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VIDEO: Gay NH Veteran Confronts Romney Over Marriage Equality

PHOTO: AP

Republican presidential candidate Mitt "Multiple Choice" Romney was confronted by a gay Vietnam War veteran over marriage equality this morning at a diner in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Romney sat in the booth with two men—Bob Garon and Bob LeMire—and was not aware that they were married. Garon quizzed Romney on his positions on marriage equality, efforts to repeal marriage equality in the Granite State and military benefits.

Watch the exchange AFTER THE JUMP ...

Romney told Garon, who was chowing down on his everyday staple of scrambled eggs and shaved ham at the restaurant Chez Vachon, that he supports a repeal of the same-sex marriage law, prompting an emotional exchange. "I believe a marriage is between a man and a woman," Romney said, joining Garon in the diner booth after shaking hands with several other patrons.

Garon responded, clarifying that what that meant was that if Romney is elected he would not support any legislation that would change the law so that gay servicemen would get the same benefits as heterosexual couples."I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman," Romney said. “We apparently disagree on that.”

"It’s good to know how you feel, that you do not believe everyone is entitled to their constitutional rights," the 63-year-old New Hampshire resident responded. "

"No, actually I think at the time the Constitution was written it was pretty clear marriage was between a man and a woman," Romney said, just as one of his campaign aides chimed in that they had “to get going” to another Fox interview.

Garon added: "I guess the question was too hot."

"New Hampshire is right," Garon said, who married his partner in June, according to the Boston Globe. "You have to look a man in the eye to get a good answer, and you know what, Governor, good luck. ... You’re going to need it."

The Republican-controlled legislature has moved toward repealing the marriage equality law enacted in 2009 when Democrats controlled the legislature. A vote could come next month. Romney supports repeal.

Watch the exchange AFTER THE JUMP ...

VIDEO: Romney Claims to Support "Gay Rights, Just Not Gay Marriage"

PHOTO: Nashua Telegraph

Republican presidential candidate Mitt "Multiple Choice" Romney has changed his positions on key political issues such as health care, abortion and gay rights—most recently shifting onm climate change twice in the same week.

But the former Massachusetts governor tells the Nashua Telegraph that his positions have remained "consistent" ... everyone else is changing the goal post.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says he hasn’t changed in the years since he lost the 2008 New Hampshire primary. Instead, he said ... that it’s the political conversation that has shifted. ... Asked about the accusations of flip-flops, Romney said he has stayed consistent on the issue of same-sex marriage. "I don’t believe in discriminating in employment or opportunity for gay individuals. So I favor gay rights. I do not favor gay marriage," he said.

Does Romney's vague support of "gay rights" include the Employment Non-Discrimination Act? Promises, promises ...

After supporting gay rights for many years, Romney re-invented himself as the "best" candidate to "stop the militant gay agenda" in the 2008 election.  Romney said that  even a dead parent was better than a gay one in a now-infamous 2007 campaign speech.

The Granite State passed its marriage equality law in June 2009. The newish Republican legislative majority has made good on their campaign promise to target the state's marriage equality law. The New Hampshire will begin debating repealing in 2012. Romney supports the repeal.

Via Think Progress, watch a clip of the interview AFTER THE JUMP

NH Union Leader Endorses Gingrich

PHOTO: REUTERS

New Hampshire's most influential newspaper has endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 2012 Republican presidential race. The endorsement by the New Hampshire Union Leader has been described as a "game-changer" and the "most significant" endorsement of the GOP race so far.

The Union Leader's Sunday editorial says the anti-gay thrice-married serial adulterer Gingrich is not "the perfect candidate" but calls him "the best candidate who is actually running."

"Republican voters too often make the mistake of preferring an unattainable ideal to the best candidate who is actually running. In this incredibly important election, that candidate is Newt Gingrich. He has the experience, the leadership qualities and the vision to lead this country in these trying times."

The conservative Union Leader is the Granite State's largest newspaper and its endorsement is "seen as a bellwether" for the nation's first primary. New Hampshire voters head to the polls Jan. 10.

The paper's endorsement of Gingrich is also seen as yet another rebuke of former Massachusetts Mitt Romney, who is leading in many state polls. "This is the second time that the Union Leader has chosen not to endorse Romney," adds MSNBC's First Read. "In 2008, it notably backed John McCain who eventually went on to win the New Hampshire primary following a major comeback from a near-dead campaign."

In the latest New Hampshire polls, Gingrich is tied with Rep. Ron Paul for second place at 14 percent. Romney  is  leading with 41 percent in the Suffolk University poll.

VIDEO: Huntsman Pitches New Hampshire Voters on "SNL"

GOP presidential candidate and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman appeared on NBC's Saturday Night Live. The candidate traded in some self-deprecating humor about his poll numbers on "Weekend Update." "Just a few months ago, we were polling at the margin error, so to have any digit at all is a pretty big deal," Huntsman said.

Huntsman is skipping the social conservatives-dominated Iowa Republican caucus. The candidate has "pinned virtually his entire campaign on winning the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire" and joked about his Granite State "obsession."

FWIW: Huntsman comes across as the most reasonable GOP presidential candidate—which means he probably won't be nominated. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

Perry "Praises" Efforts to Repeal Marriage Equality in New Hampshire

PHOTO: AP

Not that he has a chance of winning the state: Texas Gov. Rick Perry burnished his social conservative street cred and "praised" the recent legislative push to repeal marriage equality in New Hampshire, reports the Concord Monitor.

"As conservatives we believe in the sanctity of life. We believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage," Perry said. "And I applaud those legislators in New Hampshire who are working to defend marriage as an institution between one man and one woman, realizing that children need to be raised in a loving home by a mother and a father."

As he spoke at the annual banquet for Cornerstone Action, a conservative advocacy group, Perry sought to set himself apart from others in the field as a candidate with an unwavering pro-life background. "For some candidates . . . the issue of life is a slogan for the campaign. It's how to get some votes," he said. "To me it's about an enduring principal that innocent human life should be protected in all forms and at all stages of life."

The "pro-life" Perry who believes in the "sanctity of life" ... but has "overseen more executions than any governor" in modern history. Including juvenile and disabled offenders.

Perry's remarks come only days after the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee voted 11-6 to advance marriage equality repeal. The House will debate the bill in 2012.

More than 60 percent of state residents oppose repeal, according to recent polling by the WMUR/UNH Survey Center.

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NH House Panel Advances Marriage Equality Repeal by 11-6 Vote

Another day and another assault on equality. The latest attack is in New Hampshire, where the newish Republican legislative majority makes good on a campaign promise to repeal the state's almost two-year-old marriage equality law.

The New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee voted to advance such legislation, reports the AP.

The [committee] voted 11-6 to recommend wiping the gay marriage law off the books and establishing civil unions for any unmarried adults competent to enter into a contract. The committee recommended killing a second bill that would simply repeal gay marriage.

The new law would "allow anyone to refuse to recognize" these civil unions ...

The bill would not enact the same civil unions law that was in effect before gays were allowed to marry. That law granted gays all the rights and responsibilities of marriage except in name. The proposed civil unions law would be open to any two adults and would let anyone refuse to recognize the unions. It also would allow anyone to discriminate against the couples in employment, housing and public accommodations based on religious or moral beliefs.

The full House cannot vote on the bill until 2012.

Under its former Democratic majority in February 2010, the New Hampshire House overwhelmingly rejected a repeal of the law and a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned equal marriage.

The Granite State passed its marriage equality law in June 2009. "More than 1,500 gay couples have married so far" after the first same-sex marriages took place on January 1, 2010.

Democratic Gov. John Lynch signed the law and has promised to veto any attempted repeal.

Romney Repeatedly Questioned on Same-Sex Marriage at NH Town Hall

Republican presidential candidate Mitt "Multiple Choice" Romney was questioned about his opposition to marriage equality "so many times" at a New Hampshire town hall meeting that "he stopped responding to the questions altogether.," reports ABC News.

The first question came from a young woman in the audience who asked, "Why is it that you feel that marriage between a man and a man or a woman and a woman is lesser than a marriage between a man and a woman?"

"I think the ideal setting to raise a child for a society like ours is where there is a man and a woman in the marriage,” Romney responded. "So I think as a society we are wise to encourage marriage between a man and a woman for the purpose of raising our kids."

A few questions later another young woman followed up on his answer and asked why being raised by two women like she was — her grandmother and her mother raised her — was any different from being raised by a man and a woman. [...]

"In my view a society recognizes that the ideal setting for raising a child is when you have the benefit of two people working together and when one is male and one is female," Romney said. "That’s why as a society we say we’re going to call marriage what it has been called for 6,000 years or longer — a relationship between one man and one woman."

More from the Huffington Post ...

Why not support civil unions? "What I would support is letting people who are of the same gender form, if you will, partnership agreements," he replied. "If they want to have a partnership with someone else and have, as a result of that, such things as hospital visitation rights and similar benefits of that nature."

The former Massachusetts governor's answer is not much of an improvement over his now-infamous 2007 campaign speech when he said that  even a dead parent was better than a gay one. Oh and a memo to the Romney campaign: Same-sex partner hospital visitation rights are now mandated by federal law.

Via Think Progess LGBT, watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Marriage Equality Repeal Bill Advances in House

Another day, another assault on equality. The latest comes from New Hampshire, where the newly-elected Republican legislative majority makes good on a campaign promise to repeal the state's year-and-half old marriage equality law.

A subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee voted 3-1 for a bill that would repeal same sex marriage "and bring back a form of civil unions", reports the Union Leader.

The original form of the bill would have banned both gay marriage and civil unions outright. The bill, HB 437, now allows both same-sex couples and heterosexual couples to form civil unions.

New Hampshire law allowing gay couples to marry took effect in January 2010. The bill preserves marriage for gays who have married under the current law. From the time it takes effect, marriage would be available only to men and women.

The bill allows a form of civil union that has never existed in the state, open to any two persons. It also contains language that allows any business, individual, school or association to refuse to recognize civil unions, exempting them from state laws that bar discrimination on housing, employment, contracts and grants.

The full House cannot vote on the bill until 2012.

Under its former Democratic majority in February 2010, the New Hampshire House overwhelmingly rejected a repeal of the state's marriage equality law and a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage

VIDEO: GOP Presidential Candidates Call for Fed Marriage Amendment

PHOTO: GETTY

During the first New Hampshire Republican presidential debate last night on CNN, the candidates were asked if they would try to overturn state laws.

Igor Volsky at Think Progress:

Hermain Cain and Ron Paul said that marriage should be left to the states, while Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum all called for a federal amendment outlawing same-sex marriages. Michele Bachmann — who recently pressed other states to follow Minnesota’s example and put the question on the ballot — managed to argue that she does support a constitutional amendment but "would not be going into the states to overturn their state law."

Thrice-married serial adulterer Newt Gingrich added: "I was one of the authors of the Defense of Marriage Act. The Obama Administration needs to defend that law, there is no other choice but an amendment."

Of course, Newt. Just like you had "no other choice" but to carry on that affair with an intern at the same time you were "defending marriage". Watch AFTER THE JUMP ...

 

VIDEO: Michele Bachmann Announces 2012 Presidential Run

PHOTO: AP

Right wing Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann made her official presidential announcement at the first New Hampshire Republican presidential debate Monday night on CNN.

In recent months, the anti-gay founder of the U.S. House Tea Party Caucus praised conservative Iowa voters for ousting three justices involved in the unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruling that brought marriage equality. Bachmann also supported  the Minnesota legislature's May vote to send a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage to voters.

Bachmann had formed only an "exploratory committee" and made the official announcement last night, watch AFTER THE JUMP ...