Posted on 02/02/2008 5:39:51 PM PST by jdm
Mitt Romney has taken a detour from the frenetic campaign trail to attend the funeral in Salt Lake City of the Mormon leader, Gordon Hinckley, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who died last week, aged 97.
For the Mormon candidate, it was a diversion he could ill afford as he seeks to win enough presidential delegates on "Super Tuesday" this week to keep him in the race for the White House.
Republican strategists said the funeral puts Mr Romney's Mormonism back on the political agenda - an issue he has largely managed to sideline in recent weeks as the focus has fallen on economic issues, where the multi-millionaire businessman thrives.
He now trails John McCain by more than 20 points in national polls. Jim Nuzzo, a former White House aide from Mr Romney's home state of Massachusetts, said: "There are two things that don't work out for Romney going to this funeral. One is reminding people that he is a Mormon. They're going to recognise that it's different from mainstream Christianity.
"The second is that when people are wondering whether your campaign is on life support, the last thing you want to do is be pictured at a funeral."
Mr Romney was already virtually guaranteed to win Utah on Tuesday, a state that gives relatively little return in the form of delegates required to win the nomination. The funeral interrupted a hectic cross-country battle for Republican votes, which translate into the delegates who will formally decide who will be the Republican candidate for the White House.
Up for grabs are nearly half of all delegates necessary to be crowned the victor at party nomination conventions in the autumn. Mr Romney squeezed in an event in Minnesota before the funeral, while Mr McCain began a trail through the South, while planning an audacious raid today on Mr Romney's home turf of Massachusetts.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton concentrated her efforts in the West yesterday before a sweep of eastern states today and tomorrow. Barack Obama was planning visits to eight states in the final 72 hours before voting.
Mr Romney has invested nearly $3 million (£1.5 million) more of his personal cash on advertising in the run-up to Tuesday's votes. Mr McCain has bought nationwide advertising on cable television. Mr Obama is on the air in 20 states and Mrs Clinton in 12.
McCain aides appeared reluctant to make political capital out of the funeral. One said: "Everyone has that in life, where unfortunately we've got to go to a funeral. We've all been there. He knew the man and obviously had a high regard for him."
But the McCain team believes that their rival should quit his self-funded campaign.
Mr Romney says he will reassess his prospects on Wednesday.
I can't stand either of these guys...
But teh MOMOMS R DEVIL WORSHIPPPERS!!! OMG! OMG!!!! Huckabee told me they think Jesus is Satan’s brother!!!!! /s
That’ll probably be the last time he sets foot in Utah.
That’s why I’m voting for Huckabee...but man I wish I could’ve voted for Fred.
Uhhh...you better educate yourself.
You would not know the difference,,
Hurry up Wednesday.
BTW, Mitt is cleaning Mac’s clock tonight in Maine. 53 percent of the vote at last count to McCain’s 21 percent.
Go Mitt!
People, I was being sarcastic, hence the “/s”. *sigh*
And yet he did it anyway. That shows class.
Why do you post trash like that? It is not funny.
It was an attempt at sarcasm that was trying to illustrate a point that was obviously missed.
He tries his best to exploit peoples ignorance not only of Mormonism but also Biblical teachings. He’ll hang in there just to be obnoxious instead of stepping aside. The race is between Mitt and John. Even Edwards has more class than the Huckster - never thought I’d say that.
I admire Mitt for paying his respect to a departed loved one. I’ve been to other funerals where they weren’t Christan ... and yet, the majority of bigots on Mormonism are the “Christians”. Go figure!
Apples and oranges, I think. Carter lost in 1980 because by November of that year most everyone knew he sucked. There is no incumbent running for Pres. in 2008, so that makes this different than 1980.
Attended the funeral of a 97 year old man. What a bad horrible man. What would Saint Huckabee do?
It was sarcasm people.
my post was directed at the comment: “I can’t stand either of these guys...”
I’m not a Romney supporter, but if this funeral was important to him, there is nothing wrong with his going. I wasn’t against Thompson seeing his sick mother, either.
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