AP Brief Leaves Out Romney Questioner's Anti-war Activism

August 8th, 2007 5:27 PM

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) recently told an Illinois woman that while his grown sons have never served in the military, they are displaying their patriotism by campaigning heavily for their father's nomination for the presidency.

The Politico and USA Today have picked up on the item. USA Today's "On Politics" blog noted in an entry posted at 11:45 Eastern that:

The questioner, 41-year-old Rachel Griffiths of Milan, Ill., told Susan later that she is not a Republican and is in fact a member of a "Progressive Action for the Common Good."

Asked if she was satisfied by Romney's answer, Griffiths said:

"Of course not. He told me the way his sons are showing support for the military of our nation is to buy a Winnebago and tour across Iowa and help him get elected."

An AP story posted at 12:20 Eastern on USAToday.com has the same information, but shorter AP write-ups lack the information, like this brief posted at 12:14 Eastern at WPRI.com:

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) - Mitt Romney responds today to an anti-war activist who questioned why none of his five sons have served in the military.

He said his sons are serving their country by working on his campaign.

He also said his sons are adults and he supports their decisions about their careers.

The question from Rachel Griffiths came after Romney spoke of a "surge of support" for U.S. forces in Iraq.

Griffiths said she wasn't satisfied with Romney's response. She said Romney was saying his sons are supporting the military by traveling around Iowa with him in a Winnebago.