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Opinion: News flash: Romney takes a stand, and sticks to it

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It’s time someone stood up for Mitt Romney. And I’m just the Democrat to do it.

No, I won’t be voting for Romney, should he earn the Republican presidential nomination. (Then again, I won’t be voting for Newt Gingrich. Although I confess, a race between him and President Obama would be entertaining.)

But I think Romney deserves a small pat on the back for something that happened Monday on the campaign trail. Basically, he was wrong -- but he was right.

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Chatting with potential voters at a breakfast spot in Manchester, N.H., Romney was asked by Vietnam veteran Bob Garon, 63, for his views on the proposed repeal of New Hampshire’s law permitting gay marriage. (Oh, and Garon is married -- to a man.)

‘I’ve have a question for you,” Garon said, cutting off the former Massachusetts governor’s attempt at chit-chat. ‘New Hampshire has some legislation kicking around about the repeal of same-sex marriage [law]… All I need is a yes or a no.’ Romney crisply told Garon that because of his view that ‘marriage is between a man and woman,’ he supported efforts to repeal the law.

OK, there you go. Yes or no? Romney says no.

Garon, though, really didn’t want a yes or no answer. He clearly favors the same-sex marriage law, and he went on to debate the issue with Romney. Soon, Romney’s aides sought to usher the candidate away.

‘I guess the question was too hot,’ Garon said to the candidate. ‘No,’ Romney replied, ‘I gave you the answer. You said you had a yes or no (question), I gave you the answer.’

And Romney’s right. No, not about the same-sex marriage law. But in defending himself.

He stood up for what he believes. Just because Garon didn’t like the answer, that’s no reason to criticize Romney.

Probably many Americans don’t like that answer. But that’s what candidates should do: Let us know what they believe, and stick to it.

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Romney’s been criticized for blowing with the political winds. But at least in this one small incident on a very long campaign trail, he showed backbone.

I don’t agree with his stance, but I respect him for taking one.

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Fact check: Would Mitt Romney have won his $10,000 bet?

--Paul Whitefield

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