(AP) Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military, saying they're showing their support for the country by "helping me get elected."
Romney, who did not serve in Vietnam due to his Mormon missionary work and a high draft lottery number, was asked the question by an anti-war activist after a speech in which he called for "a surge of support" for U.S. forces in Iraq.
"The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told some 200 people gathered in an abbey near the Mississippi River that had been converted into a hotel. "My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."
He added: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."
Romney's five sons range in age from 37 to 26 and have worked as real estate developers, sports marketers and advertising executives. They are now actively campaigning for their father and have a "Five Brothers" blog on Romney's campaign Web site.
WTF? Mitt Romney's sons are serving their country by helping to get Dear Old Dad elected? In one sense, I have to laugh at the hypocrisy of both Romney and the Republican Party here. This is not serving your country--this is serving your father's political self-interests here. Serving your country would be serving in the military, working in the Peace Corps, or even Americorps. Serving your country would mean stepping away from your own political or economic self-interest to help distressed Americans. It is a self-sacrifice for the betterment of all Americans. Working in your father's presidential campaign is not a self-sacrifice to help Americans, it only benefits Mitt Romney here.
Continuing with the AP story here:
Romney noted that his middle son, 36-year-old Josh, was completing a recreational vehicle tour of all 99 Iowa counties on Wednesday and said, "I respect that and respect all those and the way they serve this great country."
The woman who asked the question, Rachel Griffiths, 41, of Milan, Ill., identified herself as a member of Quad City Progressive Action for the Common Good, as well as the sister of an Army major who had served in Iraq.
"Of course not," Griffiths said when asked if she was satisfied with Romney's answer. "He told me the way his son shows support for our military and our nation is to buy a Winnebago and ride across Iowa and help him get elected."
The ridiculousness of this latest chickenhawk Romney statement is just amazing. And Griffiths really sums this up here.
UPDATE: The Romney campaign just placed this YouTube video up of Griffiths' question, and Romney's response. TPM Cafe has the transcript here. Here is the YouTube video from the Romney campaign:
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