Lakhota
Diamond Member
By Luke Johnson
Ann Romney, the wife of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, repeatedly declined to answer questions about gay marriage or employer-provided contraception in an interview with Davenport, Iowa, television station KWQC conducted Friday.
The interview was scheduled to air Friday night on KWQC-TV, an NBC affiliate, but a transcript of the segment was posted on the station's website Friday afternoon.
Romney was talking about her message to women voters, who largely support the president, polls show.
"Here in Iowa, as you know, same-sex marriage is legal. Do you believe a lesbian mother should be allowed to marry her partner?" David Nelson, a KWQC anchor asked.
"You know, I'm not going to talk about the specific issues," Romney responded, adding that "hot-button issues" distract from the economy.
Nelson then asked whether employers should be required to provide health insurance that covers birth control. The Romney campaign has attacked the Obama administration for adopting a rule requiring most religiously affiliated employers to provide coverage for contraception in their health plans.
She declined to answer. "Again, you're asking me questions that are not about what this election is going to be about. This election is going to be about the economy and jobs."
More: Ann Romney Declines To Answer Questions On Gay Marriage, Contraception