Latter-day President?

OpinionJournal / The Wall Street Journal ^ | December 31, 2005 | JAMES TARANTO

[monkapotamus]

Latter-day President?
A Mitt Romney candidacy would test the religious right.

BY JAMES TARANTO
Saturday, December 31, 2005 12:01 a.m. EST

BOSTON--Mitt Romney insists he has hardly thought about running for president: "That's a decision you make way down the road." With the 2008 election 1,039 days away, that's fair enough. But I'm guessing he'll run.

I first met Mr. Romney in September at New York's Monday Meeting, a conclave of right-leaning movers and shakers who gather to hear politicians from around the country make pitches for support. This month, after it emerged that the backing Mr. Romney sought was not for re-election as governor of Massachusetts, I visited him at the Statehouse here. "I will accomplish in my term the objectives that I set out to accomplish, or some will be rejected and I wouldn't get them done in the second term anyway," he tells me. "There's no reason to hang around and warm the chair, taking advantage of the perks and fun of office, if the agenda is complete." What he doesn't say is that there's also no reason for a governor to risk defeat if he has his eye on the White House.

The governor's office is equipped with a fireplace, making it a rarity in 21st-century politics: a smoke-filled room. Mr. Romney, a devout Mormon, abjures not only tobacco but also alcohol and coffee. A 58-year-old Detroit native, he is a businessman-turned-politician like his late father, George, who was chairman of American Motors Corp. before serving six years as governor of Michigan. George Romney ran for president in 1968 but famously withdrew after attributing his support for the Vietnam War to "brainwashing" at the hands of U.S. generals.

[Tax-chick]

Excellent summary.

I'm disappointed in James Taranto's repeating the liberal spin that Christian conservatives won't vote for Romney because he's a Mormon. No, folks, we won't vote for him (unless the other choice is Hillary, God help us) because he's not a conservative.

[Sweetjustusnow]

Amen. Especially the notes you make in the 10th paragraph of the second link you posted.

[Clintonfatigued]

There are better other people in the running.

[Condor51]

Religion? Hogwash.

What will DOOM him are the facts that 1) he's a Northeast Liberal and 2) a GUN GRABBER.

Ta-ta Mitt, we hardly knew ye.
ps: take that other NE lib with ya, Ruuuuudy.

[Bushwacker777]

So what, the evangelicals are going to vote for Hitlery?

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I'm not voting for him, and it's not because of his religion.

[Crooked Constituent]

Last thing we need is another presidential candidate from Massachusetts.

Aren't there some better options out there?

I wont be voting for this guy come primary time.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Mr. Romney's religion is not a problem for me. (As I suspect it would not be for most people.)

First I have no problem at all with it, however I can tell you that in states with large Christian Coalition voting blocks (mostly Southern Baptist) it will be a huge problem. They consider LDS a cult and though they will not vote for HRC they will under vote a race with Romney on the ticket.

[Old Seadog]

If he's LDS then how many 1st ladies will we have?

[Seamoth]

They're the kind that stay home every election, anyway.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

No I don't think that is correct. They have a track record of being active and voting. Other social conservative may be a problem and do threaten not to vote all the time, however CC members vote heavily.

[BibChr]

Thanks!

(Uh... give me the first words of that paragraph? Not sure I'm counting the same way you are!)

(c8

Dan

[Sweetjustusnow]

Concerning "adding to the Bible"

[BibChr]

Got it! Thanks.

[Logophile]

First I have no problem at all with it, however I can tell you that in states with large Christian Coalition voting blocks (mostly Southern Baptist) it will be a huge problem. They consider LDS a cult and though they will not vote for HRC they will under vote a race with Romney on the ticket.

I am not convinced. My guess is that if a true conservative were running against someone like Hillary Clinton, the Christian Coalition would support the conservative even if he were a Mormon.

[Seamoth]

I submit: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Well you may not be convinced but if you ever come to SE Texas or SW Louisiana I will be happy to introduce you to the CC leadership, including some elected officials, who will tell you to your face that they will never vote for a LDS. There are two FReepers, one a former rep of mine, one a current who have said it to me.

[maui_hawaii]

There are plenty of southern redneck bigots out there, no question about that...

I want them to go on national TV and start questioning someone's religion. By doing so those people lose credibility. By doing so they harm the GOP.

Best bet is to shut them up, for the good of the party if nothing else.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

First, there are bigots everywhere, some of the biggest are native Hawaiians I might add.

Second these people will not go on TV, they will talk among themselves and if Romney is the nominee they will not vote. I do not support their position, though I dislike Romney on political grounds, but I do understand how they will react. Frankly I don't see a problem because the Governor will not get the nomination.

[308MBR]

I don't care if he practices Santa Ria, he's NOT getting my vote. His daddy's resume of businesses he helped to fail is enough of an indication. Remember the AMC Pacer? That's Mitt's first cousin.