Of course democrats will try to use religion or any other issue to discredit the eventual republican candidate. Are you suggesting that makes it okay for republicans to use religion as lever against each other? Should the conduct of democrats set the lowest acceptable level of conduct?
Because Romney is a flip-flopper and has other issues does that make it acceptable to use religion to sway the opinion of others?
I am not a Romney booster but I do not like the idea of using religion to discredit a candidate or alienate voters just because one is dissatisfied with his or her previous performance or expressed positions.
Trying to scare voters away because of any candidates religion is a cheap shot.
“Trying to scare voters away because of any candidates religion is a cheap shot.”
The Church of Satan will find that position comforting as they seek office...
not to mention the Scientologists.
(A little late to rumble about that, wouldn't you say?)
I mean, here both Utah & Nevada Mormon voters voted 94% against the non-Mormon candidate in '08 POTUS election...per solid exit poll data.
Even the Feb 08 Salt Lake Trib (I bold faced to ensure you see it) noted: Exit poll data from Tuesday's primary elections showed Utah Republican voters cared more about presidential candidates' PERSONAL QUALITIES than their positions on issues, THE OPPOSITE of the national trend in Super Tuesday voting.[Source: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1967007/posts]
Ah. "Personal qualities." (Mormon talk for "he's a fellow Mormon!") Where were you to harangue Mormon voters in '08?
Of course democrats will try to use religion or any other issue to discredit the eventual republican candidate. Are you suggesting that makes it okay for republicans to use religion as lever against each other? Should the conduct of democrats set the lowest acceptable level of conduct? Because Romney is a flip-flopper and has other issues does that make it acceptable to use religion to sway the opinion of others?
You make it sound, IM, like religion isn't already used by voters as a gauge. Well, it is:
A Freeper posted a Rasmussen poll less than about 3.5 years ago (late 2006) [see Election 2008: 43% Would Never Vote for Mormon Candidate (Rasmussen Poll) ].
According to that excerpt: The Rasmussen Reports survey found that 35% say that a candidate's faith and religious beliefs are very important in their voting decision. Another 27% say faith and religious beliefs are somewhat important. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Evangelical Christian voters consider a candidate's faith and beliefs important. On the partisan front, 78% of Republicans say that a candidate's faith is an important consideration, a view shared by 55% of Democrats. However, there is also a significant divide on this topic within the Democratic Party. Among minority Democrats, 71% consider faith and religious beliefs an important consideration for voting. Just 44% of white Democrats agree.
So…what % of the following groups found that a candidate’s faith and religious beliefs are an important consideration for voting?
(1) Americans: 62%
(2) Evangelical Christians: 92%
(3) Republicans: 78%
(4) Democrats: 55% [still a majority]
(You be sure to go to bat for future Muslim candidates using this same rhetoric...if you have any ounce of consistency within you, that is...Oh, and show us all those '08 posts where you decried the MSM and the right focusing on the religion of Obama & Jeremiah Wright)
What if the candidate was an Islamic Iman. Would you question that candidates thought process.