Another item quotes Kathleen Henry, chairwoman of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, saying Romney proposed doubling the commission's budget in fiscal year 2006, to $250,000. "It's really huge," said Henry, quoted in a Globe story. "It says to us clearly that he gets the service for what it really is."
Conservatives responded instantly.
"Through phone conservations and e-mail, it's making its rounds and there is a growing tide of concern within pro-family organizations that the governor has some real explaining to do," said J. Matt Barber , policy director for cultural issues at Concerned Women for America.
The conservatives are not the only ones taking notice. Camenker's usual targets on the left are enjoying the spectacle of the unrelenting activist trying to derail the campaign of a politician they dislike.
"I love it," said Marc Solomon , campaign director for the gay rights group MassEquality. "It's sort of ironic, but I think that in this case, Brian Camenker actually has a point, and I think that's the first time I've ever said that. He is highlighting Romney's just total political expediency on issues related to gays and lesbians."
Romney supporters blast the report's central contention that Romney is not a true conservative. David French, a Tennessee lawyer, wrote a lengthy rebuttal on his website, Evangelicals for Mitt, calling the assertions "unfair and unfortunately misguided attacks against a man who stood -- with real integrity -- against some of the worst excesses of the cultural left."
"Camenker's arguments are at about 14 minutes and 59 seconds of fame right now," French said in a phone interview.
Romney responded to the report, during a recent tour of a gun show in Orlando.
"You know, it's the nature of politics to try and go back into ancient history and say, 'Look what happened here, and look what he said there,' " Romney said. "People can look at my record as governor, and they can see that, with regard for instance to traditional marriage, I have been as staunch a defender as you'll find anywhere in the country."
Camenker said he called a few prominent conservatives, including the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, to alert them to the report. but he has mostly e-mailed it to bloggers and activists, and let it spread on its own.
He acknowledges many conservatives have rebuffed him, saying, "Brian, if we don't have Romney, we'll have McCain or Giuliani, and they're worse." The references are to Senator John McCain of Arizona and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani , who have taken moderate stands on some social issues.
But Camenker said, "All we're doing is spreading the truth."
"My goal is that the next president of the United States be a conservative," he said.
Romney doesn't pass the test, he said. In a reference to the liberal gay state senator from Cambridge, Camenker said: "How's [Romney] going to stand up to the president of Iran if Jarrett Barrios scares him?"
Michael Levenson can be reached at mlevenson@globe.com. 