The GOP Debate's Gay Rights Softballs [View all]

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http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/01/romney-and-santorum-rebuff-softballs-gay-rights

Sunday morning's Republican debate took a turn for the sentimental and pointless when the topic turned to the candidates' stances on gay rights.

Moderator Andy Hiller asked Mitt Romney how he's stood up for gay rights and how he'd try to influence the GOP to support such rights. Later, Rick Santorum was asked how he would react if he had a son who came out to him as gay.

The questions were sufficiently devoid of any specific matters of gay rights that they allowed both candidates to garner applause lines. Romney said that while he opposes same-sex marriage, "if people are looking for someone who will discriminate against gays, or will in any way try and suggest that people [who] have different sexual orientation don't have full rights in this country, they won't find that in me."

"When was the last time you spoke out for increasing gay rights?" Hiller asked.

"Right now," Romney said to laughter and applause.