[Jeff Fuller]

"The Mitt Romney Deception"--is very aptly named, for the piece itself is the true deception. Trusting a source like this is akin to seeking information about the LDS church from "Ex-Mormons for Jesus". Listen, ain't nobody gonna be conservative enough for these folks (Don't believe me? Look at this piece where they write about how President Bush has "abandoned God, Family, and Country" . Wouldn't you say they have a "flare for the dramatic?" . . . and, just like the liberal media, would rather distort the truth to support their own agenda than do honest research).

The article is compiled by a group called "MassResistance" whose 14 members (TIC) come onto the Romney Blogs frequently to copy and paste their whole diatribe. Their thesis is:

Indeed, this report will demonstrate that Romney was probably the most pro-abortion and pro-gay rights Republican official in the nation for the last decade.

This statement is utterly laughable on many levels:

1. He hasn't even been a "Republican official" for a decade. The only political office he's ever held where he has an actual record is as MA Gov 2003-2006
2. Gay rights groups and the liberal media incessantly lambaste Romney for his conservative actions/statements as Governor.
3. "The most pro-abortion and pro-gay rights Republican official?"--ever heard of Lincoln Chafee, Mark Foley, Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, Chuck Hagel, Michael Bloomberg, Olympia Snowe or the THOUSANDS of other Republican officials who ARE ACTUALLY pro-abortion and/or pro-gay rights? Romney IS pro-life and against same sex marriage AND civil unions.

Mass Resistance has perfected the science of running misleading headlines and quoting out of context. They've also compiled this list from quotes from such reliable (and "unbiased") sources as the Boston GLobe, Boston Herald, Bay Windows, and the Boston Phoenix . . . all media souces which have blatantly anti-Romney agendas and consistantly try to paint him as a hypocrite. They also don't link to the complete articles where "the rest of the story" can be evaluated en toto. This is the true deception.

Now for some clarification on the specific issues/accusations:

• Top 10 RINO? . . . Human Events Online has more recently semi-recanted for including Romney in this list and now their main objection to his potential success seems to be "The Mormon Issue". See link here (an article in which they seem to say everybody is an unacceptable or unelectable candidate):

Mitt Romney is an interesting character. Although he is the outgoing governor of the very liberal state of Massachusetts and was named as one of the Top 10 RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) less than a year ago in HUMAN EVENTS, he's not as liberal as he might appear at first glance. He opposed raising taxes in Massachusetts, balanced the budget, fought gay marriage (although unfortunately, he lost) and has flip flopped on abortion (He now has a pro-life stance). He's even publicly calling himself a " conservative Republican." On the other hand, according to recent polls, even if you set aside the debate about how conservative he is or isn't, the "Mormon issue" is starting to look like an insurmountable obstacle to his candidacy. According to Rasmussen Polling, 43% of Americans and 53% of Evangelicals say that they, "wouldn't consider voting for a Mormon candidate." For good or ill, that probably means that Romney is unelectable.

• Speaking of "The Mormon Issue" . . . "But all the polls say people won't vote for a Mormon as their President!" . . . I wrote this piece several months ago explaining how flawed such polling is, espeicially if they are trying to suggest that people won't want to vote for Romney because he's LDS.

• On the abortion issue, I strongly recommend reading this article: "A Pro-Life Perspective on a Mitt Romney Candidacy". (Also, keep in mind that both George HW Bush and Ronald Reagan were "pro-choice" prior to running for president (Reagan even signed the California law that essentially allowed "aboriton on demand", yet became a strong "pro-life" champion as president.)

• Gay Rights Issues: The MSM is on this "kick" now too . . .see this Boston Globe article and this New York Times piece in the last two days. Bottom line, he has NEVER been in favor of gay marriage or civil unions but he has also always been against discrimination of gays. See a more complete explanation here.

It must be recognized that Romney did have a few "unfortunate responses" during his 1994 campaign . . . especially during debates with Teddy Kennedy. Every politician has had a few of these in their careers . . . and they'll be brought up ad nauseum. What's more important is how Romney HAS GOVERNED . . . which has been consistantly as a conservative.

[Gipper08]

"I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country. I have since the time that my mom took that position when she ran in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain it and support it."-Mitt Willard Romney

[kenavi]

They are working to elect Hillary.

[Pukin Dog]

They are really running scared, aren't they? The fact is that Romney is the ONLY Republican that the Dems are worried about. They have no fear of McCain or Rudy, as the media already knows how to take both of them down. McCain as "crazy", starting next spring, and Rudy as racist and scandalized next summer. They have NOTHING on Romney, so they are already reduced to trying to fool the public. Sadly, many FReepers are falling for it. But then, we ARE the stupid party, right?

[aynrandfreak]

He hasn't even been a "Republican official" for a decade. The only political office he's ever held where he has an actual record is as MA Gov 2003-2006

I'd consider him part of the GOP establishment at least since he came close to taking Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in 1994.

[Swordfished]

Reagan even signed the California law that essentially allowed "aboriton on demand"

Is this true?! If so, I categorically rescind all my past praise or adoration of Ronald Reagan, for he shall surely...

just kidding

[jubail]

This is probably a cover group for the McCain campaign.

[gidget7]

Very thorough record and should be a must read for anyone considering Romney as a candidate. It is very factual that unless the GOP puts forth a candidate we can get behind, the conservative grass roots of the part will just bail out of politics, or go to some third party.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I'm waiting for word from the NRA and GOA, on how conservative Romney is.
Some folks around here are trying really hard to make RKBA a non-issue. If they think they can sweep it under the rug, and win, they've got another think a-comin!

[De Civitate Dei]

Romney was rated B by the NRA, never said he was pro choice and was always against gay marriage. But for some reason the new york times and the boston globe want us to think otherwise. Now why would that be?

[johnthebaptistmoore]

I also have a link to this on my personal page. By the way, does anybody really know what has happened to Alain lately? He hasn't written for quite awhile.

[JohnnyZ]

Fuller, your propaganda machine stinks to high heaven.

Mitt Romney tacks left, right, wherever he thinks will win him an election and advance his career.

[JohnnyZ]

Gay Rights Issues: The MSM is on this "kick" now too . . .see this Boston Globe article and this New York Times piece in the last two days. Bottom line, he has NEVER been in favor of gay marriage or civil unions but he has also always been against discrimination of gays.

By "discrimination of gays", I assume you mean the multitude of gay rights issues that Mitt Romney supports, the special rights agenda which are the building blocks leading to gay marriage?

You sound just like a liberal, trumpeting your boss's commitment to gays in the Boy Scouts, gay adoptions, gay "non-discrimination", benefits for gay partners, etc etc etc.

[Bahbah]

I am absolutely astounded at the vigorous and underhanded effort to destroy anyone who might pose an actual threat to the "front runners." My goodness, who could be behind all of this? /s

[Colofornian]

Trusting a source like this is akin to seeking information about the LDS church from "Ex-Mormons for Jesus".

Yeah, we all know we shouldn't trust information about priests from ex-Catholic altar boys.

[Colofornian]

"We must make equality for gays & lesbians a mainstream concern."--Mitt Romney, Letter to Log Cabin, 1994

OK, if you don't understand this by now, "equality" for gays & lesbians is an ongoing moving target.

While Romney supposedly said this a dozen years ago, and may have meant a more limited universe than what he thought the Log Cabin readers would interpret it as being, the problem is that "mainstream" gay & lesbian activists interpret "equality" to mean exactly that...equality across the board...anything and everything. Hiring Quota? Yes. Supplier Quota? Yes. Exec Quota? Yes. 'Marriage' equality? Yes. Benefits equality? Yes. Access equality (to anything & everything you can think of)? Yes.