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January 9, 2007 3:15 PM

Katie Couric's Notebook: A Mormon President?

Posted by Katie Couric
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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Add a Comment See all 19 Comments
by lfitts1 January 9, 2007 5:29 PM PST
It's not that he is a mormon, budddist , catholic or protestant--it's that he is a com0plete hipocrite. Romney will sya anything to anyone that he thinks they want to hear. Several years ago when he was first running for governor when talking to a gay group--he told them that he not only believed in civil unions, he believed that they deserved more--now that he is running for president he never heard of such a thing. When he was running for governor he was pro-choice and favored the availability of RU-486 and plan b--now he is appaled and completely against. It is not his religion it is him. While I disagree with the entire right wing social agenda, I have more respect ofr someone who is consistent rather than a hipocrite.
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by frb01 January 9, 2007 9:39 PM PST
I think the previous post is right, he is going to get hung up in his moving positions on the hot issues. Whether he is a Mormon should have nothing to do with his going through the vetting process.
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by billpl-2009 January 10, 2007 3:03 AM PST
Once this issue is brought out into mainstream America, the question will not be about faith nor religion but rather the cultism and deception.
Question being, will the stereotypes fade or materialize into fact?
Reply to this comment
by thy1138 January 10, 2007 8:55 AM PST
I wonder, if as stated, that "privacy" will become a major part of the next political presidential debate, if religion might be counter-productive as a "talking point". Mormonism started in western New York State, which had it's history in the 19th century of "fundamentalism" which often led to many suspicious barn burnings. It is after all where the "tablets" were found according to sworn affidavit. The rest they say is religious history.
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by mhgoodrich January 10, 2007 11:35 AM PST
The largest weakness to democracy remains foibles of human nature - emotional response over logic and tribal lore over knowledge. It is amazing that we continue to elect leaders of the free world in the same way that we did the prom kings and queens of our youth, and hang on to xenophobia, fairy tales and astrology so tightly. Our fear of the dark still trumphs intellectual analysis. We are no better or wiser than those around the world who hate and kill based on tenants of their ancestors, to whom the leading edge of technology was the wheelbarrow. Instead of learning from our founding fathers, who tried to separate religion from the political process, we revert to illogical fears born around ancient campfires.
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by cba_paul January 10, 2007 3:41 PM PST
"All Mormon men become gods when they die, so becoming President of the United States would be a step down for him.

"The Mormon founder taught that faithful Mormon men can ascend to divinity." - catholic.com"

Actually, it is believed that men and women may become gods and ascend to divinity. But neither can do it alone...not the man without the women nor the women without the man.

This is eternal life...to inherit all that the Father has...you could compare it to how we grow from childhood and become adults in this life...mothers and fathers, like our own parents.
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by rrichey4430 January 10, 2007 4:00 PM PST
Being a Mormon, I won't attempt to address the bigoted, half-accurate, slanted opinions of my esteemed fellow commentators. I will only state that I am saddened by the fact that religious bigotry is still socially acceptable when vented on members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Church's official name).

Nevertheless, since the issue here is Governor Romney, let me state unequivocally, that those who take the time to familiarize themselves with the candidate%u2019s record will find a extremely competent individual who is probably the most qualified person to offer himself for public service in the last half a century.

Governor Romney, an effective leader who stands for all things that make America great. I urge all interested readers to educate themselves by browsing to:

http://www.mittromney.com/Learn-About-Mitt/index
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by rrichey4430 January 10, 2007 4:04 PM PST
On the important social issue of gay rights, Governor Romney has steadfastly held to the same position--one that backs equal treatment of *** in the workplace, but one which steadfastly defends the traditional role of marriage, by being steadfastly opposed to both the concept of "gay marriage" and the concept of civil unions (despite the inaccurate statement to the contrary by lfitts1 above). He has not moved or "flipped" in his stance. The radical gay community has simply moved much further to the left than when he ran for the senate 10 years ago or even when he ran for governor 5 years ago.
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by rrichey4430 January 10, 2007 4:05 PM PST
On the issue of abortion, Governor Romney supported, in the past, a sort of "detente" on the issue: stating his commitment to uphold a woman's right to choose, while remaining personally opposed to the practice, and declaring (in his run for governor) that he would not seek or allow any changes to current policy. This stance was the only realistic one that a candidate could hold, and still get elected in Massachusetts. I personally, will forgive him for this stance, recognizing that it was a necessary one--and also one that he held to firmly by vetoing an emergency contraception bill which would have constituted a "change."

Then, with the perspective of experience, and in the context of the debate over stem cell research, he has now made the proper (in my view) conversion to being firmly pro-life. That transformation is not at all different than that made by none other than Ronald Reagan himself. In fact, many of the most effective pro-life voices have been converted from the pro-choice point of view. When confronted with the full truth of the issue, they realize that abortion is hardly ever justifiable--only in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother. As president, Governor Romney would like to see the issue be under control of the states. You can rest assured that this represents his long-term position. He will remain pro-life, which is consistent with his own internal world-view.
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 4:08 PM PST
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.
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 4:42 PM PST
"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.
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 4:59 PM PST
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.
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 5:28 PM PST
Thanks!
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 5:35 PM PST
Is it documented otherwise?
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 6:16 PM PST
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.
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by lambcannon January 10, 2007 6:25 PM PST
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"!
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by bonkatwo January 10, 2007 6:48 PM PST
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?
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by jcorbin1958 January 11, 2007 9:55 AM PST
Some of you need to argue you're point somewhere else not here! Enough already!
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by jennijune7 January 11, 2007 5:02 PM PST
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.
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