The Holy Cow! Candidate - © Copyright 2005 The Atlantic Monthly
“There are two Ms—Massachusetts and Mormonism—and they’re the elephants in the room,” this strategist said. “And the question is whether they step on him or ride him to victory. I think that’s a challenge for him to overcome in conservative Christian circles. Romney’s people have to have a strategy to beat it, to win on that point.”When I told him Romney’s line about keeping his personal beliefs separate from his political practices, the strategist was blunt. “You have to do better than that. He’ll have to answer questions under the hot lamp: What do you believe? What is the faith you believe in in relation to public policy? I don’t know what the answers to those questions are, but I know those questions exist. And he’ll have to answer them.”
In speaking to Romney’s family members and colleagues and fellow politicians over the course of several months, I felt awkward asking these questions. Mitt Romney is not Rick Santorum, who is evidently incapable of being photographed without a Bible in his hand. But after reading about how deeply committed his father was to the faith (for instance, making the decision to run for governor of Michigan only after discussing it with David O. McKay, the president of the Mormon Church, and spending twenty-four hours fasting and praying), I finally asked Romney, “How Mormon are you?”
“How Mormon am I?” he said. “You know, the principles and values taught to me by faith are values I aspire to live by and are as American as motherhood and apple pie. My faith believes in family, believes in Jesus Christ. It believes in serving one’s neighbor and one’s community. It believes in military service. It believes in patriotism; it actually believes this nation had an inspired founding. It is in some respects a quintessentially American faith, and those values are values I aspire to live by. And I’m not perfect, but I’m one aspiring to be a good person as defined by the biblical Judeo-Christian standards that our society would recognize.”
July 30th, 2005 at 6:52 pm
I read the article, Gurl, and I agree that it is very good. Questions like those about the garments WILL be asked, and geting them out of the way early, and in a manner which flatters the Governor, are a bonus.
I honestly think that the punditocracy is overestimating the hostility of evangelicals to Mormons. What they want is a moral PERSON, and Romney is that.
Don’t forget, Gore was the Baptist, and Bush is a Methodist. The person is bigger than the denomination.