Romney donor pulls support, backs Obama, over same-sex marriage
(CNN) – A well-known, openly gay supporter of Mitt Romney in New York has decided to withdraw his support for Romney and back President Barack Obama instead.
The clincher: Romney's stance on same-sex marriage.
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"I feel that I no longer wish to support your presidential campaign and ask that you please return the maximum contribution that I gave to you last year," Bill White wrote in a letter addressed to the former Massachusetts governor and obtained by CNN.
"You have chosen to be on the wrong side of history and I do not support your run for president any longer," White added.
CNN contacted the Romney campaign but did not receive a response.
White is the chairman and CEO of the New York-based consulting firm Constellations Group. He was previously the president of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – the cultural and educational institution whose major presence is the floating World War II Intrepid aircraft carrier sitting on the Hudson River. White told CNN he has advocated on behalf of injured and fallen veterans for 20 years - being awarded the Meritorious Public Service Award from the Coast Guard and from the Navy.
White told CNN he is a registered independent who has supported both Republicans and Democrats in the past, including former presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. FEC records show that White contributed to both Republicans and Democrats over the years, including Hillary Clinton in 2008. Most recently, White gave $2,500 to Romney for President, Inc., according to FEC records.
White began his letter to Romney stating, "I am currently a max donor to your 2012 presidential campaign." He did not fundraise for the Romney campaign, though he said his partner and some friends also contributed to Romney.
In his letter, White goes on to mention the president's public announcement of his personal support for same-sex marriage last week.
"Several days later this past Saturday to a packed stadium of young college students you made the following statement that 'Marriage is only between one man and one woman,'" White wrote, referring to Romney's recent commencement address to Liberty University, an evangelical school in Lynchburg, Virginia.
"I believe that you will do as you now say and try to force a constitutional amendment which would attempt to make my own legal and blessed marriage null and void."
In an interview with CNN, White explained his stance.
"I felt we gave 'Hope and Change' a chance and I was looking for something different," White said.
"Quite frankly, I was not supporting Barack Obama – I was supporting Mitt Romney. And my support is not just words or my vote, it's also putting my money where my mouth is."
White said he does not agree with the president on fiscal policy – something he sides more with Romney on.
"I just think we're spending probably money that we don't have," he said.
And yet, White said: "I'm looking at the television screen one day and I see my president – whether I'm Republican or Democrat, he is my president…and I'm looking at him doing one thing, one day. And two days later, I'm looking at a guy who I'm supporting for president, and who I want to be my president and who I've given my money to, to be president, saying something I didn't think he would be saying."
CNN pressed White: Why now, given that Romney's stance is not new?
"I had a very visceral reaction to him – he had a great opportunity… to get on the right side of history," White responded. "And to be someone to the country that helps to unite us, versus what divides us. And I just think his very proactive intention to pounce on this issue now has sent me to the other side."
"Now, I feel like he's declared war on my marriage. And I could just sit back and not say anything. Or I could do something about it. And I've chosen to do something about it."
Following news of the president's decision, leading Republican LGBT advocacy groups expressed skepticism over its motivation. GOProud called Obama's announcement "hardly a profile in courage" and the Log Cabin Republicans labeled it "calculated." That suggests that the president's stance has not swayed everyone in the gay community to support him.
Meanwhile, Romney is not alone in seeing backlash from supporters.
The president has also faced problems over his stance. While some African-American pastors took to the pulpit Sunday to support the president, others were critical. One religious leader, Emmett Burns of Baltimore, supported Obama in 2008 but has now pulled his support.
"I love the president, but I cannot support what he has done," Burns said at the church.
Also see:
Ron Paul to end active campaigning
RNC, Team Romney roll out debt attack on Obama
Leading progressive group attacks Romney over women's issues
Gurgi, last time I checked, the Republican dominated state governments were the ones trying to take away women's rights, especially when it comes to birth control and health choices. Also have no clue what you mean about democrats taking away freedoms, unless you meant the freedom not to have medical insurance so everybody else is saddled with your bills when you go to the emergency room and/or declare bankruptcy to get out of them.
do you want real jobs or democratic jobs, the kind they box up when they leave office.real jobs take time
I know CNN will not post this response which is unfortunate. Mr. Bill White has the right to support whom ever he'd like and should do like the rest of Americans , which is basically is shut up and vote. Talk about discrimination – Mr, White basically just said he would not hire someone who doesn't support gay marriage. How narrow minded. If this is the only requirement for the Presidency, then this country is in deeper trouble than we realize.
You can't stop history. Whatever happens in the next election gay marriage will at some point become legal in the US - for all gays and lesbians. There may be backslides now and again but it is inevitable. It's like the ending of slavery and a woman's right to vote. When the history books are written we'll see who was on the right side of history.
And this has nothing to do with religion. Religions do not have to marry gays if they chose not to. Marriage, for anyone who has gone down to city hall for a marriage license knows, this is about a legal contract between adults. It gives two adults the right to share finances, health care, social security, proxy rights etc. Rights that only family relations have (under the law) - or a spouse. A blood relative has more rights in a gay relationship then the parties involved. Not so in a marriage. A marriage establishes familial rights that protect a couple (straight or gay) from blood relatives intervention in raising children, disposition of property, health care decisions etc etc etc. It's a legal contract between consenting adults.
If you voted for Barry Sotero Obama to prove you were not a racist in 2008, vote for someone else (anyone) in 2012 to prove you are not an idiot!
Dear CNN, why is this news? I have a novel idea for you: try being impartial for a while. Wouldn't that be awesome if we had a news network reporting on the election without campaigning for one side? That one independent changes who he's supporting in the election doesn't exactly seem newsworthy, considering it likely happens millions of times per month across America.... unless of course your news network is trying to make it look like this is some kind of trend, in spite of polls showing the opposite trend.
Glad that I live in Massachusetts!
No thanks to Governor Romney or Senator Scott Brown, this issue was settled long ago!!
"If you voted for Barry Sotero Obama to prove you were not a racist in 2008, vote for someone else (anyone) in 2012 to prove you are not an idiot!"
And your goal was to prove yourself a racist by repeating the filth that formed the backbone of your sad, insulting, bigotted attempt at a joke?