CAMPAIGN '08

Missed Opportunity

What Mitt Romney didn't say was more interesting than what he did.

By Kenneth L. Woodward | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Dec 7, 2007 | Updated: 10:17  a.m. ET Dec 7, 2007

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  • Posted By: phatfaith @ 12/08/2007 12:43:28 AM

    "May not mean the same thing" - Romney may as well have said, "Hello, I'm from Mars." The Mormon faith is commonly known as a cult - are we supposed to pretend it isn't for the sake of a politician? Sorry, the speech didn't change my mind at all.

    • Posted By: nomisunrider @ 12/08/2007 2:12:11 AM

      Untl you research the religion yourself, my dear, you are ignorant. Your comment of "commonly known as a cult" is false and obviously rumor and not based in fact. So, until you can actually find FACT in your statement, keep an open mind or be blind in your ignorance.

      • Posted By: Blogdog123456 @ 12/08/2007 2:23:57 AM

        I have studied the Mormon faith for 22 years. I will tell you nomisunrider, that phatfaith is exactly correct in his/her assessment of Mr. Romney. Mormonism is a cult. and it is based on fact. Try finding any mormon faith book at any Christian book store and just see what you find. Perhaps you should take the time to educate yourself. Go to a Christian bookstore and check it out, I dare you. You will find that the Mormon faith is COMPLETELY different from the Christian faith using similar words, like Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit etc...but they have DRASTICALLY different meanings. These two religions are as different as night and day. A persons beliefs tell so much about where their priorities really lie....Please educate yourself...

        • Posted By: llittlef @ 12/08/2007 10:14:50 PM

          Your advice is to go to a Christian book store to find information on Mormons? The books in those stores are written by authors who are just as biased as you are, blogdog. If you want to know what it or anything else is about, go to the source, www.lds.org.

          • Posted By: jspencer@clearwire.net @ 05/11/2008 1:36:04 AM

            Yeah, and if you want to know about Communism, ask Castor not Alexander Solzhenitsyn!

            • Posted By: jspencer@clearwire.net @ 05/11/2008 1:37:33 AM

              misspelled: Castro, sorry.

  • Posted By: KKel @ 01/09/2008 11:45:56 AM

    Hey, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and yes, you're right, we do baptisms for the dead. I don't think you understand exactly how it is done though. I can see how if you didn't understand baptisms for the dead, you would think it was wrong. Baptisms for the dead is a very sacred thing to us. I have done baptisms for the dead a few times and it was an amazing experience. The people do have free will. We believe they have been taught the gospel on the other side and if they accept it, then we have the work done for them. So it's not like we're forcing them to be baptized, we're doing their work for them so when they accept the gospel, their work is done. I just wanted to clear things up there and give you the big picture of our reasons for baptisms for the dead.

  • Posted By: Blogdog123456 @ 12/14/2007 11:51:45 AM

    And to think, I wasn't exactly sure if people really did read this stuff.....Wow...So to be fair, I will retract my previous statement I made that Mr. Romney is a godless person. Perhaps he is pursuing God? Or is he pursuing godhood?

    It is a fact that Mormons believe that salvation is only obtained by Mormon men and for women to be saved, they have to marry a Mormon man. At the end of their life, they get into the "Mormon Heaven" by the tally of the number of good works they do during a life time.

    Then when they reach this Mormon heaven, they obtain equality with God becoming gods themselves.
    (Visit the Utah Lighthouse. org for more information)
    Some of you think I am incorrect in commenting about the Mormon faith do you? Ask any Mormon if they actually believe this to be true. The answer you will get is yes. Questioning a candidates beliefs usually gets to the heart of their priorities.
    Personally, I would rather vote for someone whose aspirations are to serve others and God , rather than vote for a candidate who aspires to be a god himself.

    • Posted By: APentecostal @ 12/17/2007 10:24:16 PM

      You hit the nail on the head. Good blog. We need to understand the fundamentals of the Mormon religion before we have a president that holds these beliefs. Do you know that they also baptize the dead. It is a true fact. I don't know about you, but Jesus wants us to make our own choice in salvation and not have someone else do it for us...free will. Amen and Amen to you. Keep bloggin and praying.

  • Posted By: GiantRobot2 @ 12/13/2007 8:45:51 PM

    Mitt Romney is the Republican Howard Dean!!! Read all about it!

    After the Iowa debate yesterday Mitt Romney stopped in Marion, Iowa to give a speech at Linn-Mar High School. He said the following:

    ???And I???m convinced the world will remember as well because you???re going to do something which people don???t expect, which is give me a victory,??? Romney said. ???And then I???m going to New Hampshire where I???m pretty solidly in the lead in New Hampshire, and I???m gonna be in Nevada, and I???m gonna win Nevada, and I???m gonna be in Wyoming, and I???ll win that one and Michigan. And we???re gonna do pretty *** well???that???s at least what I plan."

    .... Yahhh Hip Ha!!!

    Everybody is reading all about this now. Mitt Romney is Howard Dean all over again. The media and the Democrats will now play this over and over and over and over.

    This is what brought down Howard Dean and now is bringing down Mitt Romney. Republicans don''t need another Howard Dean.

    .... Yahhh Hip Ha!!!


  • Posted By: votenic @ 12/12/2007 4:19:45 PM

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  • Posted By: votenic @ 12/11/2007 5:04:08 PM

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  • Posted By: Paul_Strauss @ 12/08/2007 9:22:44 AM

    This was one of the most inspired speeches on what America is all about since Ronald Reagan. It may or may not rally people to Romney (I'll still be voting Huckabee), but I can tell you that many of us found it refreshing to hear a candidate that understands our rich religious history. It created a great deal of positive buzz with a majority of people. On the left, it created one of the best displays yet of their intolerance and ignorance-fueled paranoia about religion. When you see people basically freak out over a history lesson that quotes the founders of the country is telling of their frightening agenda to erase and re-write history.

    • Posted By: Shankardada2 @ 12/11/2007 2:38:15 PM

      American masses may have been religious people, but our founding fathers most certainly WERE NOT. In fact, most of them were at most Deists, who believed that God created a set of laws for the Universe and does not interfere in worldly affairs, hardly a religious doctrine. Many were outright atheists, such as Thomas Paine, whose article "Common Sense," an attack on British Imperialism, was read by Patriots in all corners of the Colonies. Paine also wrote a book called "Age of Reason," which attacked the inconsistencies of the Bible.

    • Posted By: Demeter @ 12/08/2007 12:32:43 PM

      It is unfortunate that Paul Strauss and many other Americans know and understand so little of the religious history of the United States. Independence from religious coersion was primary in the minds of men life Washington and Jefferson and so was the avoidance of having to make statements of faith to run for or hold office. For over two hundred years Americans have managed to have candidates whose religious affiliations were important primarily for the purpose of their own private morals and ethics. Now we are forced to see the abasement of that principle of freedom FROM religion because the Repubican Party insists that its candidate be "religious" and not only "religious" but from the correct side of the Christian bed. I wouldn't vote for any party that requires such a religious stamp of approval from any candidate. It is disgusting and totally ignores the fact that a large number of voters are not Christian, may have only a tangential association with organized religion or manages to be ethical and moral and a good citizen without the association of religion altogether. Romney's speech was appalling for what it says about Republican requirements. We've got a Born Again Christian in the White House now -- what an 'effin' disaster from start to finish. Your religion may take you to heaven but it shouldn't be the sine qua non for the White House.

  • Posted By: beav48 @ 12/10/2007 8:10:24 PM

    yes, I am saying that i should have added more than just christians " etc........." into my comment! that is all, no hate or anger! just making an addition! I appreciat everyones comments, and everyone has there own comments! Thats America, and that is what makes us GREAT!

  • Posted By: beav48 @ 12/10/2007 4:00:22 PM

    hello, etc........ delraybuzz!

    • Posted By: delraybuzz @ 12/10/2007 5:13:08 PM

      Hi beav48...I take that as a friendly greeting and am grinning as I type this since I sincerely hope and wish these blogs accomplish the almost impossible: bringing forth the best and friendliest in all of us, with no rancor and a willingness to accept one another! Bless us all!

  • Posted By: delraybuzz @ 12/10/2007 3:44:34 PM

    Mitt Romney has flip-flopped on every subject that has come up in this presidential campaign. He has "seen the light" very conveniently on health care, acceptance of homosexuals, and any other matter that might make him unacceptable to the Evangelical Right! How gullible can we be to never question these sudden "conversions" of convenience when the presidential ambition becomes overwhelming?
    beav48, yes America IS great because there are so many differnt types of people. But you are limiting the greatness to different "Christians"! Differences include many other sects, as well as races the Mormons condemned. And need I remind anyone that Jesus was a Jew? Let us condemn divisiveness, instead!!!

  • Posted By: helen30 @ 12/10/2007 8:35:39 AM

    Mitt Romney is for staying in Iraq but without his five sons. they are here to help him run for president. the mormon faith believes that at 18 (think this is correct) your sons go out and do missionary work for two years. have his five boys done that or do they need to stay close to home to help dad.?? just how american or how mormon are his beliefs.

  • Posted By: beav48 @ 12/09/2007 6:18:38 PM

    I feel that Romney did a good job, I also feel that Mormons are christians and have strong belife in Jesus Christ! I would vote for him, because everything that I have heard I agree with! "So what if he is a Mormon, America is great because there are so many different types of people!" Mormons are humans just like Baptists, Catholics, etc.... Each of us have a dream weather we are a Mormon or any other type of what ever!! I say, let him run mormon or not, they are good people that have never hurt anyone! they have strong families, and have done good things for this country! Mormons serve in the Arm etc... to defend this country, are we picky when we send them to war!! I feel he is a good candidate as an "American" and would do a good job!

  • Posted By: delraybuzz @ 12/09/2007 6:10:30 PM

    So are "secularists" to be the target if Mitt becomes president? Why are we all so afraid to put religion in its proper aspect when discussing the coming election? It belongs in the home, and one's heart, and definitely NOT in our law-making institutions or the White House. My severist judge is the person facing me in the mirror,as my moral sense, not my fear of the Almight, keeps me on the right path. Nor do I believe "my beliefs" are the only "true beliefs" to be rammed down everyone else's throats. Mitt, stop worrying about the Secular "religion" and find tolerance as a virtue, and perhaps we can all breath a bit easier!

  • Posted By: raoulcoutard @ 12/09/2007 5:08:14 AM

    Romney is fading, but I won't count him out yet. He's a bright guy and knows how to turn things around. A good place to track polling, election, and other stories is www.darbink.com

  • Posted By: Granda @ 12/07/2007 5:58:43 PM

    This is EXACTLY what my old GOP has become, a collection of self-righteous little fascists. I will only vote GOP when we once again choose GOP leaders on their leadership ability, skill, intelligence and experience.
    Enough said. The fascist/supremacist on here (Vince) is absolutely typical of the hijacking of my party.

    • Posted By: llittlef @ 12/08/2007 10:25:34 PM

      Granda likes saying "fascist."

    • Posted By: llittlef @ 12/08/2007 10:22:34 PM

      Granda likes saying "facsist."

  • Posted By: votenic @ 12/08/2007 9:17:37 PM

    2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll

  • Posted By: votenic @ 12/08/2007 9:16:22 PM

    2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll

  • Posted By: easym1 @ 12/08/2007 8:50:21 PM

    i say 3 cheers for mitt. i believe the speech was right in line with what america should be practicing.

  • Posted By: easym1 @ 12/08/2007 8:47:03 PM

    I SAY THREE CHEERS FOR MITT. IALSO BELIEVE THAT IT HIT THE RIGHT POINTS.

  • Posted By: standinginsomething @ 12/07/2007 9:57:51 PM

    Mitt Romney is not a Mormon like George Bush is a Christian. Romney was a Stake President, he was responsible for thousands of Mormons. They would be required to confess their sins to Mitt Romney in order to enter the Mormon temple.

    Romney would have attended the temple dozens of times while there making the below covenants:
    ...I covenant before God, angels, and these witnesses at this altar, that I do accept the Law of Consecration as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, in that I do consecrate myself, my time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed me, or with which he may bless me, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion.
    Each of you bow your head and say yes."

    Romney's priorities are the Mormon church's priorities he wouldn't need to be given direction from the prophet. He already knows what direction they want and he has covenanted to do so.

    • Posted By: sky1 @ 12/08/2007 5:54:47 PM

      Standing... Your remarks are very rhetorical. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and it's Prophet teaches exactly what your condescending remarks elude to... Serve one another, be kind, considerate, compassionate.

      I have one suggestion for you. How about Standing for something rather in something?

    • Posted By: nexusman @ 12/08/2007 1:01:20 AM

      You demonstrate your ignorance. Both Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Mitt Romney, a Republican, have made the same spiritual covenant to their God. Yet they believe and act diametrically opposite in the political realm. There is room for both honoring ones faith and having political freedom. Why so much fear and bigotry?

    • Posted By: nexusman @ 12/08/2007 12:45:45 AM

      You obviously do not understand. Both Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Mitt Romney, a Republican, live by the same spiritual covenants, yet they believe and act diametrically opposite in the political realm. There is room for living true to God and having differing viewpoints in politics. Why such fear and bigotry?

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