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.
“What Romney wanted from Hinkley was his feelings about the Church being dragged into the campaign by anti-Mormons like you. Hinkley told him not to be concerned about it. The Church had survived a lot worse in the past, and they would survive this.”
You made all that up, don’t just make things up and post them as facts.
“Romney received an award from the pro life organization of Massachusetts, meaning they felt he was a pro life governor”
Didn’t the national organization make it clear that Mitt was lying about that leadership award, trying to turn it into some kind of “pro-life” endorsement?
Gov Romney spoke before the whole country about faith and stated unequivocally his belief in JC and that is what my faith teaches. Fact is, Sen Lieberman ran for VP as a Jewish man and it didn't seem to bother people. Bill Clinton was depicted as a Christian and I won't comment further there.
Now, about your ignorant comments about Mormons. We believe that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are OPPOSITES! Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins; Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father, volunteered to come to this earth to give his life for you and me. Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven for rebellion. They are both created beings so if Huckabee wants to sleazily imply some weird concept that only exists in his sick little mind, so be it.
Jesus Christ is my personal Savior and the Savior of the world. This is what Mitt Romney said he believes, too. But apparently you know better. You know better than God. You know our hearts; you know what we believe; you are the judge of us. You are God, I guess. Good for you.
Meanwhile, I will continue to look to Jesus Christ for my salvation and way back to Heavenly Father. And the Holy Ghost is my witness. Amen.
As for Mitt Romney, to me he showed great courage and character by quitting the campaign trail to attend the funeral of our 97-year-old wonderful, good, revered religious leader.
Go, Mitt!
“Romney needs to go back to massachusetts where he is so loved and revered.”
Tell it to Sean Hannity.
You made all that up, don’t just make things up and post them as facts.
the article was about Romney.
Senators Hatch and Bennett are my conservative heroes and I would support them any day of the week. They would never sign romneycare into law.
Hannity supported pro-abort rudy so...I’m glad he is out too!
Uh, huh! Unfortunatley that is true...One thing I don’t understand is that Mormons in general are pro-life or so they say. What happened to Mitt and Harry Reid?
Thank you for post #48; it means a lot to me. The funeral was really wonderful and uplifting. They said that 60,000 had paid their respects as of last night. The lines were long. I cried a lot today during the funeral. We got to watch it on BYU channel.
Gordon B. Hinckley died on Sunday and on Monday a friend who is Catholic told me she was sorry for my loss. She was kind and understanding.
I don’t get it why when someone you love dies, some people think it’s OK to kick you in the face.
Anyway, thanks for kind comments.
Very well put!
Newt to the rescue. You heard it here first. Romney and the others have blown their wad. Millions down the drain. No conservative has emerged. Only a Conservative will win. Everyone shaking their heads. Where is the Reagan hero? Newt. He has 7 months til the convention. Plenty of time.
I predict this will be the greatest political coup of all time. Newt is the most clever Politician of our generation. I can’t wait to see the punks on FOX. Total shock.
You will see an announcement after Super Tuesday. Probably 2 weeks later.
It’s up to us, the Conservatives.
Regards, Yankee
Newt to the rescue. You heard it here first. Romney and the others have blown their wad. Millions down the drain. No conservative has emerged. Only a Conservative will win. Everyone shaking their heads. Where is the Reagan hero? Newt. He has 7 months til the convention. Plenty of time.
I predict this will be the greatest political coup of all time. Newt is the most clever Politician of our generation. I can’t wait to see the punks on FOX. Total shock.
You will see an announcement after Super Tuesday. Probably 2 weeks later.
It’s up to us, the Conservatives.
Regards, Yankee
More to the point, Mormons believe that God the Father created the spirits of Satan and Christ, but that Christ is a member of the Godhead, the creator of this world and Satan was cast out of heaven.
“If Hinckley had said no, there would be no Romney and no Romney money in the race.”
Congratulations. That is the stupidest, most ignorant comment to date. For God’s sake, don’t you people have any shame?!
Shoot, he even said he would support Joe Lieberman at one time.
Pres. Hinckley told Romney that if he ran for president and won, it would be a good experience. He then said that if he ran for president and lost, it would be a good experience.
In other words, Pres. Hinckley didn’t advise Romney on anything, and suggested he do as he wished. The Church wouldn’t interfere.
About that time, the Democrat leader of the Senate dropped by as well...
“The specifics of the conversation are, of course, known only to people who were there.”
End of story. BTW, Mr. Russert is no fan of conservatives.
I am proud of Mitt Romney, moreso today than yesterday.
What a F’d up headline! “Mormon” funeral? When you go to a funeral, do you say “Oh, I went to a Catholic funeral today”?
What crap!
Oh well - here comes’s FR’s bigot brigade...
If you don’t call the funeral of the LDS President a “Mormon” funeral, what would you call it? A Baptist funeral?
I don’t get the offense at the headline.
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