Romney

[calicoug]

Getting back to Romney....

Does anyone think these guys are right:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj

They say their data suggest that Romey's Mormonism will be less of a problem for him in the general election than in the primaries. I'm not so sure.

I absolutely think they are right. There are many on the left who might not vote for Romney because he is Mormon, but they are almost all the same people who wouldn't vote for any Republican over a Democrat. Republicans who don't want to vote for Mitt because he is a Mormon will comprise a bigger proportion of the electorate in the primary than in the general.

Religion is Mitt's issue with the Republicans in the base. Given the absolute fidelity of most American Mormons to the Republican party, that would bother me were I a Republican Mormon.

[LA Ute]

I absolutely think they are right. There are many on the left who might not vote for Romney because he is Mormon, but they are almost all the same people who wouldn't vote for any Republican over a Democrat. Republicans who don't want to vote for Mitt because he is a Mormon will comprise a bigger proportion of the electorate in the primary than in the general.

Religion is Mitt's issue with the Republicans in the base. Given the absolute fidelity of most American Mormons to the Republican party, that would bother me were I a Republican Mormon.

Romney has to win the independent vote in the general to be elected. The only way conservative Evangelical Republicans can hurt him in the general is by staying home, and Campbell and Putnam say they won't do that. What will be interesting to see is whether the attacks of people like Jacob Weisberg, Bill Maher and Lawrence O'Donnell will influence the independent vote against Romney. The attacks from the left will not be ideological, but will mainly focus on painting Romney and Mormonism as weird.

[tooblue]

Lest you think my response cold, I appreciated the English Professor in Boise's personal view, as it is similar to my own. However, if it indeed is a response to Hitchens then it comes away as . . . well, lacking. True, sincere expressions of faith can go a long way, but don't and perhaps can't really address the misrepresentations of Mormonism in Hitchens' article. I don't know what can without coming off as a complete apologist or over sensitive, but juxtaposing the two, Dr. Naylor seemed to come up short.

What would you have "we" say to a dying man's last irrational gasp against Mormonism? How do you contend with the type of abject fear he hopes to engender? Do you feed it? Give it more credence or, power than is due? The only response we have against such nonsense is true, sincere expressions of faith. I'd rather come up short, as you say, than validate a terrified man's attempts to remain relevant in the face of his mortality.

I feel sad for Mr. Hitchens. It's sad and tragic. It's also pathetic.

[pellegrino]

What would you have "we" say to a dying man's last irrational gasp against Mormonism? How do you contend with the type of abject fear he hopes to engender? Do you feed it? Give it more credence or, power than is due? The only response we have against such nonsense is true, sincere expressions of faith. I'd rather come up short, as you say, than validate a terrified man's attempts to remain relevant in the face of his mortality.

I feel sad for Mr. Hitchens. It's sad and tragic. It's also pathetic.

I didn't propose a solution, rather I'd just let sleeping dogs lie. Hitchens didn't say anything new, instead he just repeated old, tired arguments.

[il Padrino Ute]

I didn't propose a solution, rather I'd just let sleeping dogs lie. Hitchens didn't say anything new, instead he just repeated old, tired arguments.

I agree with this. IMO, the best thing to do is just ignore the rantings of a dying, bitter man. He's not doing anything to help his legacy with his hit job on Mormonism.

[calicoug]

Romney has to win the independent vote in the general to be elected. The only way conservative Evangelical Republicans can hurt him in the general is by staying home, and Campbell and Putnam say they won't do that. What will be interesting to see is whether the attacks of people like Jacob Weisberg, Bill Maher and Lawrence O'Donnell will influence the independent vote against Romney. The attacks from the left will not be ideological, but will mainly focus on painting Romney and Mormonism as weird.

I should have been clearer. I agree with their overall conclusion but we get there different ways. Evangelicals can also hurt Mitt by supporting a third party candidate. That might seem implausible, but I could imagine an Alaska Senate type race arise if Mitt is nominated (but with Tea Party as third party).

[LA Ute]

I should have been clearer. I agree with their overall conclusion but we get there different ways. Evangelicals can also hurt Mitt by supporting a third party candidate. That might seem implausible, but I could imagine an Alaska Senate type race arise if Mitt is nominated (but with Tea Party as third party).

If they do that, may they be smitten with a sore curse. Boils would do nicely.

[U-Ute]

The Daily Show had a segment on Obama pulling out the troops by the end of the year.

With the Republicans are touting it as a failure to finish what we started, and the Obama camp thumping their chests and telling everyone that they did what they said they would do, it turns out that the agreement signed by GWB with Iraq had the troops leaving Iraq "by no later than December 31, 2011".

So everyone is all up in arms, spinning like mad, that we're doing exactly what we said we would do.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Seriously, wtf Romney?

http://campaign2012.washingtonexamin...st-govt-unions

There is a real basis for holding the opinion that you won't know what the hell Romney would do once in office. I can't understand how he would do something like this. If he didn't believe in it, just stay the hell away. Unlike the stupid tuition for offspring of illegal immigrants issue, Romney refuses to take a stand on something that is 100x more important.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

George Will wrote a column on Romney's flip-flops making him increasingly unelectable. Brit Hume said today that Romeny exhausted his quota of flips a long time ago and this recent batch may be too much for some.

Quite honestly, I'm sick of Mitt and I worry about whether he really is that electable. Today one of Obama's guys said that Romney has no core. I'm afraid that if the economy shows any uptick whatsoever that people will stay away from him in a general because he really doesn't provide a compelling reason to vote for him.

[UtahDan]

Fair game or not?

Call me nosey, but I want to know if Mitt Romney – a major donor to Brigham Young University – stands by the Lost Tribes theory. It’s not a doctrine: it’s a detailed hypothesis that seeks to overturn the orthodox narrative of pre-Columbian history. So far, Romney has refused to go anywhere near this territory. But, if he’s as serious about his faith as he says he is, then he ought to tell us what he believes. Here’s an idea. During the election campaign, why doesn’t a Native American ask him: “Mr Romney, do you believe I’m descended from Old Testament Jews?” Mitt the young missionary would have said yes. Let’s see what Mitt the presidential candidate has to say.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/da...-mormon-myths/

[LA Ute]

A debate between creedal Christians about the relevance of Romney's Mormonism

This could go in one of the Romney threads but I'll put it here because it is so theological/philosophical. It's a post by my co-blogger John Mark Reynolds, a professor of philosophy at Biola University, a Christian school in Southern California. It's an interesting debate:

http://www.article6blog.com/2011/10/...ghtful-critic/

[jay santos]

This could go in one of the Romney threads but I'll put it here because it is so theological/philosophical. It's a post by my co-blogger John Mark Reynolds, a professor of philosophy at Biola University, a Christian school in Southern California. It's an interesting debate:

http://www.article6blog.com/2011/10/...ghtful-critic/

I don't follow the logic. First he says religion is irrelevant. Then he goes on to dissect Mormonism to explain it's not that crazy, implying religion is relevant.

Also, I don't agree with his first point about how if you're qualified to serve as a soldier, you're qualified to serve as the president. And he wouldn't allow a thief or an alcoholic to represent America as a soldier. Would he also not allow someone with low IQ to serve as soldier? Kind of a dumb, fake-patriotic take which breaks down easily when you look at it.

[jay santos]

Fair game or not?



http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/da...-mormon-myths/

I'm not sure this is an official belief of the church anymore after the tweak of the Book of Mormon title page.

[LA Ute]

Fair game or not?

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/da...-mormon-myths/

Is a Catholic's belief in transsubstantiation fair game? An Evangelical's belief in the Flood? Any Christian's belief in Christ's resurrection? BTW, Romney's views on the "issue" here are probably pretty heterodox, but I don't know. His views on other intellectually challenging issues are.