A Mitt Hypothesis:

[Harry Tic]

Many faithful, Republican LDS are secretly terrified of a Mitt Romney win. Deep down, they are afraid that our first Mormon president will turn out to be just as middling and mediocre as every other U.S. president in recent history. Discuss.

[Harry Tic]

That's not to say that they would not deeply prefer Mitt to Obama. But just that they secretly fear he would be more of a Gerald Ford, say, than a Ronald Reagan. And when all was said and done, the Constitution would still be shot to hell, etc. etc.

[Moliere]

Many faithful, Republican LDS are secretly terrified of a Mitt Romney win. Deep down, they are afraid that our first Mormon president will turn out to be just as middling and mediocre as every other U.S. president in recent history. Discuss.

I have no reason to believe he'll be mediocre. In fact, I think he's more qualified for the job than just about any in recent memory. Clinton was pretty well qualified, but I think Mitt's even more qualified. I think he'll do just fine.

Personally, I think most members don't even know why they should be afraid of having a first Mormon president. They should be afraid, very afraid...but I'm not. I'm relishing the Mormon moment and I hope it last 8 more year.

[LA Ute]

Many faithful, Republican LDS are secretly terrified of a Mitt Romney win. Deep down, they are afraid that our first Mormon president will turn out to be just as middling and mediocre as every other U.S. president in recent history. Discuss.

I haven't seen any evidence of this at all. I do think smart people realize that a Mormon president may well alienate as many people from Mormonism as it impresses favorably. That's just realistic. But "terrified of a Mitt Romney win?" Nah.

[TexTechCoug]

I'm more afraid of what Obamacare and Economic Patriotism are going to do to my finances.

[pellegrino]

I have no reason to believe he'll be mediocre. In fact, I think he's more qualified for the job than just about any in recent memory. Clinton was pretty well qualified, but I think Mitt's even more qualified. I think he'll do just fine.

Personally, I think most members don't even know why they should be afraid of having a first Mormon president. They should be afraid, very afraid...but I'm not. I'm relishing the Mormon moment and I hope it last 8 more years.

This is, without a doubt, the number one reason I want Mitt to win. It's selfish, but I want a very bright spotlight shown on the church, one that causes a great deal of introspection and self analysis.

[Harry Tic]

I'm the first to admit I haven't seen any evidence of this at all (but, hey, that's why I say "deeply." It's called "repression"!). But the unbridled enthusiasm of so many LDS, while totally understandable for a host of reasons that have been discussed ad nauseum, seems to recall the kind of totally unrealistic optimism that many had when Obama won. And we've all seen how that turned out. Wouldn't it stand to reason that many LDS might be secretly worried--even if they can't bring themselves to admit it--that OMG, the Elders of Israel had darned well better save the Constitution!? I mean, marginal improvement in particular leading economic indicators are nice and all, but, I mean, Jesus is on the way, and a Mormon's in the White House, and, well, expectations are gonna be HIGH.

[Harry Tic]

I have no reason to believe he'll be mediocre. In fact, I think he's more qualified for the job than just about any in recent memory. Clinton was pretty well qualified, but I think Mitt's even more qualified. I think he'll do just fine.

Personally, I think most members don't even know why they should be afraid of having a first Mormon president. They should be afraid, very afraid...but I'm not. I'm relishing the Mormon moment and I hope it last 8 more year.

I'll stir the pot a bit. The thought was originally catalyzed by all the absurd anti-American sentiment that erupted when word of the the anti-Mohammad video got out a few weeks ago. Now imagine some unpopular foreign policy decision being made by Mitt and the crowds take to the streets, with LDS temples and meetinghouses becoming targets for anti-American sentiment (since, for so many folks, Mitt is quintessentially Mormon). So, the Mormon moment, as far as it goes, has been nice so far. But then again, Mitt still isn't actually "the decider," to evoke the ghost of Dubya. But things could get considerably more unpleasant, and for the wrong reasons, if he were to win.

On the other hand, maybe the Lord would dispatch legions of angels to help out the CIA just to keep things in check.

Not saying any of this is, or should be, decisive. But it's not totally implausible.

[jay santos]

I'll stir the pot a bit. The thought was originally catalyzed by all the absurd anti-American sentiment that erupted when word of the the anti-Mohammad video got out a few weeks ago. Now imagine some unpopular foreign policy decision being made by Mitt and the crowds take to the streets, with LDS temples and meetinghouses becoming targets for anti-American sentiment (since, for so many folks, Mitt is quintessentially Mormon). So, the Mormon moment, as far as it goes, has been nice so far. But then again, Mitt still isn't actually "the decider," to evoke the ghost of Dubya. But things could get considerably more unpleasant, and for the wrong reasons, if he were to win.

On the other hand, maybe the Lord would dispatch legions of angels to help out the CIA just to keep things in check.

Not saying any of this is, or should be, decisive. But it's not totally implausible.

I don't think you're capturing the mormon moment issue right. Mitt will be a good president or a bad president, it won't have much affect on mormonism either way. The major affect will be the focus on church issues: policy, doctrine, etc due to the interest in mormonism that comes with having a president in office.

[Moliere]

This is, without a doubt, the number one reason I want Mitt to win. It's selfish, but I want a very bright spotlight shown on the church, one that causes a great deal of introspection and self analysis.

Yep.

I think that if Mitt loses (which is more likely than not) then we'll shrink back into obscurity. I like the self analysis and I think it's helping the church become more of a big tent type of place. There will always be the Skousen-type nut jobs, but for the most part it's been fun reading people's thoughts on our theology, religion, and underwear.

[DU Ute]

Yep.

I think that if Mitt loses (which is more likely than not) then we'll shrink back into obscurity. I like the self analysis and I think it's helping the church become more of a big tent type of place. There will always be the Skousen-type nut jobs, but for the most part it's been fun reading people's thoughts on our theology, religion, and underwear.

This.

If Mitt loses I'm afraid the "Us against the World" paranoia becomes much more deeply entrenched among the nut jobs and spreads further among members.

[Northwestcoug]

I wouldn't classify myself as faithful or solidly republican (I certainly lean republican), but I'm not terrified of a Romney win. I've seen one. I was in Mass when he was governor. He was solidly average as an executive. He didn't get much done, due largely to democratic majorities in the state congress. But he still didn't inspire much.

If he wins, I expect pretty much of him as I did in Mass. I sincerely doubt that he will be the white horse that my mom and other like-minded mormon republicans hope for. I assume they will be disappointed, but we'll see.

[SeattleUte]

Many faithful, Republican LDS are secretly terrified of a Mitt Romney win. Deep down, they are afraid that our first Mormon president will turn out to be just as middling and mediocre as every other U.S. president in recent history. Discuss.

They should be terrified for a different reason. He is not a true believer and as a U.S. president he would have to confront and express his personal divergence from the Mormon outlook.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yep.

I think that if Mitt loses (which is more likely than not) then we'll shrink back into obscurity. I like the self analysis and I think it's helping the church become more of a big tent type of place. There will always be the Skousen-type nut jobs, but for the most part it's been fun reading people's thoughts on our theology, religion, and underwear.

This.

If Mitt loses I'm afraid the "Us against the World" paranoia becomes much more deeply entrenched among the nut jobs and spreads further among members.

I don't agree at all about shrinking back into obscurity. You can't unring that bell.

[DU Ute]

I don't agree at all about shrinking back into obscurity. You can't unring that bell.

I don't think that will happen. I think that the church itself will become more mainstream, but some members will go off the deep end and start to cause a bit of a cultural rift in the Church.