David Koch opens up to reporters at RNC

Few New York delegates at last week's Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., drew as much attention as David Koch, the Manhattan billionaire industrialist and political donor.

And for the first time, Koch opened up a bit with reporters, telling Politico he's for gay marriage and is open to Defense Department cuts. At a reception by Americans for Prosperity -- the nonprofit he and his brother Charles are bankrolling (it's spending $14 million now on anti-Barack Obama ads) -- Koch said "no comment" to reports the brothers intend to spend $400 million to beat Obama and defended his spending as "free speech."

Asked what happens if Mitt Romney loses, Koch, who also owns a home in Southampton, told reporters, "We're in this for the long haul." -- Tom Brune