The Natn: Gay Marriage Cght Romney Off Guard : NPR | DOES MITT ROMNEY SUPPORT GAY MARRIAGE

ROMNEY'S VIEWS ON GAY MARRIAGE: ALSO EVOLVG?

Wh Print Barack Obama's change of posn on gay marriage -- which earned a Full Flop on our Flip-O-Meter -- we t * does mitt romney support gay marriage *

Wh Print Barack Obama's change of posn on gay marriage -- which earned a Full Flop on our Flip-O-Meter -- we thought was a good time to take a h look at Mt Romney's posn on the same issue. As we wrote 2007, Romney took a relatively liberal approach on gay rights durg his 1994 Senate race agast liberal Democratic in Edward M.

Durg his Senate race, Romney wrote a letter to the Massachetts branch of the Log Cab Republins, which read part, "I am more nvced than ever before that as we seek to tablish full equaly for Ameri's gay and lbian cizens, I will provi more effective learship than my opponent. " He promised the group that he would support laws preventg discrimatn agast gays and lbians the workplace and implied his hope for the eventual full tegratn of gays the ary, a policy that was ultimately approved 16 years later. A lengthy terview wh Romney Bay Wdows, a Boston-area gay newspaper, was headled, "Romney: I'll be better than Ted for gay rights.

MT ROMNEY'S GAY MARRIAGE VIEWS HAVEN'T EVOLVED, DPE RECENT MOV BY REPUBLINS

Print Obama said his posn on gay marriage "evolved" over time, and a se n be ma that GOP printial ndidate Mt Romney's views on gay rights have changed as well. Though Romney says his posn has been nsistent; activists don't see that way. * does mitt romney support gay marriage *

But spe makg policy overtur to gay voters, Romney nsistently drew the le at gay marriage, even as far back as 1994. When Romney was asked by Bay Wdows, "Would you support legalized marriage for gay men and lbians?

My unrstandg is that he has looked at the issue and nclud that certa benefs and privileg should be offered to gay upl and lbian upl. While Romney 1994 offered relatively liberal views on some polici of importance to gay voters, he never went so far as to support same-sex marriage. PoliFact, "Print Barack Obama's shiftg stance on gay marriage, " May 11, 2012.

MT ROMNEY ON GAY MARRIAGE

Romney Not Budgg On Gay Marriage * does mitt romney support gay marriage *

Fox News, "Mt Romney Rponds to Print Obama’s Support of Gay Marriage, " May 9, 2012. Associated Prs, "Romney stays firm on opposn to gay marriage, " May 9, 2012.

Wall Street Journal, "Romney Demurs on Gay Marriage, " May 11, 2012.

MT ROMNEY'S LONG FIGHT AGAST GAY MARRIAGE

<b>The former Governor has been ont and center of the gay marriage bate sce his first year office.</b> The issue of gay marriage has been ont and center sce Obama me out support of same-sex marriage. * does mitt romney support gay marriage *

PoliFact, "Consistent on gay marriage, not on amendment, " Oct. Bay Wdows, "Romney: I'll be better than Ted for gay rights, " Aug 25, 1994. New York Tim, "Romney’s Tone on Gay Rights Is Seen as Shift, " Sept.

A day after Print Obama announced his support for gay marriage, Republin printial ndidate Mt Romney avoid the issue at a mpaign appearance Thursday Nebraska. Obama has said his posn on gay marriage "evolved" over time, and a se n be ma that Romney's views on gay rights have changed as well.

Romney has long been acced of hedgg on issu like gay rights, but Wednday he sisted his posn on same-sex marriage is clear: "My view is that marriage self is a relatnship between a man and a woman. Senate 1994, he promised to be a champn for "full equaly" for gays and lbians — which many unrstood to clu even gay marriage. "His mpaign distributed at the gay pri para pk flyers that asserted that he would be a better and a stronger advote than Ted Kennedy, " rells lobbyist Arlene Isaacson.

MT ROMNEY ON GAY RIGHTS OVER THE YEARS

<b>Print Obama me out support of gay marriage yterday.</b> Here's a look at Mt Romney's early support for some gay rights, and his move away om that. * does mitt romney support gay marriage *

She says jt a few years later, everythg changed — after Romney was elected ernor 2002, and a Massachetts supreme urt cisn 2003 paved the way for gay marriage the next year. "It was across-the-board prohibn of any small be of equaly for the gay muny. Romney did everythg he uld to keep Massachetts om beg the "Las Vegas of gay marriage, " backg a nstutnal ban at the state and feral levels.

But even there, gay rights advot take issue.

In 1994, for example, Romney favored the ia of gays servg openly the ary.

A MT ROMNEY GAY RIGHTS TIMELE

Also, after first backg legislatn to protect gays and lbians om job discrimatn, Romney now oppos .

Clarke Cooper, head of the gay anizatn the Log Cab Republins, agre: "He's parsed his words a way that almost seems to some like he wants both ways. Romney rtated Thursday that he thks 's fe for gay upl to adopt children. On Wednday, Romney lled gay marriage a "tenr" issue and chose his words refully about civil unns.

Brown says the approval this week of a nstutnal ban on gay marriage North Carola prov the pot. Natnal polls ntue to show growg support for gay marriage — now somewhere around 50 percent. Former Republin printial ndidate Mt Romney still oppos gay marriage, he said durg a recent terview wh Fox a four-mute segment of prevly unaired footage, Romney clared that he hasn't "evolved" on the issue, spe recent signs that a growg number of Republins are begng to support marriage equaly.