Mitt: My God

Here's Mitt Romney's much anticipated speech on religion, given at the Bush library behind the Presidential seal. He's casting it as question of religious liberty (read: let me have mine) and distance from religion in the White House (read: the Mormons won't tell me what to do) while also attacking "secularism" (read: I still want the votes of religious conservatives).

Sound bites: "Freedom requires religion. Just as religion requires freedom. . . . Freedom and religion endure together or perish alone."

"I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected by his faith just as he should not be rejected by his faith."

"Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or any other church, for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. . . . I will put no doctrine of any church above the duties of the office."

"When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest obligation to God."

Five minutes in before he mentions what his religion is. "I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it."

"Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they're right, so be it."

"Americans are tied of people who would jettison their beliefs to gain the world."

He testifies to his belief in Jesus as "the saviour of mankind."

"No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith, for as president he will need the prayers of people of all faiths."

How he attacks those who he says have taken separation of church and state too far. "It seems as if they are bent on establishing a new religion in America: the religion of secularism. They're wrong."

"God bless this great land, the United States of America."