Posted on 08/20/2007 9:18:44 AM PDT by mojito
Even though Mitt Romney can't seem to dislodge Rudy Giuliani atop the national GOP polls, and can't even draw as much poll support as Fred Thompson, who isn't even running yet, there is an understandable anticipatory buzz about him.
He may well be the eventual choice of his party if the Thompson phenomenon fizzles or if Giuliani supporters simply grow weary of navigating the obstacles posed by his past and his politics.
In an appearance in Texas last week, I saw Romney energize a crowd with just the kind of speech a GOP nominee should give-- strong and unapologetic on the war, upbeat and resolute about the future. This is a typical Romney performance, and it earns him speculation that he has nowhere to go but up.
This is wholly deserved. But the issue of his religion, which some say has been overplayed, has in fact not been addressed with nearly the thoroughness and honesty that will be necessary to satisfy some in the Republican voting base.
It has not been addressed well by the candidate, and it has not been handled honestly by pundits. Until it is, it lurks as a torpedo that could spell the doom of his promising candidacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
“Why should the MSM bother? You have done as good, or a better, job than they usually do of asinine twisting, speculating and downright viscious puking.” ROFLOL!!!!
And this is relevant to the presidency how????
Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is helping the people of Peru following the devastating earthquake. Please read:
Church Responds Immediately to Peru QuakeAugust 17, 2007 — News from the Church
Print
The Church is working closely with government leaders and other emergency response organizations to identify and meet urgent needs in Peru after a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck just off the coast on Wednesday evening, August 15, 2007.
The quake has claimed the lives of at least 510, and left more than 1,500 people injured. Seven Church members have been confirmed dead and more than 14 members are reported injured. All missionaries are reported safe. More than 70 member homes are among the thousands of homes destroyed by the earthquake. No Church buildings have been destroyed, but many have received damage.
Under the direction of the South America West Area Presidency, Church members immediately responded to those in need. Limited food was provided to four meetinghouses that are temporarily housing 600 to 700 Church members, relatives, and neighbors. The Area Presidency members have gone to the affected areas to provide support.
Small truckloads of food were sent to each meetinghouse location on Thursday, August 16, 2007 at 6 a.m. The Church is also loading a 747 cargo plane at the Salt Lake International Airport with urgently needed items. The plane will fly directly into a military airport in the affected area. Items being sent include medical supplies, surgical instruments, family food boxes, hygiene kits, and tarps.
Working with Peru’s Civil Defense Agency, the Church also provided 10,000 blankets and other emergency supplies such as tents and basic camping equipment on Thursday.
The hardest hit areas were the cities of Ica and Pisco. Authorities in Pisco estimated that 70 percent of the city had been destroyed.
Rescue teams trying to get to Pisco, Ica, and other rural towns southwest of the capital, Lima, found roads broken up and power knocked out. Hospitals report the numbers of casualties are overwhelming.
The earthquake was centered 25 miles west-northwest of Chincha Alta, 90 miles south-southeast of Lima, and about 25 miles below the earth’s surface. The major quake prompted a tsunami warning, which was eventually canceled.
The earthquake was felt nearly 100 miles from its epicenter. Dozens of severe aftershocks continued into Thursday; most of them measured well above 5.0 and the strongest measured 6.3.
Visit Newsroom (http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=37671eac38474110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=9ae4111 for additional information.
This is Saundra now: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I love my Church.
“And this is relevant to the presidency how????”
Sheeesh, Mr. Elsie, don’t you ever sleep?
How is the article about the LDS Church helping the people of Peru relevant to the presidency? Because Mitt Romney is a member of this great Church that has an international outreach of mercy. That’s all.
Familiar, as in I heard a bunch of lies and garbage stated about the LDS Church and believed it all. Or I saw the fraudulent film "The Godmakers" and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. Hence, given such so-called "familiarity", comes the desire to label the LDS Church a "cult" and such.
All the bigotry and hatred being projected at the Mormon Church and at Romney because he is a member is one of the reasons that I dropped my support for Thompson and decided to back Mitt Romney. While I can't agree with all of his politics, I can't stand to see a good man or his Christian faith slandered. You can bet that I'm not the only one who feels this way or who has made or will make the switch.
(Ya hear that, LDS? From now on, when folks ask about your faith, just refer them to the church for the oficial, pure clarification).
Excellent advice. With viscious, sneering, sarcastic clods like you roamming around, why should they waste their time on answering?
And what of the history of blacks and women in every other faith? Are you not aware that some of the reason that Mormons were mistreated and driven out of some areas is because of their opposition to slavery. Are you not aware that blacks were allowed baptism into the Mormon church since its founding? Nearly every Christian church in America has a history (around the 18th and 19th centuries) that discriminated against blacks and normally for no doctrinal reason, just plain prejudice and bigotry. Mote. Eye. Beam.
Wonderful. I learned everything I need to know about everything by watching a vulgar cartoon show on Comedy Central. < /sarcasm >
I don’t blame Fred Thompson for the fact that some of his supporters are bigots -— but the reactions to Romney by many of the so-called Christian conservatives has been stunning. I suppose a divorced “Christian” is more acceptable than a faithful Mormon. (And, no, I don’t know anything about the circumstances of Fred’s divorce, but it doesn’t seem he’s in the same league as Guiliani, McCain and Newt on that one.)
What Church isn’t helping the people of Peru?
Good works don’t make you better than anyone else. Buddhist do many good works, why don’t you join them?
All the bigotry and hatred being projected at the Mormon Church and at Romney because he is a member is one of the reasons that I dropped my support for Thompson and decided to back Mitt Romney.That's a pretty poor reason to switch from Fred to Mitt. Fred's not doing anything wrong, and he's much more conservative than Mitt. So what are you gaining?
“It’s even stronger than this. “
The problem is even worse for Romney. He is the great-great-grandson of Parley P Pratt, one of the twelve apostles of the early church. He was tried and convicted for murder after the Mormon War for gunning down a prisoner and was in jail at Liberty with Joseph Smith. Parley gets off the hook and after some missions goes to Arkansas with his twelve wives. Number 10 is the current wive of another man (Parley has snatched her and the other man’s kids), so Parley gets bowie knifed and then shot dead by the irate husband. Because this happened in Arkansas, there is great speculation that the Mountain Meadows massacre which wipes out a group of Arkansan settlers is retribution. There are a whole string of further polygamists in Romneys background.
The point is, at some point Mitt will either have to renounce Parley (renouncing a Mormon elder), or he will have to open up the whole can of worms regarding why the Mormons were driven out of Jackson county, Far West, etc. And at some point Mitt will have to renounce Celestial Wives as well, which is the whole way spirit children get created with Gods on their planets.
My dear Lord what a mess we will have sown if we ignore a man’s religious background.
“That’s a pretty poor reason to switch from Fred to Mitt.” That may be. But is a better reason than voting against Mitt, merely because he is Mormon.
Did I say that it was my ONLY reason? I said that it was ONE of the reasons.
Thank you for your kind response.
What was her purpose in pointing out the LDS Church humanitarian efforts in Peru? What does that have to do with Mitt? What does that have to do with the truthfulness of the LDS claims of being the “only” true Church. What does it have to do with Christianity.
Why is it relevant in any way?
Did you say your wife is LDS? Why aren’t you?
Do you seriously remember the wrangling that went on in this nation during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal once the details came out? Do you recall the pundits & MSM discussing what impact this prez role model would have upon the younger generation? Now, take your pick of Congressional page scandal or other scandal involving a Congressman or Governor, and tell me if the MSM was asking then how that might effect the younger generation? (Answer: They weren't)
My point: The POTUS is elevated to a role model, Super Poster Boy status that no governor or Congressman could ever rise to. Beyond whatever he would do if in the White House, I happen to have a high respect for the public relations' prowess of the LDS church. They would convert this into a mass PR campaign & proselytizing bonanza. Even at the door-to-door level, we'd be hearing: "Hi, I'm Elder Pratt from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--you know, the same church that the President of the US belongs to...can we tell you more about what he believes?"
(That'll be the ultimate irony: "Elder Pratt" will tell us what the would-be president believes--something the POTUS candidate refused to tell us).
...again, Romney is NOT running as pastor-in-chief and is NOT running on a platform to convert you or anyone else to Mormonism.
OK, you might be right about the second part of that phrase (his platform). But frankly, if he's really not even telling us what his key religious ideals are (other than his family), you can't really say what his specific religious ideals are or aren't other than to take a look at what a typical ex-bishop/ex-stake prez might believe & extrapolate from there, now can you?
I view his one term governorship of Massachusetts as inconsequential. IMO he only used that public office as a means of gaining national name recognition and as a stepping stone for his future run for Presidency.
So nothing he did in Massachusetts is of any consequence IMHO. It was all posturing. He lied about his views on abortion to try and get elected Senator, then he flipped when it came time to posture as a conservative. Mitt is a phony - - he has no agenda except getting elected.
There are only about 5000 LDS members in the entire State of Mass, and he certainly wasn’t about to cater to them in any way while he was Governor - - that would definitely have jeopardized his “plan” for Presidency. The man isn’t stupid.
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