Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Wednesday calmed the fears of a supporter who worried that the candidate was going prevent gun owners from protecting themselves from a "tyrannical government."
"I have a concealed carry permit," the man, who identified himself as William Phillips, told Romney at an event in Bexley, Ohio. "There are over 9 million of us in that voting block, and I just wonder what you're going to do"
"Are you going to allow me to keep my gun and protect myself and my family and my home and not come and get my gun?" the man asked. "Because I want to keep it to protect myself and my wife and my family -- and against a tyrannical government, which I think we are approaching and we are in very close."
"I believe in the Second Amendment," Romney assured Phillips. "I'll protect the Second Amendment. I have guns myself. I'm not going to tell you where they are. Don't have them on myself either."
"We have the right in this country to bear arms," he added. "I know that there are some people in this country that think that should change and they keep looking for laws for a way to stop awful things from happening. And there are awful things that happen. But there are already laws that are designed to protect people. And, unfortunately, the people violate the laws."