Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Vanderbilt poll ...; Political scientist says anti-Mormon bias finds cover
Vanderbilt News Service ^ | 01/18/08 | Ann Marie Deer Owens

Posted on 01/19/2008 12:27:37 PM PST by Reaganesque

Bias against Mitt Romney’s religion is one of the reasons that the tag “flip-flopper” sticks with the former Massachusetts governor but not his Republican opponents, according to Vanderbilt political scientist John Geer. “There is no question that Romney has changed his positions on some issues, but so have some of the other candidates,” Geer said. “Why does the label stick to Romney but not his opponents? At least some of the answer lies in Romney’s Mormon beliefs.”

Geer and colleagues Brett Benson of Vanderbilt and Jennifer Merolla of Claremont Graduate University designed an Internet survey to assess bias against Mormons, how best to combat it and its potential impact on the nomination process and general election campaign.

“We find that of those who accuse Romney of flip-flopping, many admit it is Romney’s Mormonism and not his flip-flopping that is the real issue,” Benson said. “Our survey shows that 26 percent of those who accuse Romney of flip-flopping also indicate that Mormonism, not flip-flopping, is their problem with Romney.” Benson noted that the pattern is especially strong for conservative Evangelicals. According to the poll, 57 percent of them have a bias against Mormons.

The poll, which was conducted by Polimetrix, included an oversample of Southern Evangelicals that Geer said measured bias with far more precision than previous efforts. The survey shows that 50 percent of conservative Evangelicals evaluate a moderate Christian candidate more positively than a conservative Mormon candidate.

The study’s findings suggest that criticizing Romney for flip-flopping is an effective campaign strategy because it sticks with two different groups: those who are genuinely concerned about Romney’s shifts on certain issues and those who use the label as cover for the fact that they do not want to vote for a Mormon for president.

“As the campaign continues to unfold, these data become increasingly relevant as the Republicans choose a presidential nominee,” Geer said.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bias; mormon; romney; vanderbilt
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-124 last
To: Tennessee Nana
Romney is a 60 yo grandfather...Hardly a “buck”

Yeah, technically you're right.

But Romney is infinitely younger in spirit, looks, energy, enthusiasm, and health -- with health being a very important factor.

Not to be crude, but it matters that McCains face looks like it is bulging with those lymph problems he's continually had.

Fred (love the guy) looks very gaunt and skeletal, and tired .... always.

Huckabee looks full of vigor, but he is waaay over the line in violating the establishment clause in the Constitution, and voters would reject him in droves.

Romney is the healthy adult with brains, temperament, and is proudly promoting conservative values.

121 posted on 01/22/2008 4:16:22 AM PST by Edit35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 120 | View Replies]

To: flaglady47; Count of Monte Logan

These Romney haters put more stock in a few out-of-context verbal utterances from 15 years ago than they do in Romney’s lifetime of integrity, family respect, business honesty, and a lifetime of church-based faith faith.

It is almost useless to try and point out the man’s exemplary life, (although I continue to try as well).

Not only don’t they have a candidate to support, their minds are so filled with rage against Romney they can’t see straight anymore.


122 posted on 01/22/2008 4:23:44 AM PST by Edit35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: Rock&RollRepublican

Romney is a 60 yo grandfather...Hardly a “buck”
Yeah, technically you’re right.

But Romney is infinitely younger in spirit, looks, energy, enthusiasm, and health — with health being a very important factor.

Not to be crude, but it matters that McCains face looks like it is bulging with those lymph problems he’s continually had.

Fred (love the guy) looks very gaunt and skeletal, and tired .... always.

Huckabee looks full of vigor, but he is waaay over the line in violating the establishment clause in the Constitution, and voters would reject him in droves.

Romney is the healthy adult with brains, temperament, and is proudly promoting conservative values.
_______________________________________________________

Sounds like you would be more comfortable voting for Barak Obama...

Might want to go for the Gold and pick the “(youngest) in spirit, looks, energy, enthusiasm, and health — with health being a very important factor” just to be sure....

And, after all Obama is a healthy adult with brains, temperament, and proudly promotes much the same values that Romney does...abortion, gay rights, easy path to citizenship for illegal aliens, contempt for the military, universal health care...


123 posted on 01/22/2008 4:45:51 AM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 121 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana
Sounds like you would be more comfortable voting for Barak Obama...

Bomb-o Brack-A is waaay too anti-business and waaay too anti-American strength and prestige -- despite his youthful vigor.

Romney, on the other hand, has youthful vigor AND is a very smart faith-based family values and conservative supporting leader.

Romney will project American strength and decency to the world once elected as POTUS.

Those few pandering PC statements Romney made 15 years ago will be long forgotten -- except perhaps by a few suicidal conservatives who refuse to believe that people like Romney can and do change their rhetoric over the years.

124 posted on 01/22/2008 6:43:22 AM PST by Edit35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 123 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-124 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson