Gilgoff: Bigoted Redneck Evangelicals Stopped the Nomination of Marvelous Mitt
Posted by Adam Graham in : Presidential Race 2008In the 2000 Montana GOP Primary, I voted for Rob Natelson, a Jewish Conservative as the Candidate for Governor. In 2004, I supported the re-election of Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID), a Mormon. I supported another LDS member for Governor of Idaho in the 2006 Primary. I’ve worked for two Catholic Candidates for President (John Cox and Alan Keyes.) I’ve always looked at a person’s values, not their particular faith, in choosing a President.
This is why I’m so offended at the suggestion of Dan Gilgoff in USA Today that the reason that Mitt Romney lost is because we just couldn’t bring ourselves to vote for a Mormon. I’ve followed the national conversation among Conservative Christians about Mitt Romney. Little of it centered on his Mormonism, much more on the fact of his shift on the issues.
Gilgoff cites Nancy French of the Evangelicals for Mitt blog, who was won over to the point of view that a Mormon could serve as President by the “heroic effort” against gay marriage as well as his stances on abortion and federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
I have to admit that, when I think about Mitt Romney’s fight against gay marriage in Massachusetts, heroic doesn’t necessarily come to mind. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts issued a ruling ordering the legislature to pass a law on gay marriage. The legislature did nothing, so Governor Romney took it on himself to start issuing gay marriage licenses, and thus overstepped his bounds as Executive.
From there on, Romney did fight for a change in the State Constitution, but I can’t rightfully call Mitt’s fight heroic, as he abandoned it so that he could seek higher office. How heroic is the captain that abandons his ship?
On other issues, what bothered conservative Christians I talked to was Romney’s willingness to become anything to anyone. While Evangelicals for Mitt believed his recent conversion, many of us saw an empty shell that would fill himself with whatever beliefs and stances would be necessary in order to obtain power. How could pro-life conservatives know that Mitt Romney wouldn’t discard them just as he had pro-choice liberals in Massachusetts?
Gilgoff argues that James Dobson should have used his national Focus on the Family radio show to talk about how it would be okay to vote for a Mormon for President. This most likely would have gone against the tax exempt status of the station, as there was only one Mormon in the race. In addition, Dobson stated in endorsing Huckabee after Romney’s withdrawal that he viewed Romney and Huckabee both as pro-family. Making the above suggested statements about Romney would be viewed as an endorsement, and for better or for worse, he chose not to choose.
Fundamentally, YouTube and the Internet killed the Romney Campaign. Evangelicals couldn’t believe the man who promised to be more pro-gay rights than Ted Kennedy was the defender of traditional values, that pro-choice Mitt had become pro-life Mitt in a story contradicted by the doctor he claims to have seen before his conversion and that was so unbelievable National Review’s Rick Lowry suggested he was better off not telling it.
My concern was never that Mitt Romney followed his faith too much, it was how much he was willing to compromise it. Romney was a stake President in the Mormon Church, yet somehow thought a gay pride parade celebrating homosexuality was a great campaign venue. Imagine a senior official in the Southern Baptist Convention doing that as a candidate for office.
Romney had chances to address concerns of values voters. When invited to a Values Voter debate sponsored by a broad spectrum of religious conservatives, Romney declined, and his absence spoke volumes. When Romney visited Idaho, his campaign refused to answer tough questions from Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance. For possessing such an alleged strong social conservatism, Romney was unwilling to try and win over concerned critics and gave them even more reason to doubt his sincerity.
It also should be pointed out that Mitt Romney won the Evangelical vote in many states such as California and Michigan, he tied Huckabee for it in Florida, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. Yes, had Romney gotten unanimous support from Evangelicals, he would have won the Presidency, but Evangelicals are not unanimous and Romney gave them no reason to even get close to that threshold.
Nor, should there be a second act. Romney had all the advantages: Money, endorsements, grassroots organization. He just couldn’t get the job done because people didn’t trust him. The endorsements he got towards the end, including Rush Limbaugh’s on Super Tuesday, were the result of him being “not McCain.” Despite the collective force of most of the right side of the blogosphere, talk radio, and huge amounts of ground organization, he could not sell voters. You can blame Huckabee for this, but Huckabee’s voters’ second choice was McCain, not Romney. That’s how great Romney’s failure was.
Of course, you can find examples of anti-Mormonism. There was Bill Keller of Live Prayer shouting that a vote for Romney was a vote for the Devil, but to blame the Bill Kellers of the World (a small minority) is a cop out. Mitt Romney lost because people didn’t see him as having a core. I’d be open to supporting a genuine Conservative who happens to be a Mormon. There just wasn’t one running in this election.
Comment by ajarizona
Mormons know all too well the mindset of “some” evangelicals”. We know their doctrine and we know their attitudes toward Mormons, Catholics, and Jews.
Romney changed his position on three or four things, many of them years ago, and he is labeled the flip flopper? He flipped but he never flopped back. That’s called growth to must of us out here.
Huc and Mac have literally changed many positions, mostly “During this Campaign” and they get a free pass. They were much more the flip floppers than Romney. Statistics bear this out. Lazy pontificators like you don’t bother to do the research.
Romney has “never, ever” endorsed Gay marriage. Even back in ’94, he did not! This is a lie! He does believe in treating all human beings with respect. He worked against Gay marriage. He followed a court order, dufus. Ever heard of contempt Einstein?He got an amendment passsed banning it and the legislature failed to ratify on the 2nd year. You’re really an ignorant person.
Romney has been criticized for using his own money in his campaign. Remember, Romney will make back anything he spent personally, with interest on his net worth, in about 1 year. He’s only just begun, bigot.
A man willing to use his own money to fight for our cause and beliefs is perhaps the “most authentic person” you will ever find. “Putting your money where your mouth is”, is honorable, and may be cliche, however, it’s also time tested and true.
When Romney got out, he had 4 million votes to McCain’s 4.7 million and had won 11 States to McCain’s 13. I would not call that failure to an unkown a year ago. Hucky was not even close. The killer? Winner take all States.
Hucabee was never a contender. He’s a flip flopping, nasty tempered populist who will never be more than a regional candidate. And him on the any ticket will alienate not only Moderate Conservatives, big time, but have no chance in the Western States. Huckster’s subtle bigotry against Mormons will backfire out West where the Mormon vote is very infleuential.
Remember, Mormons have been the most loyal group in supporting Republicans and the Reagan agenda. Reagans first campaign was conceived and run by a Mormon. His Lt. Gov. was a female Mormon. His cabinet was full of Mormons. If he had no problem with a Mormon, why should anyone else?
Huck has reminded us all of the South as it used to be, KKK, segregation, and how the Catholics, Jews, and Mormons etc., or anyone else, except Evangelicals, will burn in an eternal Hell. Are we all children of God in Hucks mind? Not quite.
Funny how Mormons had no problem voting for the Evangelical Bush, but some Evangelicals could never vote for a Mormon? Christian love and tolerance? Who are the bigots here?
Remember also that Romney won the evangelical vote in many states and the ultra conserative vote is just about “every” state.
Hucksters play for delelgates now, is shallow and egocentric at best, Romney’s not competing with him now. It’s like running a race with Johnny down the road but Johnny’s not there. So Huckster runs the race anyway, alone, and then declares himsef the victor?
Rrrrright!
Any totals now for Huck are meaningless, because he is not going head to head with Romney. Romney is now the true and complete Conservative leader of this Country. The team player.
How great was it to see Hucabee playing
Randy Bachman’s(who is Mormon)
“Takin Care of Business”, at a Marriott Hotel (more Mormons) in front of a Televison Camera (invented by yet another Mormon, Phio T. Farnsworth).
Ignornace is such a pathetic thing to behold.
The smartest, “most accomplished” candidate in over thirty years has bowed out. Because like the Old Maid, the voters just got too picky with Romney, and couldn’t make up their minds in time, so they are now left with nothing.
Why?
Because, as with the girl (voters) who has a sure date with the good looking loveable nerd,whose also Valedictorian, Studentbody President, and who can solve most problems by instinct, decides she will shop a little and so she holds out for the Captain of the Football team (Thompson, Hucky, etc.), because, she thinks he might be a little more fun after midnight.
Then, she comes to find out, that her procrastinating gets her Neither. By the time she makes up her mind, they’ve already asked other girls.
So now, she has to settle for the Napoleonic, Inarticulate, Nasty, Bottom of his Class, prevaricating, little man, untrustworthy, flip flopping Old Toad, and of course,
the “Perceived Cool Guy”(McCain).
How cool is he now, people? The man can’t give a speech without a teleprompter!
Like Michael Medved said:
“Do we really want to elect a guy who has never been turned down for a date, a job, a school” etc..?
Medved’s answer, NO!
Look at the ugly men, Letterman, Leno, Medved, Hucabee etc. who even knock Romney because he’s too good looking.
What is this, the Eighth Grade elections? Jealousy? Insecurity? Sometimes, this Primary season has been like watching catty ten year old girls going at each other. Mitt Romney was the only grown up here.
I think Medved and his ilk were the guys getting atomic wedgies and being hung in their lockers in high school, and just can’t stand anyone who has achieved more than they have.
They have all stated as much.
The Reality is:
Romney Graduated with honors,
*Valedictorian-BYU,
*Cumlaude-Harvard Law School,
*Baker Scholar-MBA Harvard,
*Spent 30 months serving his faith in France,
*Created a 10 billion dollar business,
*(never dumped his wife for one 18 years younger with a beer distributorship),
*Earned millions by Saving and Creating literally hundreds of business’ and tens of thousands of jobs.
*Turned around the Olympics, and a State (Mass.) from the red to the black.
He has donated tens of millions of dollars of his own money for charitable causes, something you will never hear from him. He also took no salaries as Governor or at the Olympics and he has succeeded and excelled beyond measure in his life. He is exceptional.
Well, as for me and my house, I don’t want the average Gomer or Goober to run this country. With 300+ million people in this country we should not only desire, but demand, the Ideal.
Anything short of the best, most qualified and well accomplished Man or Woman of our times, is just simply, not good enough. Wake up people! It’s time to take our future Presidential Elections more seriously than we have this year.
It’s Jimmy Carter time now folks, let’s hope in 2012 we can have another Reagan to bail us out. If people are truely honest, right now, there’s only one choice, Romney.
Jealousy and narrow mindedness will ultimately destroy us. This year we will hold our noses for a Washington Insider to lead us, and we could have had the Best.
Oh, how painful is buyers remorse now, Idiots?
ajariz
Comment by Wickle
My theological differences with Mormonism more or less line up with their problems with me — I’m a Baptist, which to them means that I’m part of the “Great Apostasy.” I deem them heretical, as well.
But if it was Sen. Orrin Hatch running for President, I would have been working for his campaign. AJ’s little tirade notwithstanding, I know Gov. Huckabee’s positions, because they’re the same ones he’s had all along.
I was opposed to the Romney campaign before I knew he was a Mormon.
Frankly, the charges leveled at those of us who didn’t support him sound like the most liberal of arguments — if you don’t vote for me, it’s because you’re bigoted against (insert minority group here).
I’d expect this from Obama or Clinton. I don’t expect to hear it from Republicans.
Comment by Grant
Care to remove your lips from Romney’s Ass? Boo hoo, he dropped out, deal with it. I didn’t mind Romney, I always perfered McCain but if Romney was the presumed nominee I wouldn’t be whining and moaning about the flaws of Romney and how perfect McCain is because no canidate ever has been perfect, every canidate has their flaws and things about them that you disagree with. You know why? Because they’re human! Even people’s hero Regan wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t even a perfect Conservative. I get that you have problems with McCain but suck it up and if you decide to vote in the general election vote for who you agree with most, be it Democrat, Republican, Constitutionalist, Libertarian or some other third party.
Comment by michael
Huckabee continues his book selling tour.
Comment by John
AJARIZONA:
Great comments. You’re exactly right and I couldn’t agree more… Mac and Huck really messed up the Republican Party like no other.
Hello 4 years of Obama! – No experience what-so-ever, taxes out the roof, Socialized medicine, unlimited pork barrel spending/programs and no National Defense plan… But hey, he looks and acts like Will Smith, that’s good enough, isn’t it??!!
Maybe in 2012 Americans will have realized what the gave up when they sat on their hands too long deciding about Romney… Oh, what could have been, and what we face now…. really scary, really scary….