Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick
Santorum says he has gay friends.
Santorum, who is often mentioned as a
2012 GOP presidential candidate, made his remarks Friday in an
interview with USA
Today.
In responding to why the Republican
response to President
Obama's Wednesday decision to no longer defend the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA), which bans gay marriage, had been so muted,
Santorum answered that conservatives are afraid of being labeled
homophobic.
“It is a reality that the media, not
just the mainstream media but even quote-unquote conservative
publications, like Fox – they tend to write rather negatively about
people who stand up and fight for marriage. They describe it in
terms of bigotry, in terms of discrimination, in terms of [being]
homophobic,” Santorum said.
“As a result of that, people stay
away from it. They don't want to be cast in that light by the
media.”
“And besides, we all have friends who
are gay. I have friends who are gay. But they respect the fact that
they disagree with them on policy,” he added.
In 2003, Santorum created controversy
when he likened gay unions to “man on dog.”