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. Posted on 12/31/2005 8:23:19 AM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Agreed.
My point is to avoid having the GOP (or its components) come across as such, whether its in Hawaii or Texas or where ever it may be. It does nothing but fuel and give ammo to those we REALLY don't want.
I don't know a thing about Mitt's politics. He could be a Reid. Who knows. I can't say one way or another.
Reid is a Mormon. I am a Mormon. Would I vote for Reid? Heck no.
My whole point is, at least publicly keep the criticism based on politics...not you personally, but in general I think thats a good rule of thumb. Thats my whole point.
Flip-flopped on the right to bear arms, for one thing. But he's been a rip-roaring good governor for MA. Isn't running again, and we'll sure miss him.
Okay, Romney couldn't walk on water in MA. I'll agree. And the republican party is eviscerated. What the heck's wrong with us? (No guts, no glory.)
Flip-flopped on the right to bear arms, for one thing
?
A bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from their own.
Intolerance is the lack of ability or willingness to tolerate something.
In a social or political sense, intolerance is the absence of tolerence.
Just because a person doesn't want to vote for somebody who believes in something they consider to be false, does not make that person a bigot. Nor does it make them intolerant. It makes them an individual who is exercising their free will to use their own God given right to decide for themselves.
If someone says, "I won't vote for so and so because he's black/catholic/jewish/etc" whats the difference?
I can't stand Jesse Jackson. He's full of...
That doesn't mean I don't like black people though. It doesn't mean I would not support a good candidate who happens to be black.
With that being said, if someone rules someone out because 'they are Mormon'...odds are they are bigots and intolerant both.
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and waddles like a duck...odds are its a duck.
As far as rights go, they can vote for whomever they want. If they want to rule people out based on religious sect, creed, or color...I have all the right in the world to label the bigot for what he is. So, you see, we both are using our freedoms....
Obviously, most on this thread put their politics first, religion must rate far down the list of importance to them. Having a Mormon using the presidency as a bully pulpit for his Mormon beliefs does not exactly thrill me. The claims of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, et al, are absolutely heretical as far as Christian theology is concerned.
I recently heard a NPR program where they had some Mormon guy on there. NPR was really promoting his Mormon views. The liberal left likes Mormons for some reason. Some kind of new alliance with the left?
"If he's LDS then how many 1st ladies will we have?"
One
but...
Like all good mormons, he'll have a couple of hidden wives in the basement...
Ha Ha.
I can joke about it, I'm a mormon, and have been teased all my life about how many mothers I had etc etc..
Recently our local paper interviewed me for an article on the mormons. Here is the link if you want to give it a look...
http://www.naturalfamilyblog.com/archives/000121.html
Some quotes on poligamy from the article...
"When asked about polygamy, many local Mormons vigorously defend the practice in the past as a fact of life across religions throughout Biblical times. "It is not a new concept we invented," Bishop Stan Gordon says.
It served its purpose at the time, they say, providing shelter and support for women and children, and driving up the Mormon population at a time when it was threatened. But it has been condemned by the church since 1890, they stress, and those practicing it today will be excommunicated.
Nonetheless, some say that if divine prophecy called on Mormons to take up the practice again — perhaps if there were a war and there were few men left at home — they would not reject the notion outright.
"I personally believe polygamy is about taking care of women and children," Jenny Hatch says. "It is more about providing for families than anything else.""
I don't get why modern christians get their panties in a bind over poligamy. Father Jacob had four wives and twelve sons who make up the house of israel.
I've known the Romney family my whole life. I grew up in Detroit, and they were some of the finest people in the world. If Mitt is anything like his father, and I believe he is also a man of integrity and strength, he will do well as president, and I plan to vote for him, and campaign for him.
Jenny Hatch
I have no idea who the nominee will be. I have no favorite, much as I didn't in 2000. I believe either someone will step forward that we don't know, or one of those mentioned as a possibility will reveal himself as a leader that we can trust.
I am not discounting Romney. I am watching all of them for signs that they are able to shoulder the responsibility.
It would be nice if Romney stuck around in MA after his term was over and worked hard to reinvigorate the grass roots, getting more people involved, and more $$. Unfortunately, he probably already has his plane ticket bought and paid for back to SLC as long as it takes him to get from Beacon Hill to Logan after he leaves office a year from now. :-(
I agree whole-heartedly with you about Romney's departure. He's been a breath of fresh air for MA. and he's leaving us in the lurch and stuck with the probable candidacy of that idiot Lt. gov.. Pundits bring Romney's name when they discuss possible Presidential candidates. Last night, Candy Crowley mentioned him on CNN. She said she'd been at a recent conference...perhaps in Florida...Edwards was there, also Romney, a few others. (Also said as at first she could go one on one in the planes with candidates, get to know them, but as the primaries go on, candidates grow more important and the people around them increase exponentially, making access harder.)
Romney's aiming higher than Beacon Hill, but he'll have to overcome a few obstacles, including the hated MA. tag, gun ownership and abortion flip-flops. Well, if Kerry got away with nuancing, why not Romney? (Dicey, though, he'll have to do some fancy tap-dancing.) Where oh where is the next Ronald Reagan? Caught a little of Fox's Beltway Boys this am, and was delighted to see Mort Kondrake slam Kerry, putting him in the category of 'stick a fork in him, he's done' (but too dumb to know it.)
Um, that little drawing on Mitt doesn't do him justice. He's one handsome fellow, but he must be pleased with the WSJ piece. Couldn't be more glowing.
Stay tuned. Romney seems to be after the nomination, so we'll all be informed about his views before long. I wonder how he'd fare against Hill. Should be interesting, no matter what.
I agree with your assessment of Romney's integrity and decency, which made Ted Kennedy's assassination of his character and religion all the more shameful during that ill-fated senate run a few years ago. It was horrible, and worse, Kennedy got away with it.
His religion will not defeat him. But his lack of moral clarity will.
Miss Marple, you are so right about God's hand having been on George W. Bush's shoulder all this time. That speech after 9/11 at the National Cathedral brought chills down my spine. That look Clinton gave him, I'll never forget it -- naked envy, revealing and undeniable. We knew Clinton was a narcissistic sociopath, but there it was for all the world to see. Thank God for delivering us from that monster. I pray the republican nominee will share God's grace, will win and keep us safe. It's the only hope we have.
One of Romney's dumber moves was to put Kerry Healey on his ticket in '02. The woman couldn't even win in her own local constituency for a State House seat prior to that. He would've been far better off if Jim Rappaport had been his running mate, Rappaport had $$ and a potential ability to grow the grassroots. Healey was nothing but another Jane Swift (if not worse, since at least Swift could win a legislative seat) with very little appeal, no experience, and a prime example of the moribund state of those that are "active" within the State GOP. If she is the nominee this year, she'll be crushed like a bug (unless Romney is counting on the stupidity of the MA 'Rat-leaning voters confusing Kerry Healey for John Kerry - who knows, that might net her a win !).
As far as I know, Rappaport isn't even anywhere on the radar screen for this election cycle (and it's rather hard to blame him).
TA DA ONE.
Please Explain. Has Mitt been writing in his bible?
I'm trying to understand your question. Did you read my essays, at the blog? As I think they explain, Romney's a Mormon. Is it that you're unfamiliar with Mormonism?
Dan
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