Romney: I'm The Consistent Conservative

Former Massachusetts Governor Says He Has Steady Republican Credentials

(CBS)  Despite his Mormon faith and the evolution in his position on abortion rights, Mitt Romney insists that he is a consistent conservative and the best choice for Republican voters.

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."

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.

"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."

[vet999999]

Ron Paul is a quack. A cowardly democrate in a republican costume.

[sftodd]

Ron Paul''''s voting record in congress.
He 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.

[savetheus2]

***** Stop The War & Corporate Corruption *****

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?
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about

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RESTORE YOUR LIBERTY & FREEDOM
SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT RON PAUL 2008!

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[gunownerdan]

Want consistency?
Look no further than Ron Paul''s voting record in congress.
He is consistently anti-war and consistently pro-liberty.
ronpaul2008.com

[dnittel]

I must say I was disappointed in Mr. Scheiffer''s handling of the Mitt Romney interview... He is a veteran journalist who is in the twilight of his career; he should not have to worry about "stepping on any toes", especially when Mitt Romney currently holds no political title.
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.

[aldee41]

The next President will be a Democrat.
Chose wisely. Chose Richardson.

[sftodd]

So you''''re waiting for Christians to be raptured heh? Can''''t wait for your world dictator the anti-christ to take over huh? Can''''t wait to follow satan 100 percent of the time huh?
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.

[simonsez40]

Didn''t the US fall for the CONSISTENT CONSERVATIVE bunko with Bush? When are the American people going to wake up and steer clear of this Christian BS? As you can see the Bush Administration delivered us the CHRISTIAN BASE Politics! Did you see where that got us? A White house full of crooks and thiefs!

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!

[grammawhamma]

3 strikes against Romney:

1) He''''s a mormon
2) He''''s a mormon
3) He''''s a mormon


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

[gaddio]

I like how Mitt Romney suggests that questions about Mormon doctrine should be answered by his Church rather than by him. That''s very smart of him, because anything he might expound on could be very easily quoted out of context. Don''t make the mistake of thinking that his deflection is evident that he doesn''t know the doctrines of his church. Not only was he a missionary for a few years (you have to know the doctrines to be a missionary), he was also a Bishop (leader over a few hundred members) and a Stake president (leader over about a thousand members), so I''m sure he knows the doctrine backwards and forwards. All such positions, by the way, are non-paid and not campaigned for, rather, he was asked by other church leaders to serve in those capacities. The point is that although he obviously is an expert on his Church''s doctrines, he recognizes that it is wiser to let the authoritative word on an issue come from the authoritative source, i.e. questions on the LDS Church should be answered by the Church. I suggest people who scour anti-LDS web sites follow this advice, or at least allow www.lds.org be the grain of salt when reading the anti-LDS literature that is all over the web.

Anyway, there is a great statement by the LDS Church on political neutrality. Go to www.lds.org, click Newsroom. Then click Public Issues.

[micma-2009]

Romney is a serious flip flopper.

[condumism]

Ron Paul for President, 208!

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?

[condumism]

Mitts much-vaunted "business experience" amounts to being provided with capital by his rich, politically connected father and family, and not managing to lose it. Well thats a step better than Bushit anyway, who got the same handout from a rich, politcally connected family, but blew it all. But its not exactly a rags to riches story--more like "Rich boy does good."

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.

[lawyertom1]

Consistent, except when a) running a business, or b) acting as governor of Massachusetts. In other words, a fraud.

[moxford0]

How about Senator Larry Craig running as a third party conservative?

[chucktruck2]

Just watched the debates on fox. Huck was good .Rudy and Mitt have 2 great sound bites about Hillary . And McCain hit the homerun with... I was tied up during Woodstock... This to me was the best debate so far . Course I thouht Mitt won again . He did win the Value Voters Summit straw poll in line in room and on line in room."Evangeliticals for Mitt "

[fairandbal]

Romney takes a wide stance, but he does have to shift it every once in a while. Otherwise, the hemorrhoids start to chafe.

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?

[bdrlnt4rl]

gkc99

are you shifting in your computer chair?

[bdrlnt4rl]

gkc99
sounds like you first hand about the hemorrhoids starting to chafe.

[bdrlnt4rl]

someone along the way mentioned something about the poor and romney trying to bring them to the "fold".
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.