He comes from noble moderate Republican lineage
Pro-abortion
Pro-gay
Anti-gun
Case closed.
He is not the first LDS to run for President. Joseph Smith was the first. That was one of the big reasons he was murdered.
To object to his religious beliefs is ridiculous, given the behavior of so-called 'Christian's' like Kennedy, Kerry, Pelosi, et al while in office.
The REAL Romney problem is that he is completely a MEDIA-driven candidate whose appeal is only to those who don't give a whit about actually ACCOMPLISHING anything. Simple numerical fact makes him totally ineffectual in accomplishing not blessed by the Democrat majority in mASSachusetts. Instead, he could have very constructively focused on building the Republican party in the state - he didn't even do that. He just collected his salary, posed a couple of times, and waved a 'bloody shirt' a few times to inspire the weak-in-the-knees 'Republican' faithful. Bored with being the governor, when he leaves office - his reasonable successor is a female, north-shore, Country club Republican whose name even Mitt has a hard time remembering.
Mitt is a good water skier, decidely anti gay marriage, pro life, good looking, lotsa $$$......
A Romney/Rice ticket would really bring out all the prejudices!!!!
Yes sadly, right-wing Christians won't vote for someone who does not share their beliefs.
My problem with Romney is due to his stance on the issue, but I'm not a religious biggot.
If he is, he's head-and-shoulders ahead of most anyone else out there.
If he's not, then his religious affiliation doesn't matter. I'll keep looking.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! He has many problems, chiefly the problem that he has demonstrated contempt for socially conservative positions in order to advance his career in Kennedyland. I certainly would not vote for him any more than I would vote for John Kerry.
Romney is a Mormon from Massachusetts. He doesn't have a chance to win the primary and would lose against Hillary if she runs.
Nobody is trying to convince you to invite Mitt to preach in your sanctuary on Sunday or teach Bible School. Ask yourself if he is a good, effective, honest, fair and conservative leader?
"Or, to put it in evangelical terms, it might be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for Mitt Romney to win the Republican nomination."
Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I recall reading somewhere in the distant past that the Hebrew words for "camel" and "rope" are the same without the vowel sounds, and that this metaphor has long since been mistranslated and that mistaken translation, as bizarre as it sounds, has stuck!
Dan
That said, I have another take on this article. The author is trying to make the point that conservative Christians are religious bigots, who would disdain a candidate who agrees with them on political issues but who belongs to the wrong church. It is a hit piece on Christians.
So, if it were Mitt Romney running against Hillary Clinton, which way would you and your friends vote?
Excerpted from National Review---
"Gov. Romney suggested that in the ongoing war, we ought to be investigating mosques that preach Islamic militancy and the young men who come to this country from rogue precincts of the Islamic world."
In my view, this is largely much ado about nothing. Mormons get elected to office where there are very few Mormons. The list is quite long. Romney will be well positioned if Giuliani and McCain don't run, or flame out, as the centrist candidate, and he is far more articulate than Allen or Brownbach etc. I should add that non evangelicals might be more comfortable with a business like Mormon who does not talk religion that an evangelical who does.
I will do the same every time I cast a vote.
Being a Christian is NOT a qualification, merely an enhancement.
He is a squishy compromiser on every social issue.
It is my personal belief that Mormonism is a false, un-Christian religeon. That said, I would potentially vote for a Mormon for President if he was pro-life, pro-gun, fiscally conservative, pro-Constitution, of good moral character, etc. If a man holds conservative beliefs, understands the federal system as our Founders intended, is honest and hardworking, and loves America and wants to crush those who would harm her, I say that's good enough. As Louisiana Sen. John Breaux said of Joe Lieberman, "I think people don't care so much where [Sen. Lieberman] goes to church on Sunday, but just that he has the moral values and principles to lead this country." Just so.
I'm not an evangelical, but I am bothered by Romeny's Mormonism. Not in the way you'd think though; I wish that Romney's religion had more of an influence on his politics. Namely, I wish he was pro-life. I don't care what religion a politician professes, if he or she thinks infanticide should be legal, then say goodbye to my vote.
Now if Romeny was more conservative, I might give him a closer look. Mormon theology is quite bizarre and problematic, but as long as the President is pursuing the policies I want, I couldn't care less about his religion.