Romney says don't ask about indiscretions

November 25, 2007

Derry, New Hampshire - Mitt Romney said Saturday that presidential candidates should refrain from discussing their early life "indiscretions" with young people.

The former Massachusetts Governor's statements were a response to Sen. Barack Obama's visit to a Manchester high school Tuesday where he told students he was a "goof off" in high school and had experimented with drugs and alcohol.

"I agree with the sentiment that nobody's perfect and most of us, if not all of us, in our youthful years have engaged in various indiscretions we wouldn't want to have paraded in the front of a newspaper," Romney said. "On the other hand if we're running for president, I think it's important for us not to go into details about the weaknesses and our own failings as young people for the concern that we open kids thinking that it's ok for them."

Romney told the crowd that he would subscribe to President Bush's strategy of handling matters of poor judgment from one's youth.

"He said when he was young and irresponsible, he was young and irresponsible, and he left it at that," Romney said of the President, "And I think that in order to leave the best possible example for our kids, we're probably wisest not to talk about our own indiscretions in great detail."

Following the event, Romney participated in the Derry parade, where he greeted locals, one by one for a one and half mile stretch.

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