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Romney Returns to South Carolina

October 19, 2007 1:26 AM

ABC's Matt Stuart reports: Fmr. MA Gov Mitt Romney returned to South Carolina today for the first time since August, holding his 100th “Ask Mitt Anything” branded town hall meeting, trying to convince voters that he is the conservative choice.

Romney had originally planned to come to South Carolina as the third quarter closed at the end of September but fell ill during a week of events in California and Utah.

Romney faced a wide range of questions from the audiences in Coastal and Northern South Carolina today, from his stance on stem cells to the “consolidation of the North American union.”

“Do you mean unifying our country with Canada and Mexico?” Romney said to the later, stating simply “No.”

The landmark town hall, held at Applewood Pancake House in Pauleys Island,SC found an audience largely of retirees who had retired to South Carolina from as far away as New York and Washington,DC.

Illegal immigration was front in center at the meeting and the first question asked of Romney, to which he told the crowd, rely on his standard stump, that he would “pull back federal funding” from so-called “sanctuary cities.”

Romney also was asked about the importance of energy independence, to which Romney reiterated his call for more money to be put into research but that Americans also needed “more efficient vehicles and homes.”

Romney was also asked about drilling for more oil in the United States and ANWR. “Why can’t we drill in ANWR, drill along the outer continental shelf if states are willing to participate,” he said. “The answer is we should be using our own oil resources as we develop new technologies.”

Following comments on improving incentives for the troops, Romney was asked by one man why the Army doesn’t raise the enlistment age limit. Romney admitted he “didn’t know what the age limit” was and that he would “find out.” The Army raised the maximum enlistment age to 42 in 2006.

Romney was also asked about the controversial issue of stem cells and abortion, both important issues for social conservatives. Romney assured that audience that he was “pro life” and “proud to be pro-life.” He made no mention, as he often does, of his decision in 2005 to switch from what he calls an “effectively pro-choice” stance to a “pro-life” position.

Later in the day, at a house luncheon in Florence, SC, a woman noted Romney’s recent endorsement from Bob Jones, chancellor of the Christian Fundamentalist Bob Jones University, saying “That’s a big thing for a fundamental Baptist to endorse a Mormon.”

“Boy, that’s for sure,” Romney agreed. Speaking of Bob Jones Romney said, “He had a great line… He said, “Well, I’d rather endorse someone who’s religion is wrong than someone whose religion is wrong than somebody who doesn’t have any religion at all.” Jones told the Greenville News that he was supporting Romney even though he was “opposed to the doctrines of Mormonism,” but that “he was “not voting for a preacher.”

October 19, 2007 in Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (0)

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