In campaign news, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a major address Thursday about religion, in an attempt to answer questions about his Mormon faith. At a speech at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, Romney declared that religion is central to his life but that he will not be a spokesperson for Mormonism.

Mitt Romney: “If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.”

Romney used the word Mormon only once in his speech. Romney said, “Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom.” The Americans United for Separation of Church and State criticized Romney’s speech. The group’s director Barry Lynn said, “I was particularly outraged that Romney thinks that the Constitution is somehow based on faith and that judges should rule accordingly. That’s a gross misunderstanding of the framework of our constitutional system.”