Religion may hinder Romney in '08

[Flying_Mollusk]

This is the kind of stuff that really irritates me. Nothing to do with God or belief in Christ but everything to do with what club you belong too. Obviously this applies to other religions too(ie Sunni and Shi'ites).

 

 

 

Religion May Hinder Romney in 08

 

April 27, 2006 BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

 

Mitt Romney, in his last nine months as governor of Massachusetts, was in Washington Tuesday to address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in an early stage of his 2008 presidential campaign. To a growing number of Republican activists, he looks like the party's best bet. But any conversation among Republicans about Romney invariably touches on concerns of whether his Mormon faith disqualifies him for the presidency.

 

The U.S. Constitution prohibits a religious test for public office, but that is precisely what is being posed now. Prominent, respectable Evangelical Christians have told me, not for quotation, that millions of their co-religionists cannot and will not vote for Romney for president solely because he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If Romney is nominated and their abstention results in the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton, that's just too bad. The evangelicals are adamant, saying there is no way Romney can win them over.

 

Romney is well aware that an unconstitutional religious test is being applied to him, but he may be seriously minimizing the problem's scope as limited to relatively few fanatics. He feels the vast majority of conservative voters worried about his faith will flinch at the prospect of another Clinton in the White House. But such a rational approach is not likely to head off a highly emotional collision of religious faith and religious bias with American politics.

 

There was no such collision 38 years ago when Romney's father, George, in his third term as governor of Michigan, unsuccessfully sought the presidential election. Apart from reporters sniping at what were then Mormon exclusionary policies toward blacks, religion was the least of the senior Romney's political problems. In the intervening four decades, American religiosity has grown and evangelical influence in the Republican Party emerged.

 

The last comparable attempted invocation of a religious test was directed against John F. Kennedy in 1960. But origins of this bias then could be isolated and, therefore, could be dealt with directly. Protestant ministers whipped up opposition by warning that a Roman Catholic president would be taking orders from the pope. Kennedy defused that canard by declaring his independence from the Vatican.

 

Nobody is suggesting that Mitt Romney as president of the United States would be taking orders from the president of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. The Republican whispering campaign against Mormons is broader -- based on ridicule of the church's doctrine. I have heard Republicans who have read the Book of Mormon express astonishment that any rational person could believe that.

 

These amateur theologians occasionally get mixed up, with some Republicans asserting that Mormons do not believe in the divinity of Christ. The first of Mormon founder Joseph Smith's 13 Articles of Faith reads: ''We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.'' It is true that the Mormon understanding of the Trinity is not what is taught by Catholic and most Protestant faiths. But nobody today seeks to disqualify Jews and non-Trinitarian Protestants from high office.

 

Romney wisely has no intention of lecturing America on Mormon theology. Rather, he cites the 1838 speech in Springfield, Ill., by the young Abraham Lincoln, in which he said, ''let reverence for the laws ... become the political religion of the nation.'' In other words, religion should not make that much difference in America.

 

The benefits of being a Mormon that Romney plans to access include a large base of wealthy donors ready to fill his campaign treasury. Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah, chief deputy majority whip of the Senate and a Mormon, plans to take Romney on a get-acquainted visit with Republican senators. That is far less support than Kennedy's 1960 candidacy received from conservative Catholics. But the intense reaction Romney will meet almost surely will require a stronger response than he now envisions. He has supporters who believe that he must go before the public and declare that the imposition of a religious test on U.S. politics is unfair, unreasonable and un-American.

 

 

http://chicagosuntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak27.html

[Guest markotsay7]

Absurd that people wouldn't support him because he's a Mormon.

[CapeFish]

Condi in '08

[MarlinFan10]

I'll continue to support him, but Damn, out all of things he could be, Mormon? :blink:

[Guest Fritz]

A Mormon President.

 

I hope he legalizes polygamy.

 

:thumbup

[prinmemito]

In the spirit of polygamy, maybe he'll endorse "Hoez Nation."

[IrishHarrington]

He is a very charismatic candidate , has some interesting ideas , but what will utimately knock down his presidential chances is his political body of work . He has only held office for 4 years , i think after President Bush most Americans no matter where they sit on the political spectrum will want a politician with alot of experience both Romney and Marlinbaseball.com forum democratic favorite mark warner , dont have the experience to win imo . America desperately needs someone who can lead us not only at home but can command respect internationally .....hint McCain hint :notworthy

[FutureGM]

Anyone notice that the article was written by Republican mega-supporter Robert Novak?

 

I'm not sure whether Romney's Mormon faith will hurt him or not.

[Das Texan]

I wont vote for him, but he sounds like an interesting person.

 

 

And if you think American ideals are conservative now....

 

 

If he is elected...

 

 

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.

[Flying_Mollusk]

I wont vote for him, but he sounds like an interesting person.

 

 

And if you think American ideals are conservative now....

 

 

If he is elected...

 

 

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.

 

Oh dont get me wrong. I think he is way too socially conservative. I think he would lose in a general election because he has abandoned any hint of being a moderate. It just amazes me that religion and belief in God are social badges.

 

America desperately needs someone who can lead us not only at home but can command respect internationally .

:plain Kerry's campaign slogan?

 

Also, one different between Romney and Warner is that Warner couldnt run for re-election as per Virginia law but Romney has insulted his state so much he probably wouldnt get re-elected.

[Das Texan]

I wont vote for him, but he sounds like an interesting person.

 

 

And if you think American ideals are conservative now....

 

 

If he is elected...

 

 

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.

 

Oh dont get me wrong. I think he is way too socially conservative. I think he would lose in a general election because he has abandoned any hint of being a moderate. It just amazes me that religion and belief in God are social badges.

 

America desperately needs someone who can lead us not only at home but can command respect internationally .

:plain Kerry's campaign slogan?

 

Also, one different between Romney and Warner is that Warner couldnt run for re-election as per Virginia law but Romney has insulted his state so much he probably wouldnt get re-elected.

 

 

My reasons for not voting for Romney are not religious per nature.

 

Mormons are just an extremely conservative religion and it encompasses their entire life to live fully as a true Mormon. There really isnt much room for wavering for any hardcore Mormon. Though I'm not sure how true Romney is to the faith, though I assume fairly much so considering he plans on using the Church members as a large basis for his funding.