chairman for Romney's campaign. "We're an underdog in Mississippi, but we're a fighting underdog."

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