Saturday, October 20, 2007
Mitt Romney Oct 12 Original Post
I just wrote about Harry Reid's visit to BYU so now I am wanting to write about Mitt Romney and his current article in this week's Newsweek. The article somewhat attacks Romney for being reticent about discussing religion with the public. It said that he's probably acting this way because when he ran for Massachussetts Senator in '94 against Jack Kennedy he was open about things and lost, whereas in the '02 election for Massachussets governor his campaign was focused on his business success including the Olympics and he won. Therefore, Mitt the Mormon can't win an election and Mitt the business turnaround specialist can win an lection. It is apparent from what i've seen in interviews and speeches that he is definitely following this strategy, but i think it will end up holding him back rather than helping him out. In this Newsweek article especially Mitt is basically avoiding anything of controversy or question regarding our religion and trying to link himself up with mainstream Christians of America. For example, when asked if he performed baptisms for the dead, his response was "I have in my lifetime, but I haven't recently." That answer has the feel of, "I have drank in my life, but not recently." Doesn't it? He has answered other direct questions in similar fashion. Not defending vigorously that in which he believes will surely hurt him in the long run. He doesn't need to give a missionary discussion on why we do baptisms for the dead or any other topic, but I feel he should embrace the religious questions because that is what makes him unique to this country and his potential leadership all the while still holding down the same basic values as everyone else. On one side Mitt is right that this is a political race and not a religious race and he's doing his best to separate church and state so to speak, but I think the reality is that his faith will be central to his candidacy to the end so he needs to attack that issue head on instead of avoiding it like he has to this point. I hope he makes it through the primary at least because i think he has a real shot at winning if he can get the nomination. Just a few tweaks of his strategy along the way should only help the cause.
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2 comments:
I have to respectfully disagree with on this one.
As a fellow Romney supporter Brad's Theories Blog ... I really enjoy following his campaign... and I also think he'll do well if he makes it to the General election (although if I were betting today I still think Hillary is the odds on favorite to be our next President).
I think Mitt is playing his cards perfectly right now. He's leading in the early states and his Money/Momentum strategy is setting up nicely. Mitt's a bright guy and he knows he has to carefully balance the whole Mormon issue. The political flak he is getting right now for not answering the tough questions would PALE IN COMPARISON to the flak he would get from evangelical about Blacks and the priesthood and polygamy if he were to try and answer those questions head on. Evangelicals despise Mormon theology... and he has to court them very carefully. I think his plan to proudly pronounce that he is a "true blue Mormon" but refer all the tough questions to the church is brilliant. Just last week Bob Scheiffer on CBS Face the Nation was interviewing Mitt Romney and poking around the issue of religion... when all of the sudden he throws out a real zinger for Romney about Mormon's believing the Garden of Eden is located in Missouri... what's Romney supposed to do... Answer it??? As soon as he answers that one... he'll get another more difficult question about temple garments or something (how does Mitt answer the infamous Boxers vs. Briefs question that Bill Clinton got in the '92 campaign). Mitt know's he can't convert the nation to Mormonism... so he's not trying... it's a brilliant and calculated move. If he gets the nomination... or even if he wins the presidency... the LDS church will get enormous amounts of organic PR.
So if you ask me... Mitt should just keep doing what he's doing... focus on Iowa... if he wins there, he'll get a decent bounce and could very well win New Hampshire... and if he wins there... he can probably go on to lock up the nomination with all the momentum.
Keep your thoughts coming Brandon... I enjoy most of them (except the ones relating to BYU Sports).
-Brad
For once somebody agrees with me that Hillary will be our next President! (Sad but true I feel). I've been saying that for over a year but anybody I say that to doesn't want to accept it.
On to Mitt: I do feel if he can gut out the nomination he definitely has a good chance to take the White House. He is doing a good job of "building on common beliefs" so to speak with Christians in America; however, I still feel he needs to "defend" the religion a little. BTW what did he answer to the Missouri question? I assume you've read the Newsweek article, to me it had a feel as if he was like, "Yeah i'm Mormon ok, what about it?" when the whole point of the article was about him being Mormon. I agree that if he can get the nomination alone the church will benefit big time but it just seems to me that while he's trying to keep everything on a political level he just won't be able to get away from the religious aspect of his candidacy.
Having no idea of what Mitt said about the Missouri question here's how I would answer it (I realize I am a worhtless scrub compared to Mitt Romney and his knowledge and experience). "That's a great questions, and yes we believe it, but that certainly has little to no significance on my faith or my political opinions."
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