Katie Couric's Notebook: A Mormon President?

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: Mitt Romney

Hi, everyone.

Is America ready to elect a Mormon as president?

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney may soon find out; he's considering a run for the White House.

But one poll says 43% of Americans would never support a Mormon.

Washington Post reporter Sally Quinn told us that skepticism of Romney is so great, he may face the choice of having to "deny his allegiance to the church and appear to be pandering" or "maintaining that allegiance and jeopardize his chances."

In 1960, John Kennedy made Americans comfortable with Catholicism...which, at the time, raised about as many doubts as Mormonism does now.

But while about a quarter of the American people were Catholic in 1960, Mormons comprise less than two percent of the population today.

Whatever happens, a Romney candidacy might serve to do what Kennedy's did nearly 50 years ago: educate Americans about a faith that is often stereotyped more than understood.

That's a page from my notebook.

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by jennijune7 January 11, 2007 8:02 PM EST: I think any attention Mitt Romney recieves at this point in the game, is good. Anyone who has the opportunity to listen to him and what he stands for and what he can bring to the table in 2008 will understand he is the right man for the job - - regardless of which faith he belongs to.; Reply to this comment


by jcorbin1958 January 11, 2007 12:55 PM EST: Some of you need to argue you're point somewhere else not here! Enough already!; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 9:48 PM EST: Ouch! I'm thinkin' you need to keep your Katie obsession on-the-down-low. Since when was the enlightening of oneself considered "flip-flopping"? Would you rather have a President that was closed-minded or open-minded. Pandering?; Reply to this comment


by lambcannon January 10, 2007 9:25 PM EST: Way to justify homophobic bigotry Katie! The "Mormonism" is not the issue--the flip flopping and obvious pandering is! Kinda like your blogging and your "evening news"!; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 9:16 PM EST: What has America come to when you are forced to "deny" something, such as your faith, in order to be accepted by the general public. Would you elect someone like that gave up his/her core belief? I think Mitt will be able to prove himself and this whole "Oh my gosh, he's a Mormon" thing will pass. If anything, this it's giving him more media attention.; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 8:35 PM EST: Is it documented otherwise?; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 8:28 PM EST: Thanks!; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 7:59 PM EST: Quoting the Globe is like quoting Osama bin Ladens view on the US. Mitt Romney could establish world peace and all they would talk about would be how Mormons like green jell-o therefore Romney must denounce the use of jell-o and only support the use of sugar free jell-o. Irrelevant. Get a none biased point of view.; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 7:42 PM EST: "Religion, as well as reason, confirms the soundness of those principles on which our government has been founded and its rights asserted."
--Thomas Jefferson to P. H. Wendover, 1815.; Reply to this comment


by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 7:08 PM EST: It interested to see these point-of-views on a Mormon. The same bigotry that pushed the Mormons from New York to Utah still exists today. Rather that provide informative insight or constructive criticism or whatever, web blogs are left to discuss the more private matters of someones faith. Who cares what kind of underwear someone wears. I was obsessed with comic books growing up. Would you like to know if I now wear Superman underwear? Religion does more good than bad when not used on at a level of extremism. I don't see Mitt only discuss his religion when question about it. Being a man of any Christian-based faith tells me that he has moral standards and value constructive to the central core of our society, the family.; Reply to this comment