BOSTON (AP) - Mitt Romney criticized President Barack Obama's original push to require church-affiliated employers to pay for birth control as an "assault on religion."

But as Massachusetts governor, Romney was largely silent about a state law that required virtually the same contraceptive coverage. The Massachusetts law, which essentially mirrored Obama's proposal, was signed by Romney's predecessor in 2002, the year before he took office. Romney did not seek its repeal.


On Friday, Obama backtracked and said workers at religious institutions could get free contraception directly from health insurers.


The contraception episode is another example of how hard it is for Romney to contrast himself on some key issues with the president he seeks to defeat.


(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)