Tuesday, October 16, 2007
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A "Mormon Speech" May Be Coming Soon
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
4:38 PM
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Speculation has been mounting for months now that Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may make a John F. Kennedy-style speech on religion. The goal, of course, would be to directly address concerns about his faith and how it impacts him as a presidential candidate and possible Commmander-in-Chief.
Columnist Bob Novak recently reported that a speech would likely happen after Iowa -- but before the New Hampshire primary. According to my sources, Novak is probably right about the speech, but probably wrong about the timing ...
"It's likely to happen sooner rather than later," one senior Republican aide allied with Romney confides in me.
The reason? There will most likely be only a short period of time -- possibly only a few days -- between the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire Primary. That would leave little time to get a message out, and zero time to do crisis control if a message delivery were botched.
Iowa is likely to announce tonight that they will hold their caucuses on January 3rd. New Hampshire's Primary is likely to take place on January 8th, though it's conceivably possible this could happen as early as December. And because of this tight schedule -- plus the fact that news gets lost during the Holiday season -- it is plausible "the speech" could happen within the next month.
Another option on the table is to wait until just before the South Carolina primary to make the announcement. Conventional wisdom says this is where Romney has the greatest "Mormon problem". But just today, Romney picked up the endorsement of Bob Jones III, as well as the Dean of his fundamentalist Baptist institution, Bob Jones University, so he is making some headway in the state.
Besides, the campaign's sense is that this is a national issue -- not a state-specific issue -- which won't go away on its own. My own personal guess is that, like a defendant on trial, Romney can handle losing. But what he can't handle is the possibility of losing without taking the stand, and testifying on his own behalf.
When it comes to making Romney campaign decisions, I'm told, the candidate makes the final decision. But his advisors are strongly pushing him toward this direction, and it appears his campaign is headed in that direction.
While this is likely to happen soon, it's not likely to happen in the next week or so. So while I'm told The Value Voter's Summit this weekend will not be the site of "the speech," Romney may well begin weaving some of these themes into his prepared remarks.
Stay tuned ...
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...a speech is a good thing. The Mormon Question has been done to death and it needs to fade. A speech will just resurrect it.
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It's too bad that it's an issue. By all accounts, even from the liberal press, they can show no way in which Romney's religion played a role in his administration. It may affect him personally, it may be a good environment for his family, but it is unrelated to his public service.
Still, .... I guess inquiring minds want to know. |
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that Romney needs to make an apology - oops I mean - a speech about his religion. He's said enough already and this just feeds the perception that there is something inherently wrong with being LDS. |
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he should deliver a speech about why a speech is unnecessary, and to remind folks that a religious test is unconstitutional. |
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People don't like him because he is made out of plastic, only the young earthers care about his religion, but they hate everyone else too, even the dinosaurs. The Massachusetts flip flopper thing also hurts for those that don't want to knowingly become a complete hypocrite overnight. He's just doing it for press, maybe has some desperation because he isn't catching on nationally. Politicians do weird things when they become desperate, McCain at this very moment is trying to start a new cold war with Russia all by himself. |
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It's clear to me you have no clue what you're talking about.
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Rudy is basically an atheist, his religion doesn't matter, Mitt has much bigger problems that automatically disqualify him, Fred lost his religion. Any early lead is superficial as more apathetic "conservatives" get involved. He flunks the gun and the abortion test and he is not psychotic enough on foreign policy to get a potential mulligan like Rudy. Apathetic "conservatives" are great in number, they are either too cheap or too poor to donate to campaigns but they vote and they won't be voting for the used car salesman. |
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Romney's best attribute is that he can give a good speech, his private success has nothing to do with political ideology. The Republicans last time nominated and re-elected a man that possibly can qualify as handicapped when it comes to public speaking so Romney's best and possibly only plus is in itself insignificant. And if we nominate him we will be crushed. |
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I just have to wonder what planet you live on. Certainly not Earth.
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Yes Mitt is a Morman.
Yes Mitt is a Good Businessman.
Yes Mitt is a family man.
Yes Mitt is a good speaker.
NO Mitt is NOT a conservative! |
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?Look at the early primary state poll numbers Iowa, New Hampshire and now South Carolina
improving seem to show his strategy is working. No speech necessary for liberals to have
something to talk about other than his message. If people want to know about Mormonism try http://www.lds.org. |
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A series of speeches may be very helpful in reducing Romney's negatives. His poll numbers and perceptions of election may improve. However, there is some risk.
The key issue with Romney is that he has to reassure social conservative that he is really going to fight for their issues, that he will effectively lead the battle on abortion and gay marriage and get any improvements that he can. He has to do that in a way that does not turn off the more secular voters. That is a tall order.
He also has to reassure the Christian Right that he will not do something weird if elected due to his religious understanding. That also is a difficult task.
There is no evidence that being an orthodox "Born Again/Evangelical" causes you to be a better President or make better decisions. Carter and Clinton are prime examples of the idea that it may have the opposite effect. Romney's values are solid and his decision making is very good. He will be a much better President than the Evangelicals/Quakers and in the case of Kennedy, Catholics who have preceded him. |
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His mandatory unfunded mandate forcing all
the citizens of Massachusetts to purchase health insurance was crafted in collaboration with fellow massachusetts liberal, Ted Kennedy.
Now he wants to take his version of Hillary Care national...no thanks, Mitt!
Mandatory unfunded government mandates
are antithetical to individual freedom,
and are most certainly not a conservative idea.
States oppose them why shouldnt we as individuals also oppose unfunded federal mandates-this flip flopping, windsurfing
massachusetts liberal ?
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At the Value Voters Summit, Romney should probably stress some of the ideas that Kennedy used in his Dallas Speech. Things along the lines of "the differences between us are smaller than the importance of protecting the values that we share" (paraphrase). In other words not a whole speech so much as a set of appeals embedded into the speech he would normally give.
I do not expect Romney to address religion directly. He needs to stress the common ground politically. Evangelicals will accept Mormons as political allies while disagreeing with key doctrinal differences.
Without saying the word Mormon or LDS he needs to indicate that he will do everything that he can to protect and fight for social conservative values. He may want to talk about his own family and the development of those values and their importance for his grand children. Romney needs to have some passion in this speech. He needs to speak from the heart and not be so scripted and cautious about saying the wrong thing.
The Christian Right wants leadership not lip service. |
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Many people already have their opinions of the Mormon religion. Most of these opinions, if not all, have been formed by going to nonmormon sources. People will believe what they want to believe. It is not Romney's job, as a presidential candidate, to clarify his religious beliefs point by point. If people are too lazy, including the media, to go to official LDS sources to research on their own, a Mitt Romney speech will not change a thing.
Im voting for a statesman, not a clergyman. |
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People keep bringing up that people wont vote for a Mormon.
Can somebody please point out to me the traits of a Mormon that disqualify them?
What evil or strange thing do Mormons do or belive in that strikes fear in other Christian conservatives?
What I see from his family life is what I would think would be a role model for what I would want my family and my neighbors to be.
Can an anti-Mormon help me out here and reveal the secrets I am unaware of? Do they sacrifice cats? Drink blood? What is it? |
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According to the polls, 27% of American voters have said they will not vote for any Mormon candidate for President (not just Romney). That's a far higher figure than the number who said they wouldn't vote for a Jew or a black. And my guess is that this 27% is mostly from the right side of the political spectrum anyway, exactly the voters Romney needs to win over.
That percentage is likely much higher among the GOP base of Christian evangelicals. James Dobson, of the Christian-right organization Council for National Policy, said publicly that he didn't think a lot of evangelical Christians could see their way to voting for a Mormon, ever.
That's the dirty little secret as to why Romney has made so little headway winning over the GOP base thus far.
Romney has to face that issue head-on and stop pretending it's not real. Because it is real.
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buc asks: "Can an anti-Mormon help me out here and reveal the secrets I am unaware of? Do they sacrifice cats? Drink blood? What is it?"
The anti-Mormons have suggested that we watch the following video on YouTube. (I'm not anti-Mormon myself so I'm just passing this link on to you.)
http://tinyurl.com/29v6me
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would be LDS neighbors or work associates rather than going to an anti-Mormon YouTube posting.
Easiest is to go to http://www.lds.org and use the search feature.
Also, LDS meetings are open and there is no collection plate. Check your local phone book under the full name of the church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. People generally wear their Sunday best clothes so you might feel uncomfortable in jeans (but they would be okey - just a note about the culture). Also, families are welcome so there will be mix of small children and teens - not the most reverent ages in life. But you will be welcome as a visitor and not see any cats or strange things.
The most sacred part of the Sunday service is a quiet Sacrament period of prayer and passing of bread and water in memory of the Savior's sacrifice. That will also be the most formal part of the service as lay speakers deliver what they have prepared (some will be scared, some will be polished - with everything in between). So if you are expecting a polished performance (professional sermon), you might be puzzled. The pattern is we all take turns giving the talks and prayers as there is no paid ministry. |
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pass it along
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub_dLr-ajKY
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would be LDS neighbors or work associates rather than going to an anti-Mormon YouTube posting.
Easiest is to go to http://www.lds.org and use the search feature.
Also, LDS meetings are open and there is no collection plate. Check your local phone book under the full name of the church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
People generally wear their Sunday best clothes so you might feel uncomfortable in jeans (but they would be okay - just a note about the culture). You will note the modesty of the teens and women - another cultural surprise so fashions seem to dictate shock and "in your face" styles especially among the youth.
Also, families are welcome so there will be a mix of small children and teens - not the most reverent ages in life. But you will be welcome as a visitor and not see any cats or strange things. You might recognize some of the hymns as LDS people come from other religions and bring their love of music with them.
The most sacred part of the Sunday service is a quiet Sacramental period of prayer and passing of bread and water in memory of the Savior's sacrifice. That will also be the most formal part of the service as lay speakers deliver the talks they have prepared (some will be scared, some will be polished - with everything in between). So if you are expecting a polished performance (professional sermon), you might be puzzled.
The pattern is we (all ages of men and women) take turns giving the talks and prayers as there is no paid ministry.
The church has great programs to help the teens from camping programs,dances,education programs, Scouting (starting with Cub Scouts) to service and humanitarian aid programs.
The women have been organized since the 1830's with the purpose to help each other (charity never faileth is the motto) and has a long history of education and assistance to its members and to people not of our faith.
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I find these remarks humorous. Generally they come from someone who has identified one or two positions a candidate has taken as disqualifying, and in doing so they attempt to discredit the candidate as a RINO, CINO, or non-conservative. I suggest that simple mathematics demonstrates the folly of that attitude.
Let's examine what kind of support a candidate can expect if the test is to be 100% in alignment with my specific political positions. In evaluating the candidate's attitude on a wide range of issues (say 100 just to pick a round number) there are 10,000 possible political stances. And if you consider that each issue may have a number of optional positions (say 5 for discussion purposes), we are left with 50,000 possible specialized political philosophies. With 240 million voters, it is likely that only 4800 of them will share my specialized philosophy. Finding that one of those happens to be a viable presidential candidate would be a miracle. And that does not consider that there are many more than 100 issues. Indeed, realistically, the only way I'm going to find someone in complete harmony with my philosopy to vote for is to run for the postion myself. I think not.
Instead of denigrating anyone who has a different position on a specific issue as a RINO, perhaps it would be more productive to point out the specific problems with positions the candidate holds and determine whether or not those positions disqualify him or her. If we try to demonize everyone who does not share all of our values, we will be very lonely voters in 08. |
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Mitts mandate on health care is one of the biggest points he makes with me. I'm frustrated he's backed off of it lately due to party pressure. We have mandated car insurance to keep us safe from uninsured drivers. It may not work perfectly, but it's much better than having 30 million uninsured drivers on the road, the same number that lack health insurance. We need mandated health insurance to keep taxpayers from footing the bill for everyone who is too cheap to buy insurance. UMC hospitals here in Las Vegas reported a nearly $50 million loss last year due to the uninsured. UMC is a state run hospital, funded by the taxpayers. Do you think the $50 million debt gets paid by some sort of magic? No, we foot the bill. Yes, most of these uninsured are illegal immigrants. They need to be DEPORTED! Citizens who are too cheap to buy health insurance and expect taxpayers to cover their ER costs should be deported too. Medicare/caid exist for those too poor to afford health insurance, the mandate only affects people who are too cheap to buy it. If your cheap-ace dosn't have health insurance and you come to my clinic expecting care, your SOL buddy. I don't go out to dinner and when the check comes say "Oh, I didn't plan on having to pay for my meal" and leave the waitress to pay for me. |
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Mitt’s church, the Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) has been often misunderstood by Evangelical preachers in the past . . Some accused the Church of not believing in Christ and, therefore, not being a Christian religion . .
http://MormonsAreChristian.blogspot.com/ helps to clarify such misconceptions by examining early (First Century) Christianity's theology relating to baptism, the Godhead, the deity of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Mitt’s church believes in the Jesus of the New Testament, who prayed to his Father in Heaven in the Garden of Gethsemene, not the Jesus portrayed in the creeds of the 4th Century.
The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) adheres to Early Christian (New Testament) theology more closely than other Christian denominations. . Perhaps the reason Evangelical preachers promoted this mis-representation was to protect their flock (and their livlihood). It is encouraging to note that Evangelical preachers appear now to have a moral president as a priority
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