WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2007
Romney: I'm The Consistent Conservative
Former Massachusetts Governor Says He Has Steady Republican Credentials
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Play CBS Video Video Romney On Being Mormon Mitt Romney talks with Bob Schieffer about his Mormon faith and the role it plays in his presidential campaign. Romney also addresses why Evangelical Christians may have a problem with his religion.
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Video Romney On Switch To Pro-Life Mitt Romney tells Bob Schieffer that he has revised his beliefs on abortion and is pro-life. The former Mass. governor also addresses accusations that he repeatedly flip-flops on issues.
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Video Romney: A 'Real Republican'? Bob Schieffer questions Mitt Romney about referring to himself as the presidential campaign's 'real Republican.' Also, the former Mass. governor outlines what needs to happen for a Republican win.
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(CBS)
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The former Massachusetts governor, who on Saturday won a straw poll of evangelicals at the Values Voter Summit, gave an exclusive interview to Face The Nation Friday night.
"I believe in the principles of my party," Romney told Bob Schieffer. "And I believe that the only way that we're going to take the White House is not by acting like Hillary Clinton, but by holding true to the principles of our party, which is a coalition of social, economic and foreign policy conservatives."
Others in the Republican field, however, have questioned Romney's positions on abortion rights, immigration and gun control. They accuse Romney of running as a conservative in this election but taking more liberal stances in his campaigns for governor and for the U.S. Senate.
"It's not just the abortion issue, although he certainly was passionate in his advocacy for being pro-choice," Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said last week on Face The Nation. "I mean, look at literally every major issue. Whether it be immigration reform or taxes or immigration or any other issue, there has been changes in his position."
Watch McCain on Face The Nation"Obviously, my position did change with regards to life," Romney said in response. "But on other issues, my positions have been very consistent with my principles and my views."
He pointed to what he saw as the evolving positions McCain has taken on abortion rights and immigration.
Romney said, "I'd note that as I look at the other candidates who are running for president, over time they look at specific areas and say, 'gosh, I was wrong on this. That needs to be adjusted'."
But Romney's critics point his politics in Massachusetts as evidence that he is not as true to the GOP as he is trying to make himself out to be. In 1992, Romney, then registered as an Independent, voted for Democrat Paul Tsongas in the presidential primary. He said Sunday that his vote was a political move meant to undercut the stronger Democrat.
"When there's no contest of significance on the Republican side, when you register as an Independent, you can vote in the Democratic primary and vote against Bill Clinton," Romney said. "I used to vote against Ted Kennedy, all right? So that's something that you get to do."
Romney's critics also look to his unsuccessful 1994 Senate race against Kennedy for more proof that Romney has not always been faithful to the party.
Schieffer pointed out that during that race Romney turned away from the Republican patriarch President Ronald Reagan, saying, "I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush."
"There's no question that the older I get, the smarter Ronald Reagan gets," Romney said. "When I was running in '94, I wasn't trying to return to Reagan-Bush, because that was characterized as a very different posture than what I was running for. I was talking about my own vision. I wasn't trying to be a copy of anybody else."
A Quote
Romney's promise in that 1994 campaign to be a stronger advocate for gay rights than Kennedy has also rankled social conservatives who want a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. If I'm president of the United States and put my hand on the Bible, I do what the Constitution tells me, what the rule of law tells me. I certainly don't do what leader of my church or any other tells me to do.
Mitt Romney"For some voters, it might be enough to simply match my opponent’s record in this area,” he wrote in a 1994 letter to the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts. "But I believe we can and must do better. If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern. My opponent cannot do this. I can and will."
"I also told gays in 1994 that I opposed gay marriage and civil union, because gay rights didn't include - at that time, people weren't talking about gay marriage and civil unions - so I've always opposed gay marriage," Romney told Schieffer. "But at the same time, I don't discriminate against people. I don't discriminate against gay people."
Romney said he has been a "strong advocate" for an amendment that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman.
Religion is another issue that could be an obstacle in Romney's run for the White House. Evangelical Christians, like those who gathered at this weekend's Values Voters Summit, are a major force in the Republican Party, and Romney is a Mormon.
"I'm not going to try and distance myself in any way, shape or form from my faith. It was the faith of my fathers, of my sons, a long tradition in my family," he said. "I'm, as I say, true blue through and through. And so I accept the teachings of our church, and I do my best to live by those teachings."
Romney did not answer specific questions about Mormonism, saying the church would be better at answering them, but he pointed out its similarities with Christianity and Judaism.
"What I can tell you is that the values of my faith are founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and the same kind of philosophy that's associated with other Christian faiths and the Jewish faith and others is very much consistent with ours," Romney said.
Echoing John F. Kennedy, who in 1960 explained how his Catholic faith would impact his presidency, Romney said that his allegiance was to the Unite States, rather than to his church.
"If I'm president of the United States and put my hand on the Bible, I do what the Constitution tells me, what the rule of law tells me," Romney said. "I certainly don't do what leader of my church or any other tells me to do."
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See all 109 CommentsHe is consistently anti-war and consistently pro-liberty. ronpaul2008.com Posted by gunownerdan at 04:14 PM : Oct 22, 2007
If Ron is pro-liberty, then why is he anti-gay and anti-choice? Also, how is he going to pay for the war in Iraq after he abolishes the IRS? Ron Paul is a schizophrenic nutcase. At least the rest of his party is coherent: blind, unapologetic greed and hatemongering. You may not agree, but at least you understand their logic and what motivates them: money, power, control.
Why Don''t You Know Ron Paul?
The corporate media will not give Ron Paul any Exposure. Because, NBC is owned by GE. GE is one of the world''s largest war-makers. They make things that go boom. They make $Billions on war. A Ron Paul administration would be bad for business. CNN is owned by AOL. Majority share holder is Saudi Royal Talal who is also partners with GHWBush in The Carlyle Group. Another major warmaker. And on and on. You get the picture. This is why they are doing a Media Blackout on him. Because they don''t WANT YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH!
Who is Ron Paul?
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** Ron Paul Won The GOP Debate Lastnight!
Who Owns The Media: http://www.mediaowners.com
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Look no further than Ron Paul''s voting record in congress.
He is consistently anti-war and consistently pro-liberty.
ronpaul2008.com
And yet when former Governor Romney stated that he both believed that the Mormon Bible is the literal word of God AND that he wholly believes in science- but doesn''t see any contradiction there... that was a man trying to have his cake and eat it too. That was a man trying to have the best of both worlds. That was nonsense and Bob Schieffer let him get away with it completely! What is the point of even asking questions if the candidate is going to be allowed to simply give an unrelated speech? Just give them a pulpit and forego the formality of sitting down at all. When exactly did the media stop being the Fourth Estate and become For-the-state? The American public deserves to know these most fundamental aspects of a candidates character and beliefs.
Chose wisely. Chose Richardson.
It amazes me how lost some people are. Well, it doesn''''t amaze me, it saddens me.
Posted by singinrick at 05:30 PM : Oct 21, 2007
This is why I fear for the future of this country. Please, keep your fantasies to yourself and let reason guide your decisions, not some crazy myth.
All politicians are thiefs but there is nothing worse than claiming to be the MORAL MAJORITY and turning out to be the most CORRUPT ADMINISTRATION OUR COUNTRY HAS SEEN.......makes me sick to see their hypocrisy!
1) He''''s a mormon
2) He''''s a mormon
3) He''''s a mormon
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Posted by soldat44 at 02:13 PM : Oct 21, 2007
You would say that because you belong to the Catholic cult.
The only religion that thinks it''s the only religion. That doesn''t make you right...it just makes you blinded.
Anyway, there is a great statement by the LDS Church on political neutrality. Go to www.lds.org, click Newsroom. Then click Public Issues.
Romney is a serious flip flopper.
Republicon Ron Paul wants to eliminate Social Security in its entirety! Sorry to burst your Ron Paul bubbble, ConDumbs, but your Ron Paul is an extremist conservative, a Southerner, therefore he has ZERO CHANCE of ever becoming president of the USA! Buttheads, Ron Paul is a perfect 3rd party candidate for your cause. Have you thought of that yet?
And he managed to avoid the troubles of the Vietnam war when his daddy, a Mormon big cheese, certified boy Mitt as a "preacher man" because he was handing out the usual Mormon crock door to door. This was Mitts service to his country during the draft prone Vietnam debacle!
Now Mitts 4 sons are helping his fathers presidential bid. Mitt recently touted this as his sons service to their country to get him elected, similar to US soldiers serving in Iraq. Seems to me were dealing with a family of cowards, swindlers, and used car salesmen.
Posted by gkc99 at 08:59 PM : Oct 21, 2007
You mean he''s doing the Bathroom thing in Minnesota Airports along with Sen Craig?
are you shifting in your computer chair?
sounds like you first hand about the hemorrhoids starting to chafe.
Hey if he cares about the poor, he is the man.
And I only know a very few poor mormons, hmmm, makes me wonder. They must know how to manage money.
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See all 109 Comments