At an "Ask Mitt Anything" forum this morning in Bettendorf, Iowa, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney was quizzed about whether any of his five sons are serving in the U.S. military. USA TODAY's Susan Page, who was there, reports that this was his response:
"The good news is, we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it. My sons are adults. They've chosen not to serve in the military in active duty and I respect their decision in that regard. ... And 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 then spoke about how his son Josh and his family are driving across Iowa in a recreational vehicle to help promote the campaign.
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."
The conservative http://Townhall.com has posted an Associated Press report that says "Romney, who did not serve in Vietnam due to his Mormon missionary work and a high draft lottery number, was posed 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 rest of the questions during the hour-long forum were much friendlier, Susan reports. About 175 people were there.