Romney: Wife's abortion view not 'relevant to my campaign'
By LISA ROSSI
REGISTER AMES BUREAU
May 10, 2007
desmoinesregister.com
Ames, Ia. - Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said his wife's positions on abortion are not relevant to his campaign after news emerged Wednesday that she donated money to a pro-choice organization in 1994.
Ann Romney donated $150 to Planned Parenthood in 1994, representatives from the Romney campaign confirmed.
"Her contributions are for her and not for me, and her positions I do not think are terribly relevant to my campaign," Romney said during a meeting with reporters in Ames. "My positions are what I think is relevant for my campaign."
Although Romney said his wife's positions were not relevant to his campaign, he added that Ann Romney is co-chairwoman of the group Massachusetts Citizens for Life, to which he said his family has contributed "generously."
Romney's campaign staff said the Mitt and Ann Romney Foundation donated $15,000 to that organization last year.
The former Massachusetts governor has faced repeated questions on the campaign trail regarding his abortion stance, which he said he changed about two years ago after he became concerned that Roe. vs. Wade was creating an impetus to talk about human cloning, which he opposes.
Romney's comments came before a town hall meeting in Ames, which his campaign staff estimated 425 people attended.
Romney's evolution on his view on abortion illustrated the divisions on the issue among potential supporters.
Ames resident Marie Anderson, 72, said she considers abortion "personal issues for women," although she opposes it herself. She said there is a mix of views in the Republican Party on abortion.
"You can't define a party by one issue," she said, explaining why she didn't think Romney's wife's donation would hurt his chances for success in Iowa.
Craig Stephenson, 53, said his pro-choice stance doesn't keep him from being a Republican, and said Ann Romney's pro-choice contribution "doesn't affect me. I guess I'm pro-choice, so I think that's good."
Romney addressed his changing views on abortion during his town hall meeting as well, saying: "I was wrong. ... I'm not going to apologize to anyone that I became pro-life."
He also mentioned his wife, but not her political donations.
He said she compares Washington, D.C., to a couple of guys in a canoe drifting toward a waterfall.
"The guys aren't paddling," he said. "You get to the point it's time to stop arguing and start paddling."
Reporter Lisa Rossi can be reached at (515) 232-2383 or lrossi@dmreg.com |
