Mitt Romney is keeping mum on the
current controversy surrounding Chick-Fil-A.
The presumed GOP presidential candidate
on Friday refused to discuss the matter with reporters in Las Vegas,
saying that Chick-Fil-A is among issues that “are not things that
are part of my campaign.”
Former rivals Rick Santorum, Newt
Gingrich and Michele Bachmann have all publicly defended Chick-Fil-A
CEO Dan Cathy's right to oppose gay marriage.
A day set aside as a show of support
was organized by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. And former
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin also weighed in, saying Cathy
was “getting crucified” for expressing his opinion.
“I'm not going to tell other people
what to talk about,” Romney said in response to his GOP colleagues.
Ralph Reed, the founder of the
Christian conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition, told POLITICO.com
that Romney was making a mistake.
“The vast majority of the American
people, even those who might not agree with Dan Cathy's personal
views, think that it was incorrect for Rahm Emanuel and the mayor of
Boston to suggest that they wouldn't be allowed to get a permit in
their city,” said Reed. “I think anything for anybody running
for office in either party right now would benefit” from a visit to
Chick-Fil-A.
Pat Buchanan agreed: “I don't
understand why Mitt Romney doesn't just get his Secret Service detail
and take his press corps down to a Chick-Fil-A and show solidarity
with these people,” said Buchanan. “I don't know why not. It's
instinct. Reagan would have walked right on down there naturally.”