memeorandum: Romney only touches on gay marriage in evangelical college speech (Sam Baker/Ballot Box)

2:45 PM ET, May 12, 2012

Top Items:

Mitt Romney's Support Of Same-Sex Adoption Lasts One Day — Among Mitt Romney's timid responses this week after President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality was an admission that he was “fine” with same-sex couples adopting children, saying, “that's something that people have a right to do.”

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and ABCNEWS

Matthew Shelley / NationalJournal.com:

Romney Backs Away From Gay Adoptions — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Friday backed away from his support of adoptions by gay couples, saying that he simply “acknowledges” the legality of such adoptions in many states.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Wonkette and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

Bush '04 pollster: Change in attitudes on gay marriage across the board — Former President George W. Bush's pollster for his 2004 re-election, Jan van Lohuizen, has put out a memo to Republican operatives suggesting a shift in the way the GOP discusses same-sex marriage, a piece flagged by Jonathan Martin.

Discussion: Gawker, Towleroad News #gay and Mediaite

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Vulnerable Dem senators balk at Obama's gay marriage stance

Discussion: Mediaite

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Top GOP Pollster to GOP: Reverse On Gay Issues

Discussion: Guardian

Walt Cronkite / NationalJournal.com:
Romney Says He's ‘Fine’ With Gay Couples Adopting Children

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Wonkette

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Six in 10 Say Obama Same-Sex Marriage View Won't Sway Vote

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Wake up America, Donklephant, Democratic Strategist, The Huffington Post, The Daily Caller, ABCNEWS, Mediaite, Politico, CNN, New York Magazine, The Caucus, Hot Air, Advocate, The Hill, American Spectator and Business Insider

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Mitt Romney uses Jimmy Carter as campaign weapon — FORT LUPTON, Colo. — For President Barack Obama, Mitt Romney is an obvious throwback to another era — a stiff Father Knows Best type who straps the dog to the station wagon and marries his high-school sweetheart.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Outside the Beltway

Chip Reid / CBS News:

Romney address at Liberty Univ. sparks controversy — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — (CBS News) WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney is to deliver the commencement address Saturday at Virginia's Liberty University, the largest evangelical college in the country. — His visit has stirred debate …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler

Virginia / CNN:

Romney builds inter-faith bridge in Liberty U commencement address — Lynchburg, Virginia (CNN) - Mitt Romney used the commencement address he delivered Saturday at Liberty University to draw lines between the faith of the evangelical university - especially its founder, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell - and his own.

Discussion: ABCNEWS and Politico

Sam Baker / Ballot Box:

Romney only touches on gay marriage in evangelical college speech — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stayed away from directly criticizing President Obama during a commencement address at evangelical Liberty University but earned applause for pushing back against Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage.

Discussion: CNN

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:

Businessman Says He Lost Hundreds of Customers After Attacks by Obama Campaign — Businessman Frank Vandersloot, the CEO of Melaleuca, has been targeted by the Obama campaign after donating money to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. “Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, protein wisdom, Weasel Zippers, Wake up America, The Gateway Pundit, Rush Limbaugh, Hot Air, Wall Street Journal, The PJ Tatler and Conservatives4Palin

Associated Press:

Around world, Obama's presidency a disappointment — In Europe, where more than 200,000 people thronged a Berlin rally in 2008 to hear Barack Obama speak, there's disappointment that he hasn't kept his promise to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, and perceptions that he's shunting blame …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Balloon Juice

Associated Press:

N.C. governor: ‘We look like Mississippi’ after vote — GREENVILLE, N.C. — Passage of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman makes North Carolina “look like Mississippi,” Gov. Beverly Perdue said Friday. — The chairman of the Mississippi GOP …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Peter Allen / Daily Mail:

New French president Francois Hollande, who claims to ‘dislike the rich’, has THREE homes on French Riviera — France's new Socialist president owns three holiday homes in the glamorous Riviera resort of Cannes, it emerged today. — The 57-year-old who ‘dislikes the rich’ and wants …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Gateway Pundit, iOwnTheWorld.com, Weasel Zippers and Outside the Beltway

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Is Romney Pulling Away? — It is, of course, way too early to get cocky. But Republicans have to be happy with the way current polling is going. In this morning's tracking poll at Rasmussen Reports, Mitt Romney leads Barack Obama by a stunning 50%-42%. Rasmussen's matchup is a rolling three …