LONDON — On the eve of his debut on the international stage, Mitt Romney sat down for a major television network interview here on Wednesday with the killing of 12 people in a Colorado movie theater at the forefront.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, embarking on a week-long foreign trip, reiterated his opposition to stricter gun laws in response to last week’s mass shooting in Aurora that killed 12 people and injured 58 others.
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“I don’t happen to believe that America needs new gun laws. A lot of what this young man did was clearly against the law, but the fact that it was against the law did not prevent it from happening,” Romney told “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams in an interview taped Wednesday outside the Tower of London.
Romney acknowledged that as governor of Massachusetts supported a legislative compromise that banned assault weapons. But, he added, “We can sometimes hope that just changing a law will make all bad things go away. It won’t. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what’s essential to improve the lots of the American people.”
Romney spoke with Williams a few hours after arriving in London, where he is scheduled to meet Thursday with top British officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron and former prime minister Tony Blair.
Romney will attend Friday’s Olympics opening ceremonies — although he told Williams he will not have a chance to see his wife Ann’s horse, Rafalca, compete in the dressage events — and later visit Israel and Poland.
On Tuesday in Reno, Nev., Romney delivered a forceful and at times scathing critique of President Obama’s foreign policy. But Romney pledged to refrain from such rhetoric during his overseas trip.
“I don’t want to be in any way critical of the president or to be fashioning [a] foreign policy departure from the president while I’m on foreign soil,” Romney told Williams.
When he landed here, Romney was greeted by a report in the London Telegraph that an unnamed “adviser” to his campaign said Romney has a better appreciation than Obama for America’s “Anglo-Saxon heritage.”
Romney campaign aides quickly dismissed the statement as “not true,” although Vice President Joe Biden weighed in with a statement saying, “This assertion is beneath a presidential campaign.”
Asked by Williams about the quote, Romney said he has “a lot of advisers.”
“I’m not sure who this person is,” Romney said, “but I can tell you that we have a very special relationship between the United States and Great Britain. It goes back to our very beginnings — cultural and historical. But I also believe the president understands that.”
Williams noted that many Americans do not yet feel that they know Romney, and the candidate said he sees the three fall debates with Obama as a chance for people to understand his character.
When Williams asked Romney if he was “a hidden man,” Romney said, “I’m happy to talk about my heritage.” He said his father, George, was born in Mexico and that he is “proud” of his Mormon faith, which Romney rarely talks about on the campaign trail.
“Without question, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” Romney said. “I’m proud of that. Some call that the Mormon Church; that’s fine with me. I’ll talk about my experiences in the church. There’s no question they’ve helped shape my perspective.”
Romney’s trip is not a complete diversion from the political questions facing him in the United States, including pressure to release more than two years of tax returns. Romney insisted again that disclosing two years of filings is sufficiently transparent, noting that he had already made public “hundreds of pages of returns for the Democrat operatives to go through and twist and distort.”
And with the Republican National Convention in Tampa just one month away, Romney said he has not yet made a decision about a vice presidential running mate and that he would not make his announcement while traveling overseas.
When Williams asked Romney whether he could confirm that he is seeking an “incredibly boring white guy” for vice president,” Romney laughed and quipped, “You told me you were not available.”
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, embarking on a week-long foreign trip, reiterated his opposition to stricter gun laws in response to last week’s mass shooting in Aurora that killed 12 people and injured 58 others.
Graphic
Explore the 2012 electoral map and view historical results and demographics
More from PostPolitics
Rachel Weiner THE FIX | A British paper claimed an unnamed “adviser” made a controversial comment. “It’s not true,” the campaign says.
Glenn Kessler FACT CHECKER | We delve into the latest Obama campaign charge about Romney’s business past.
Ed O'Keefe 2CHAMBERS | Mistake suggests Republicans are pushing for a 94 percent unemployment rate.
“I don’t happen to believe that America needs new gun laws. A lot of what this young man did was clearly against the law, but the fact that it was against the law did not prevent it from happening,” Romney told “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams in an interview taped Wednesday outside the Tower of London.
Romney acknowledged that as governor of Massachusetts supported a legislative compromise that banned assault weapons. But, he added, “We can sometimes hope that just changing a law will make all bad things go away. It won’t. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what’s essential to improve the lots of the American people.”
Romney spoke with Williams a few hours after arriving in London, where he is scheduled to meet Thursday with top British officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron and former prime minister Tony Blair.
Romney will attend Friday’s Olympics opening ceremonies — although he told Williams he will not have a chance to see his wife Ann’s horse, Rafalca, compete in the dressage events — and later visit Israel and Poland.
On Tuesday in Reno, Nev., Romney delivered a forceful and at times scathing critique of President Obama’s foreign policy. But Romney pledged to refrain from such rhetoric during his overseas trip.
“I don’t want to be in any way critical of the president or to be fashioning [a] foreign policy departure from the president while I’m on foreign soil,” Romney told Williams.
When he landed here, Romney was greeted by a report in the London Telegraph that an unnamed “adviser” to his campaign said Romney has a better appreciation than Obama for America’s “Anglo-Saxon heritage.”
Romney campaign aides quickly dismissed the statement as “not true,” although Vice President Joe Biden weighed in with a statement saying, “This assertion is beneath a presidential campaign.”
Asked by Williams about the quote, Romney said he has “a lot of advisers.”
“I’m not sure who this person is,” Romney said, “but I can tell you that we have a very special relationship between the United States and Great Britain. It goes back to our very beginnings — cultural and historical. But I also believe the president understands that.”
Williams noted that many Americans do not yet feel that they know Romney, and the candidate said he sees the three fall debates with Obama as a chance for people to understand his character.
When Williams asked Romney if he was “a hidden man,” Romney said, “I’m happy to talk about my heritage.” He said his father, George, was born in Mexico and that he is “proud” of his Mormon faith, which Romney rarely talks about on the campaign trail.
“Without question, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” Romney said. “I’m proud of that. Some call that the Mormon Church; that’s fine with me. I’ll talk about my experiences in the church. There’s no question they’ve helped shape my perspective.”
Romney’s trip is not a complete diversion from the political questions facing him in the United States, including pressure to release more than two years of tax returns. Romney insisted again that disclosing two years of filings is sufficiently transparent, noting that he had already made public “hundreds of pages of returns for the Democrat operatives to go through and twist and distort.”
And with the Republican National Convention in Tampa just one month away, Romney said he has not yet made a decision about a vice presidential running mate and that he would not make his announcement while traveling overseas.
When Williams asked Romney whether he could confirm that he is seeking an “incredibly boring white guy” for vice president,” Romney laughed and quipped, “You told me you were not available.”