Romney responds to Mormon flare-up

Romney responds to Mormon flare-up

WASHINGTON

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Saturday denounced “poisonous language” against faiths as he grappled with a flare-up over religion sparked by a prominent supporter of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, his rival. Perry steered well clear of that simmering issue and pushed another hot button instead: Social Security.

Romney, in remarks to the Values Voters Summit, a gathering of cultural conservatives in Washington, did not directly confront the words of a prominent Perry supporter who called Romney’s Mormon faith a “cult.” Indeed, Romney was criticizing another speaker at the meeting who is known for anti-Mormon and anti- Muslim rhetoric, and who followed him on stage.

But his cautionary words served as notice that attacks on faiths should, in his view, be off the table.

Paul wins Values Voters straw poll

WASHINGTON

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is the top presidential pick of the thousands of social conservatives who are meeting this weekend, winning 37 percent in a nonbinding straw poll.

Georgia businessman Herman Cain came in second at the Values Voters Summit in Washington with 23 percent, and former Sen. Rick Santorum placed third with 16 percent in Saturday’s straw poll among the Republicans’ White House contenders.

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas tied with 8 percent.

Anthony takes video deposition in lawsuit

ORLANDO, Fla.

Disguised in sunglasses and a baseball cap, Casey Anthony was deposed Saturday for a civil lawsuit that accuses her of ruining another woman’s reputation.

Attorneys for Zenaida Gonzalez used videoconferencing to question Anthony, who was at an undisclosed location in Florida.

John Morgan, who is representing Gonzalez, said he asked Anthony about the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. Anthony told detectives in 2008 that Caylee had been kidnapped by a nanny named Zenaida Gonzalez.

Detectives said no such baby sitter existed. Morgan’s client, who has the same name as the fictional baby sitter, has sued Anthony, claiming her reputation was ruined.

Anthony answered few questions, and her attorney, Charles Greene, repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, Morgan said.

Virtuoso pianist Roger Williams dies

LOS ANGELES

Roger Williams, the virtuoso pianist who topped the Billboard pop chart in the 1950s and played for nine U.S. presidents during a long career, died Saturday. He was 87.

Williams died at his home in Los Angeles of complications from pancreatic cancer, according to his former publicist, Rob Wilcox.

Known as an electrifying stage performer and an adept improviser, Williams effortlessly switched between musical styles.

“Roger was one of the greatest pianists in the world and could play anything to classical music to jazz. He was one of the greatest personalities I’ve ever known,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a longtime friend of Williams and himself a musician. “He could touch any audience, from teenagers to senior citizens.”

Associated Press