I’m not sure that’s even fair. This wasn’t Ann Coulter being at a Mitt Romney campaign event or fundraiser to bring more people to see him — in which case Romney would have to make a statement. CPAC is a packed schedule. Rudy Giuliani before him made reference to Michael Barone, who was on the schedule not too long before him (and given his gun issues he wasn’t going to mention Wayne LaPierre, on immediately before him, or, given his immigration issues, wasn’t going to mention Tom Tancredo, on not long after). Ann Coulter being on next in a sardine-can-like schedule was the opportunity for Romney to make an easy, appropriate, funny joke — anticipating that she might say something ridiculous. I don’t think he needs to issue a statement — though I suspect he will wind up addressing it before long in an interview or a Q&A on the trail, etc. I think he needs to make clear what kind of leader he would be on marriage and family issues and what kind of civil campaign he intends to lead by just doing it.