Posted on 02/10/2008 9:37:21 AM PST by Utah Binger
WASHINGTON - The day after Mitt Romney formally announced he was seeking the White House, a USA Today headline blared "Will Mormon faith hurt bid for White House?" Anchors on the major networks asked the same question and a stream of pundits predicted Romney's Mormon religion would be a significant hurdle. Almost one year later, on Thursday, Romney withdrew from the race after suffering several big losses and facing an insurmountable challenge to beat Republican rival John McCain. The degree to which his faith contributed to that defeat may never be fully known. It's clear, however, that Romney's belief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cost him in his presidential quest. Romney himself acknowledged that had he been a Baptist, for example, he may not have lost the Iowa caucuses - a devastating setback to his early surge strategy.
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
bologna
If Free Republic is any indication of conservatives and Republicans as a whole, his being Mormon was the deciding factor in his demise.
Every day there were threads, usually several at one time condemning the LDS Church.
Rarely was his record discussed. It was LDS all the time.
Told you so!!!!
Its “bulloney”. ;^)
Pretty sad, isn’t it?
People that have told the missionaries OVER AND OVER, DO NOT COME BACK.
“It’s clear, however, that Romney’s belief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cost him in his presidential quest. Romney himself acknowledged that had he been a Baptist, for example, he may not have lost the Iowa caucuses - a devastating setback to his early surge strategy.”
The article is right on. Of course his religion cost Romney. It’s probably one of those things that would be difficult to poll accurately. But I know a few people personally and heard a good number on call-in shows say they’d never vote for a Mormon for president. If even 10% or less hold such views, it could be very costly in close elections as the Republican primaries have been, with a presumptive nominee with around 38% of the vote.
And there are voters who would never vote for an evangelical, or a Jew, or a black, or a Hispanic. It’s just part of society, but again, it’s difficult to quantify since some would never admit it aloud, or even to a pollster on the phone.
But I notice we have some of the same old Romney haters here pretending it was no factor at all. Pretending seems to be what they’re best at.
Yes. What the vast right-wing conspiracy mongers don't realize is that according to Feb 07 Gallup polling info, conservatives were 9% more likely to vote for an LDS POTUS candidate than liberals; and 11% more likely than moderates.
If he couldn't comandeer the GOP primary, he was going to do even worse on the national stage...especially if the D nominee winds up being Obama.
Rep. King telling it like it is.
Yes, the religious bigotry was appalling, but it was all a part of the politics of personal destruction by frustrated supporters of some of the other candidates who felt that they couldn’t get any traction with the media. Most of these supporters couldn’t see that their candidates had some serious flaws that were preventing them from getting their message out. Huckabee was too far left to be considered conservative, though a likable fellow, Hunter was espousing union rhetoric, and Thompson just entered the race late and gave the appearance of lack of energy.
It was a factor. I was chatting with a neighbor, who is a Methodist, and he did not vote for Romney specifically because of his faith. He voted for McCain. We have a large Mormon Community in our rural area. They don’t go door to door, and they contribute an enormous amount - particularly to youth sports, schools and local government. But Evangelicals and other Christian faiths shun them as non-Christian. Can’t get around it, the prejudice is there.
Also, Romney never campaigned in rural California where his base might have been. He lost many Fred Heads he could have picked up. I got stuff and phone calls from McCain, but not Romney.
Ah heck UB repeat it all you want to, they never listen.
Of course it had to be his religion. Focusing on what really cost him would have made others who have done the same things look bad.
No, it was because he got so defensive and wanted to fight to the last breath about his rightness. Typical Mormon.
I know, I used to be one of them.
Facts can be unpleasant and that's a fact....even if it hurts your feelings.
That's how it's done now.
Not difficult to poll. Gallup has done it a few times. In '99, it was 17% who said "no" to an LDS POTUS candidate. In Feb '07, at first it was 24% who said "no." But then Gallup decided to do a fuller sample. Of that sample, the breakdown was: 78% said yes "comfortably." 10% said, "Yes, with reservations." 11% said "no."
So that's 11% of ALL voters. Then when they broke that down, since conservatives were MORE likely to vote for an LDS POTUS candidate than either liberals (9% more) or moderates (11% more), you have to conclude that the breakdown of that 11% was: 4% liberals; 4% moderates; 3% conservatives.
So stop knocking the 3% of conservatives when 94-95% of LDS voters did the exact same thing in reverse...those LDS voters took into consideration the "personal qualities" of a candidate, according to the Salt Lake Tribune...and voted accordingly.
“Facts can be unpleasant and that’s a fact....even if it hurts your feelings.”
There is a difference between “fact” and “opinion.” Perhaps you hadn’t received the memo?
Not born out by polling data (see my previous posts this thread). But, hey, if you've got that "every voter" motivation x-ray machine available, I'd like to take a look at it. Might be able to patent it & parlay it into millions of $.
“Such BS.
Romney’s undoing was that McKeating is the MSM’s pet Republican.”
Bingo
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