THE REASON MITT LOST
Those who have read my blog posts in the past, know that I have attributed most of Governor Romney’s second place losses to religious bigotry. I have never said there were no other reasons, however, without relgious bigotry, I am 100% convinced that Governor Romney would today be the Republican nominee. By the way, I hold no malice toward anybody or any group of people for that position. It is now simply an historic fact.
However, I am disturbed by those evangelicals who are attempting to re-write history. This article is but one example. I recommend you read it and leave a comment as I did. If you choose to leave a comment, please reply with facts and not emotion.
THE REASON MITT LOST by Adam Graham
~ Vic
February 25th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Last summer I picked up a book that I thought was going to “bash” Mormons and let America know who Mitt Romney really was, in a not so flattering way. Boy was I surprised to find out the truth. I loved that book. Hugh Hewitt was an outsider, non-mormon who did his research and produced a wonderful book that told the truth. The real truth. “A Mormon in the White House: 10 things every American should know about Mitt Romney” was un-biased. Hewitt came right out and said that he did not endorse Romney at that time, but that everyone deserved to know who he was. He did an amazing job. If I hadn’t read that book, I might have been as duped by the MSM as everyone else seems to be. That “article” might have bothered me about him as a candidate, but I know the truth and I fought hard to get Mitt elected since the day I finished reading “A Mormon in the White House”.
Mitt Romney NEVER passed one iota legislation that would would allow for abortion or gay marriage. Romney ran his campaign as a republican in the bluest of blue states. Because of this, his campaign promised the consituents of Massachusettes that he would not change their laws regarding abortion….and he didn’t. Many bills passed his way that would have made it easier to get abortions in that state and he vetoed them all. His agenda, I beleive was to help get the economy back on its feet. He did that. Also, I take offense for him to the statement that Romney himself started handing out marriage licenses to Gays and Lesbians. That is absurd!! The Supreme Court of Massachusettes made a ruling that allowed for Gay Marriage. It did not go through the legislature!! That is one of the main reasons why he is so opposed to legislation from the bench. Laws should never be made by judges who were not elected to make laws. He made a public apology to the rest of the nation in behalf of the state for that very act and spent the rest of his time in office trying to get legislation passed that would overturn that ruling and define Marriage once and for all as between one man and one women. Because the laws are written as they are…he was not able to acheive that goal before he left office. I’m not aware of the reasons why he chose not to serve another term as Governor, but I “assume” it is because it was at this point he decided that he could better serve as President of the United States. (Which by the way I agree with!)
I also have something to say regarding the Gay rights issue. Mitt Romney is a just man who believes in Equal Rights. When it comes to Gays, yes they even have equal rights, for they are a part of the human family. Whether I agree with their way of life or not!! But, marriage should not be messed with. Marriage was ordained by God as a union between a man and a women for a reason. That is black and white. If they (Gays & Lesbians) “choose” an alternative lifestyle…so be it, but marriage is still between a man and a woman. Ther are millions of people in this world who will never have the opportunity to get married, gay or straight!! We all make choices in our lifetime and we all get to reap the benfits and consequences of our choices and actions. If gays dont get to enjoy all of the “perks” that come with being married…well that is just the way it is!! If we all had the equal rights that “gays” love to shout about, I would be as rich as Mitt Romney. Wouldn’t we all like to be that equal. The point I am trying to make is…we can’t all get our way all of the time. Sometimes the laws of nature make that so. Gays are gays…for whatever reason. They need to be treated fairly and not persecuted for their choices and judgement should be between them and God, but we do not need to change the laws of our God and our nation to please the few. I think Mitt Romney knows this. He understands this. Some may call him a flip-flopper, but I never saw if flip or flop on this issue.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
He led by that sword now he dies by that sword. I only hope he will learn from his mistakes.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Your response was brilliant!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Here’s my response:
You say he lacked a core. Since we’re being honest and real can we recognize the number of position changes on the part of McCain and Huckabee that went widely unchallenged by the same pundits who accused Mitt of changing his position on abortion? Bigotry against the mormons not only helped Huckabee win in Iowa, but also was an underpinning of the argument against Mitt’s “core”. I was listening to talk radio (can’t remember who) and the host was discussing Mitt’s “flip flopping problem” with some pundit who declared that even his apparent adherence to the mormon faith was politically motivated. ????? He declared that his criticism of the church’s polygamist past was evidence that he really didn’t have faith in the mormon doctrine. This is my analysis of his statement which I believe is revealing:
-By freely and openly declaring he knows Mitt Romney doesn’t truly believe in his mormon faith he shows his own personal feelings towards the mormon faith, that it is unbelievable. Can you imagine telling someone they don’t believe in their faith, be it Christian, Muslim, Jew, etc, because they have an opinion or view on a particular tenant of their faith? First, who gives you the right to assert yourself in such a way regarding someone’s personal religious beliefs? Second, don’t you think you should give that person the benefit of the doubt that they may not be following blindly?
-People, like this pundit, who find the mormon faith a far fetched idea unknowingly let their feelings transcend into the political realm. If he believes in mormonism, which in their minds is baseless, maybe his “core” is shaky or baseless as well.
Watch the infamous showdown between Mitt and Jan Mickelson http://youtube.com/watch?v=-G9hydflwEQ&feature=related
A perfect example of someone who can’t understand why someone so seemingly normal and sensible can believe in the mormon faith. Mitt even states at one point “OK, can you just give me the benefit that I might know more about my faith than you do?” (paraphrased) Jan responds, “I don’t know”.
Religion aside, why was Mitt attacked so much for one position change while Huckabee and McCain got to change all they wanted as long as they didn’t admit to it. The flip flop title unfortunately stuck to Mitt and I believe unfairly so. His record in the private, volunteer and public sector spoke volumes that went unnoticed.
If you’re going to crucify Mitt for lacking a “core” over his change on abortion then be a man and do the same to Huckabee and McCain because they’ve transgressed far worst.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
I like these. For some reason, I had trouble posting a reply on the site. Here’s what I tried to say:
Mr. Graham:
Seriously? “I know a Mormon,” “I voted for Mormons,” “Some of my best friends are Mormons.” Forgive my paraphrasing (and my skepticism), but this gives you no moral authority to whitewash this campaign.
I don’t quibble that some “people didn’t think [Romney] had a core.” But that is a symptom not the disease.
You blame YouTube — but the frankly outrageous anti-mormon drivel swirling among evangelicals must have made them somewhat predisposed to question the mormon candidate’s “authenticity.”
On that note, Kudos for noting the “small minority” of Bill Kellers in the world. Of course, you failed to denounce their ilk — choosing instead to denounce the legion of commentators that did for making a “cop out.” Nice.
Please, get off your high horse and acknowledge a problem where it exists. And shame on you for pretending otherwise.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Thanks Makeli,
I had not seen that piece. How many times did Mitt have to state his case, and this guys wasted the interview over semantics? How could even dare to challenge him on that issue, his voting record or how he signed the legislation in Mass on abortions are what “walked the walk”. It is the blindness and obstinence of people that lost Mitt the race, and we are stuck with McCain.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
And now we are stuck with a one issue, one dimensional candidate who has little or no control over his one issue…the war in Iraq. McCain tells us today that he will win or lose on his Iraq war persuasiveness when the country’s economy is collapsing, the markets are in a funk, health care is a disaster, immigration is out of control, energy policy is AWOL, entitlements are bankrupting us, etc. This campaign will be fought, starting in Mid March, on the national economy, not the war in Iraq. If the war goes well, McCain and the GOP will get a pass and lose on the economy. If it goes badly, Mccain and the GOP will lose on both the war AND the economy. McCain knows little about economics and has no control over what goes down in Iraq. I have a feeling that the 6+ month run up to Minneapolis is going to be the longest 6 months of John McCain’s career and he might not pull it off. There are too many things of which he has no control and/or, knows nothing about.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I didn’t want to register for that site so I will put my response here.
How many times do we have to go around this topic? It was in fact the Massachusetts supreme court who decided that marriage between homosexuals were okay and they went around the law and the people’s will.
We had a similar situation here in California right after Prop. 22 was passes, but thank goodness the superior court of California knew that it was not right for the Mayor of San Francisco to say that what the people voted on was wrong. So Prop. 22 still stands here in California but it is also still being fought over in the courts.
So as you can see, California had a similar problem just in reversed roles. And Once and for all, please be trueful (spelling) when you talk about Romney. If you don’t like him, Say it, instead of flinging the overly done flipp-flopping charge on the grave of his 2008 presidential campaign.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Vic, I see what you mean about some evangelicals trying to rewrite what has happened. Adam Graham has obviously written an article staying very much in line with the same talk, talk that we have had way too much of. He is obviously of the Huckabee congregation as anyone can tell by reading a number of his other articles, so, pay him no attention.
Over a year ago (at the time I was first learning about MR) I sent an email to a business aquaintance with info about Mitt, I was just sharing what I was learning. I recieved a return mail that said “..are you kidding, he’s a Mormon”! I blew it off thinking that americans could not really be that bigoted. I guess I was wrong. Well, If Mitt’s faith is part of why he is the person that he is, I think that a lot of americans could use some of it.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
It seems that Adam Graham has lived in the west, states such as Montana and Idaho. My experience with the west is they are not quit as religous or race bigoted as the southern, mid-west states. The west never had to deal with the KKK (wonder what religion most of the members of that group were (are). For heavens sake… Idaho primary voted for Obama.. Maybe it’s because the western states have a higher percentage of mormons which are taught tolerance….A persons value system is much more important than his theology. If you don’t think that this race was about the christian and the non christian your head was in the sand. Why was all the push polling done stating Mitts religous beliefs ( they were stated incorrectly) about God and the Bible? If there weren’t bigots, the push polls wouldn’t have been affective. I am ashamed of the people in America and how closed minded they are. We will pay a huge price for not electing the best candidate with core values that could have helped the economy and wanted the best for America.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Vic, I completely agree. I think that religious bigotry was a huge factor. I also think it cut both ways as the media was also against Mitt for his Mormonism (see Lawrence O’Donnell’s hysterics on McLaughlin Group).
February 27th, 2008 at 1:00 am
This article certainly angers me, although not for the exact same reasons it angers you. As a Southern Baptist who got behind Mitt fairly early, I still have trouble believing that there was that mcuh of an anti-Mormon sentiment in play. Critics said he couldn’t win the evangelical vote … and he didn’t often…while running against an evangelical minister! People said he couldn’t win in the south … and he didn’t … running in a primary (S.C.) with two southerners! Every primary was a “must-win,” “last gasp” effort according to the mainstream media.
I still believe that pure lack of name recognition, the MSM, a jumbled, divided field and, probably, a less than perfectly orchestrated campaign did Mitt in. Mitt IS the future conservative leader of the GOP. I think only Democrats and those feeble minded enough to take the mainstream media as the Gospel believe that Mitt is an empty shell.
If Mitt gets out and is seen & heard for four years and becomes more than just the guy everyone says keeps flip-flopping, he WILL win people over. I agree that some may consciously or subconsciously used the “flip-flopping” as an excuse not to vote for a Mormon. Yet I doubt that many did…and what flames WERE fanned along those lines, I’m certain were fanned primarily by secularists trying to stir up the Religious Right against him, rather than coming from inside it.
I may be totally off base, being out of church for the time being and visiting evangelicalsformitt.com virtually every day for the past year…but I don’t think anti-Mormon predjudice among evangelical Christians did Mitt in. Neither do I think there is enough of it to hinder him seriously in the future.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Romney lived by the sword now he dies by the sword, bigotry is a very hateful and shallow being, I only hope that Mitt learns from what he went through.