Ann Romney, wife of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, on Friday declined several opportunities to discuss her position on same-sex marriage and abortion, calling them “hot button issues” that are not important to voters.
In an interview with KWQC-TV in Davenport, Iowa, Mrs. Romney, speaking via satellite, said repeatedly that marriage equality and abortion are issues that are not “what this election is going to be about,” despite the Republican party platform that specifically calls for a federal marriage amendment and a federal ban on abortion.
Following are excerpts from the interview transcript:
KWQC-TV Anchor David Nelson: “Here in Iowa, as you know, same-sex marriage is legal. Do you believe a lesbian mother should be allowed to marry her partner?”
Ann Romney: “You know, I’m not going to talk about the specific issues. I’m going to let my husband speak on issues. I’m here to really just talk about my husband and what kind of husband and father he is and, you know, those are hot-button issues that distract from what the real voting issue is going to be at this election. That, it’s going to be about the economy and jobs.
Nelson: “Do you believe that employer-provided health insurance should be required to cover birth control?”
Romney: “Again, you’re asking me questions that are not about what this election is going to be about. This election is going to be about the economy and jobs.”
Nelson: “Well, a Pew Research poll shows those issues are very important to women, ranking them either “important” or “very important.”
Romney: “You know, but I personally believe, and this is what I’m hearing from women all across the country that they are going to look for the guy that’s going to pull them out of the weeds and get them job security and a brighter future for their children. That’s the message.
“Listen, I’ve been across this country, I’ve been for a year-and-a-half on the campaign trail. I’ve spoken with thousands of women and they are telling me, they’re telling me a couple of things, one they say they’re praying for me which is really wonderful, and then they’re saying, ‘please help, please help. We are so worried about our jobs.’
“So really if you want to try to pull me off of the other messages it’s not going to work because I know because I’ve been out there.”
Nelson: “Well, I don’t want to pull you off any message. You just told a reporter who was questioning you in Cleveland that you want women to have a secure and stable future. I asked you about marriage and whether lesbian mothers should be allowed to marry. Isn’t marriage a part of creating a stable future?”
Romney: “You know, again, I’m going to talk to you about the economy and about job creation and about how my husband is the right person for the right time. This is going to be an election that is very important for women, and we are going to make sure that their economic prosperity is more certain under a President Romney.”
You can watch the entire interview at KWQC-TV.
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