Rick Santorum (left) and Mitt Romney (right) One of the leading contenders for the US Republican Presidential candidacy says while he continues to stalwartly oppose same-sex marriage, he would love his son just as much if he were gay. Christian conservative Rick Santorum replied to an NBC moderator in the latest presidential debate in New Hampshire that he would love his son "as much as I did the second before he said it. And I would try to do everything I can to be as good a father to him as possible." Asked if he would fight for greater rights if elected, Santorum replied: "I would be a voice in speaking out for making sure that every person in America, gay or straight, is treated with respect and dignity and has equality of opportunity. "That does not mean that I would agree with certain things that the gay community would like to do to change laws, with respect to marriage or respect to adoption, and things like that." Santorum has been harshly criticised for remarks he made in 2003 comparing homosexuality to paedophilia and bestiality. He recently suggested to students at a private school they would be better off having a father in prison than a gay dad. The former Pennsylvania senator is polling behind frontrunner Mitt Romney, a Mormon who is considered among the more moderate Republicans. The former governor of Massachusetts told the debate that as governor, he hired and appointed people to various positions regardless of sexuality. However, he added he has consistently opposed same-sex marriage. "But if people are looking for someone who will discriminate against gays... or say they don't have full rights in this country, they won't find that from me," he said. The White House has said Democrat and sitting US President Barack Obama favours repealing the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which only recognises marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 9th January 2012 - 9:27am