Romney Opposes Marriage Equality in Speech to NAACP
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney addressed the annual NAACP convention Wednesday in Houston, where he pitched his candidacy as the best choice for African-American voters, including his opposition to marriage equality, a principle the organization recently backed.
“Any policy that lifts up and honors the family is going to be good for the country, and that must be our goal,” said the former Massachusetts governor in his first appearance before the group. “As president, I will promote strong families and I will defend traditional marriage.”
The speech marked a rare mention of the marriage issue, which the businessman has largely avoided on the campaign trail in favor of economic themes. Firm applause could be heard from the audience, despite a vote by the NAACP’s board of directors to endorse marriage equality in May.
“We are pleased that Governor Romney addressed our convention today,” said NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock in a statement following the speech. “This morning Governor Romney laid out his policy agenda for this nation. Unfortunately, much of his agenda is at odds with what the NAACP stands for – whether the issue is equal access to affordable health care, reforming our education system or the path forward on marriage equality. We appreciate that he was courageous and took the opportunity to speak with us directly.”
http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2012/07/11/romney-opposes-marriage-equality-speech-naacp
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