York: Romney briefed church on abortion stance

Washington Examiner ^ | 122911 | Byron York

[Fred]

In 1993, Mitt Romney was a successful businessman with an urge to enter public life and a plan to challenge Ted Kennedy for a Senate seat from Massachusetts.

Romney was also a high-ranking official in the Mormon church -- in charge of all church affairs in the Boston area -- with a dilemma over abortion. Romney was personally pro-life, and the church was pro-life, but a majority of the Massachusetts electorate was decidedly pro-choice.

How Romney handled that dilemma is described in a new book, "Mitt Romney: An Inside Look at the Man and His Politics," by Boston journalist Ronald Scott. A Mormon who admires Romney but has had his share of disagreements with him, Scott knew Romney from local church matters in the late 1980s.

Scott had worked for Time Inc., and in the fall of 1993, he says, Romney asked him for advice on how to handle various issues the media might pursue in a Senate campaign. Scott gave his advice in a couple of phone conversations and a memo. In the course of the conversations, Scott says, Romney outlined his views on the abortion problem.

According to Scott, Romney revealed that polling from Richard Wirthlin, Ronald Reagan's former pollster whom Romney had hired for the '94 campaign, showed it would be impossible for a pro-life candidate to win statewide office in Massachusetts. In light of that, Romney decided to run as a pro-choice candidate, pledging to support Roe v. Wade, while remaining personally pro-life.

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JimRob note:

All lies, all the time: Mitt's greatest hits

[reaganaut]

If I said what I truly think of that bastard Romney I would get booted off of FR.

- - - -
You might get a post removed for language, but I doubt you would be zotted. I often say some very harsh things about MR and so do many others.

Let ‘er rip!

[50mm]

The night is young and I have my sites on a couple more.

[50mm]

And I need some sleep.

Sites = sights.

[Lady4Liberty]

Since this is Romney addressing a death which happened in 1963, I take it to mean that he and his family were pro-abortion for most of his life.

Exactly. I don't believe for ONE second that Romney ever believed in protecting life. He is a big abortionist & had the gall to use tax dollars to fund them. He is a self proclaimed progressive and has always been one. Always!

He's gotta think we're idiots to believe that he's a conservative now just because he says so. I don't trust him & will never vote for him.

[reaganaut]

Correction, final count was 11 today, mittbots and Paultards both.

The past few days have been eventful in the zotting dept.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Thank you.

[Tennessee Nana]

WOW

RIP Rip

Couldnt have happened to a “nicer” RomneyBot..

:)

[reaganaut]

Wow, record setting day. Keep up the good work.

I got a possible for you 50mm on another thread (the Pointlessness of Mitt Romney one).

[reaganaut]

My mother says Romney doesn’t walk...he slithers. And she is right of course.

[reaganaut]

Can’t say I’m sorry to see him go...

[reaganaut]

LOL. YW

[des]

Running in the wrong party.

[markomalley]

This needs to get circulated far and wide among the pro-life crowd.

According to Scott, Romney revealed that polling from Richard Wirthlin, Ronald Reagan's former pollster whom Romney had hired for the '94 campaign, showed it would be impossible for a pro-life candidate to win statewide office in Massachusetts. In light of that, Romney decided to run as a pro-choice candidate, pledging to support Roe v. Wade, while remaining personally pro-life.

In November 1993, according to Scott, Romney said he and Wirthlin, a Mormon whose brother and father were high-ranking church officials, traveled to Salt Lake City to meet with church elders. Gathering in the Church Administration Building, Romney, in Scott's words, "laid out for church leaders ... what his public position would be on abortion -- personally opposed but willing to let others decide for themselves."

COMPLETELY changes the narrative on Romney: the propaganda he was pushing was that he had a change in heart back in the mid '00s. NOW the truth comes out from the horse's mouth. An actual admission of his status as a chameleon.

Funny, though, that it would come out from the Examiner. They endorsed Romney a couple of weeks ago. Surely they'd have to know that this will utterly sink him among ANY truly pro-life voter.

[Timber Rattler]

He came to explain, and his explanation was consistent with church teachings and policies.

What...to lie and say whatever it takes to get elected?

No sale, Mitt!

[iopscusa]

“Mitt Romney: An Inside Look at the Man and His CULT”.
Vote for Mitt for Omnipotent Government! He’s so dreamy he could be a TeeVee President.

[Grunthor]

:Romney was personally pro-life”

Yak-squeeze!

[Grunthor]

According to Scott, Romney revealed that polling from Richard Wirthlin, Ronald Reagan’s former pollster whom Romney had hired for the ‘94 campaign, showed it would be impossible for a pro-life candidate to win statewide office in Massachusetts. In light of that, Romney decided to run as a pro-choice candidate, pledging to support Roe v. Wade, while remaining personally pro-life.

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So he lied then or he’s lying now. If you claim to be personally pro-life but don’t back it up with public words and actions once you have the spotlight, you are an opportunistic liar.

IE; Mitt Romney.

[Elsie]

I also find it interesting that Romney was released from his Church position about 3 weeks after deciding to run for the Senate seat. Since he was in a hight Church position at the time of the meeting, it makes sense. But afterwards, and when he was running for Governor, I know of no such conflict.

Things have changed...

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Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
 

In 1953, Benson was appointed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by President Eisenhower. Benson accepted this position with the permission of Church President David O. McKay and therefore served simultaneously in the United States Cabinet and in the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Taft_Benson

[Elsie]

He came to explain, and his explanation was consistent with (PRESENT?) church teachings and policies.”

[Elsie]

He came to explain, and his explanation was consistent with church teachings and policies.”

Which are... WHAT??