Mitt Romney
Posted on 04/05/2005 8:40:34 PM PDT by Utah Girl
Millions of Americans think John F. Kennedy put to rest the issue of religion in presidential politics when, in 1960, he became the first Roman Catholic to win the White House.
Mitt Romney |
Romney is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormons. Its members, however, are not considered Christians by a number of other denominations, including the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church, the largest Protestant denominations in America and two faiths whose membership is heavily concentrated in the South.
Given that the South has become a GOP stronghold in recent presidential races, some believe Romney's religion would emerge as an issue there should he seek to become the 44th president.
"I think it likely will matter," said Charles Reagan Wilson, director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. "I think he will have to be very savvy and skillful in talking with evangelicals, and I don't know what experience he has doing that."
Wilson, who has heard Baptist ministers denounce Mormonism from the pulpit, said the Latter-day Saints are viewed as "an odd religious phenomenon" by Southern evangelicals, most of whom are Republicans. Aggressive Mormon proselytizing has not helped the religion's image in the region, Wilson said.
"In the South we talk about religion, and so he's got to find a way to diffuse the issue of his religion," he said. "He's got to make morality the issue."
"I think he's got a hard row to hoe," Wilson said.
J. Ferrel Guillory, director of the Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life at the University of North Carolina, sees the situation differently. Guillory said the fact Romney is Mormon would not be as significant to voters as his positions on issues like abortion and school prayer, his church attendance, whether he is comfortable with his faith, and what sense voters get of his family life.
"It's how he deals with those that are more potent than he being a Mormon rather than a Methodist," Guillory said.
In many ways, Romney is in step with evangelicals. He is a dedicated family man who does not smoke or drink and who has been a church leader.
He is a governor who personally opposes abortion and gay marriage but has said he would never interfere with a woman's right to choose and that he favors benefits for same-sex partners.
Romney rarely speaks about his faith in public, saying religion is a private matter. That stance proved largely a nonissue in his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, and his communications director, Eric P. Fehrnstrom, said recently, "His faith is something he shares with his family, and he keeps it separate from his public duties."
In a national race, however, Romney is certain to face questions about his religion, which has been called a cult.
William E. Gordon Jr., who serves as an expert in comparative religions for the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, would not label the Mormons a cult. But he said there are major theological differences between Southern Baptists and Mormons.
"We believe in a different God, and we believe in a different Jesus, and we believe in a different plan of salvation," Gordon said.
Mormons consider themselves Christians and believe God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate beings; the church leader is a prophet; and the Bible and the Book of Mormon are among four books of scripture. Many people may also associate Latter-day Saints with polygamy, though the church discontinued the practice more than a century ago.
The church was founded in 1830 in New York state by Joseph Smith, who reported he had been in possession of a set of gold plates that were a record of God's dealings with ancient people who lived in the Americas. He reported that he transcribed the plates with divine assistance, and published the record as the Book of Mormon.
Thomas S. Derr, who taught religion and ethics at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., for 42 years, said the Mormon Church is not a Christian faith.
"There's no way that a person with knowledge of history could regard the Mormons . . . as authentically within the Christian tradition," Derr said.
The Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches and a former Pennsylvania congressman, believes Romney's faith will be an issue he will have to deal with should he run for president. Edgar does not, however, think being a Mormon automatically condemns a presidential bid. "I don't think it's a death sentence for a candidate or a super big obstacle," Edgar said. "I do think that people who express what their faith tradition is have to be authentic about expressing it.
"I think Lieberman did that well when he ran for vice president," Edgar said, referring to Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., Al Gore's 2000 running mate. "You know he's an observant Jew, and he's not ashamed of that and you connected with that."
Still, while the polling data may be in short supply, there is evidence voters have been much more accepting of the idea of a Jew, a Catholic or a Baptist running for president than of a Mormon running for the office. In fact, opposition to a Mormon presidential candidate failed to decrease in separate polls taken nearly 32 years apart.
Romney's late father, George, who was also Mormon, ran for president in 1968 when he was the governor of Michigan. He dropped out before the primaries, but in an April 1967 Gallup Poll 17 percent of respondents said they would not vote for a Mormon for president, even if their party "nominated a generally well-qualified person" of the faith. Thirteen percent said they would not vote for a Jew; 8 percent would not vote for a Catholic; and 3 percent would not vote for a Baptist.
A Gallup Poll in February 1999 that repeated the question again found 17 percent of respondents saying they would not vote for a Mormon, while 6 percent opposed a Jew and 4 percent said they would be against a Catholic or a Baptist candidate.
Romney's religion won't hurt him because his pro-abortion, pro-gay, anti-gun beliefs will sink his candidacy first -- if he even gets reelected next year.
Mitt's problem with voters would not be his faith but his voting record. He is to the right of MA voters, but to the left of national GOP primary voters. Frankly, I don't care what God a candidate worships. I care about hs/her voting record and vision for America. I'll take a pro-life Mormon over a pro-abort Southern Baptist any day.
I would think the Mormons would be against him if he is pro-gay and pro-abortion.
Each has zero chance of ever getting my vote.
Harry Reid, new Democrat Minority leader in the Senate is Mormon. As is Gordon Smith, the senator from Oregon. Actually, Smith has voted along the lines of Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins the last few votes in the Senate. Quite surprising.
I'm a Mormon and I really like Mitt Romney personally but I disagree with some of his political stances.
My pet candidate for '08 would be my home state's senator, Sam Brownback. So far I agree with all his positions.
If Romney ran, though, I'm sure the MSM would go into a panic at the prospect of a Mormon candidate. I disagree with this article's analysis in that I think a Mormon would be slimed more in the blue states than in the South. My best friend served as a missionary in Georgia and found most Baptists there to be a pretty friendly and tolerant bunch. I think it would be more of a liability with the godless left, actually.
I wish there was a way to filter stories and vanities so that anything having to do with the 2008 elections won't show up on my front page.
Can we at least wait until January 2007 before we start the speculation and intrigue?
"Harry Reid, new Democrat Minority leader in the Senate is Mormon."
Harry Reid is to the right of Mitt Romney on the culture of life. Food for thought.
PS. I am definitely not a Harry Reid supporter. I think he's a mean person and small spirited. I am disappointed in Gordon Smith, I don't know if he is currying favor for votes, but his votes for higher taxes, keeping some Medicaid in place, and against the law that says the US won't send money to international organizations that promote abortion is very disappointing.
Interesting moniker. Can I correctly assume you take Kuk Sool Won? Nice system.
****Romney's late father, George, who was also Mormon, ran for president in 1968***
If I remember correct, Jean Dickson predicted George Romney would be elected prsident of the US in 1968.
Several years later, she also predicted in the STAR tabloid Richard Nixon would not resign. That hit the stands the very day Nixon resigned.
Harry Reid is also leading the filibuster against the judges that President Bush sends to the Senate for confirmation. Plus Harry Reid's record on abortion is pretty mixed.
The litmus test for the judges seems to be abortion. I'm reserving judgement right now. Harry Reid may seem to be anti-abort, but he too is all for 'a woman's right to choose', just like Mitt Romney. And I don't like Romney's stance on the matter either, I wish he wouldn't have been so wishy washy on his stance.
There is no way a member of the LDS church is ever going to be elected President of the United States. It's far too easy for the media to attack, and most people have a negative reaction to the religion.
Yes, I am student of Kuk Sool Won as well as Tang Soo Do.
I don't care if he drinks blood at the altar of Baal. If he'll keep my taxes low, cut government waste and regulation, and keep an eye on the frikkin' borders, he's got my vote.
Kuk Sool is a great system and Tang Soon Do a great style. Nice.
You may have a point (and I am LDS myself).
For example, many of Romney's LDS admirers are unaware that he favored allowing openly gay scoutmasters serve in the Boy Scouts when that issue was before the Supreme Court a few years back.
Devout LDS voters are unlikely to support a presidential candidate who has or has had such beliefs once they are aware if it, even if that candidate has been an LDS bishop, as Romney has been. I believe it casts serious doubt on his judgment and fitness as a serious Republican candidate.
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