Contact: Dr. Paul Cameron, Family Research Institute, 303-681-3113

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 1 /Christian Newswire/ -- Speaking to a group of conservative leaders gathered at the Grand America Hotel, Vice President Dick Cheney pointedly ducked a question Democratic presidential candidates had recently answered during their debate at Dartmouth College.

On Wednesday night, Allison King of New England Cable News had asked the Democratic contenders: "Last year, some parents of second-graders in Lexington, Massachusetts, were outraged to learn their children's teacher had read a story about same-sex marriage, about a prince who marries another prince.... Would you be comfortable having this story read to your children as part of their school curriculum?"

Former Senator John Edwards said, "Yes, absolutely."  Senator Barack Obama had answered: "I feel very similar to John."  And frontrunner Senator Hillary Clinton had agreed: "I really respect what both John and Barack Said."

Two days later, when researcher Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute asked Vice President Cheney essentially the same question at Salt Lake City, substituting "American children" for "your children," Cheney refused to answer "yes" or "no," saying it was a question for the states to decide.

"I gave him the opportunity to distance himself and the Republican Party from the Democratic position," Cameron said, "and he wouldn't do it.  A lot of people will find this apparent lack of conviction highly disturbing."  

Both the Romney ("This is a subject that should be left to parents, not public school teachers") and Thompson campaigns ("Fred wants to let kids be kids while the Democrats are trying to turn them into mini Moveon.org activists") condemned schools telling 7 year-olds that homosexual activity is OK.

The Family Research Institute, a think-tank in Colorado Springs, does research on demographic and sexual trends.