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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Romney camp responds to anti-Mormon conduct

Watch EXCLUSIVE video of Romney and an anti-Mormon voter at a New Hampshire campaign stop Tuesday morning.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A spokesman for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney called one New Hampshire voter's anti-Mormon comments and refusal to shake the former governor's hand at a campaign stop "un-American" and "religiously bigoted" on Wednesday.

The incident occurred one day earlier at a diner in Dover. After chatting with some patrons, the former Massachusetts governor walked over to greet a man, identified by the Associated Press as Al Michaud.

"I am one person who will not vote for a Mormon," Michaud said as Romney approached his table.

"Oh, is that right?" Romney said. "Can I shake your hand anyway?"

"No," Michaud said, refusing to meet eyes with the Republican presidential candidate.

Romney then said okay, chuckled, and walked away from Michaud's table.

"The most important thing to take away is that out of 100 patrons in that coffee shop, only one individual greeted him in such an unwelcome religiously bigoted fashion," said Romney spokesperson Kevin Madden, who added the governor handled the incident like he handles everything, "with class and with dignity."

Afterwards, Michaud identified himself to reporters as "a liberal" who planned to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, should she win the Democratic presidential nomination, according to the Associated Press.

The former Massachusetts governor was warmly greeted by patrons of the packed restaurant, at one point engaging in light banter with a 94-year-old woman.

The woman joked to Romney that she was looking for a job. My roof needs repairs, he kidded back.

Madden denied that Michaud's comments represented bigger problems facing the White House hopeful on whether voters will accept his Mormon religion.

"Only one person professed this sort of un-American thinking. The other 99 were welcoming and happy to see the governor, with the majority of them walking away Romney supporters," Madden said. "That's more representative of America than the one."

In February, Romney was heckled over his faith while meeting with local area residents at a retirement center in The Villages, Florida.

Replying directly to the unidentified man, the former governor said: "One of the great things about this great land is we have people of different faiths and different persuasions, and I'm convinced that the nation -- that the nation does need -- the nation does need to have people of different faiths, but we need to have a person of faith lead the country."

His response earned him a standing ovation by the 700 or so attendees.

Romney said later that while religion may be an issue early on in the campaign, he didn't believe it would become a factor in the final analysis for president.

"Ultimately they put aside those differences and focus on the capabilities of the individual candidates, their vision, their aspirations, where they'd take America and why they're running," he said.

According to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll, 10 percent of New Hampshire Republicans said they are less likely to vote for Romney because he is Mormon.

The Republican presidential hopeful would be the first Mormon to serve in the White House if elected.

-- CNN's Mike Roselli, Alex Wellen, and Lauren Kornreich
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