Romney Camp Balks At Steele's Mormonism Comments

When guest-hosting Bill Bennett's radio show last Friday, Republican National Committee chair stumbled into another embarrassing public statement. Overshadowed by his comments on empathy was a harsh critique of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

"Remember, it was the base that rejected Mitt because of his switch on pro-life, from pro-choice to pro-life," Steele told a caller. "It was the base that rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism. It was the base that rejected Mitt because they thought he was back and forth and waffling on those very economic issues you're talking about."

Romney's people, understandably, objected. "Sometimes when you shoot from the hip, you miss the target," said Romney spokesman Eric Ferhnstrom. "This is one of those times."

Gail Gitcho, the Republican National Committee's new spokesperson, sent out a statement, her first (but probably not her last) clarifying the chairman's remarks.

"Chairman Steele regrets the way his comments have been interpreted. Chairman Steele believes Mitt Romney is a respected and influential voice in the Republican Party and looks to his leadership and ideas to help move our party and our nation in the right direction."

In an amusing coincidence, Gitcho worked for Romney during the presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, Romney himself made a rather bold statement on Laura Ingraham's radio show last week. Asked about his perceived swipe at Sarah Palin, the former governor said. "Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh are two of the most influential voices in our party and thank heavens for that."

Comments

[Jay Adler]

I just wanted to make a just a few remarks regarding Mitt Romney and his electability potential. The mildest objection I have to Mitt is that I think the Party needs a thoroughly new, possibly a dark horse candidate for 2012. Romney is super intelligent and extremely quick witted much like Huckabee. I do not recall a gaffe problem in 2008. I wholeheartedly believe that the Mormon objection is discriminatory, unwarranted and despicable. The religion itself has always been difficult to quantify and understand by virtually any American who worships elsewhere. The more prominent fear that Americans have in contemplating Romney as President is an unsubstaniated delusion that Mormon
luminaries will maneuver him in some way. I do not buy this, I think he is the best looking candidate I have ever seen and has a fine upstanding family. Unfortunately life very often is unfair and that may be why we need a fresh candidate for 2012.

[duxguts]

Imagine if Romney became president, we could have 4 or 5 first ladies. That would show those Muslims a thing or two.

[hunt49]

As a Mormon who voted for Obama and can't stand ol' Mitt, I think I comment from an informed position:

Steele's comments are absolutely valid. The evangelical right thinks we're all going to hell and we're an evil cult. Of course they had a problem with Romney. He can't win with the base unless the economy gets so bad that they'll swallow the bitter pill (religious test anybody?) of his belief set to get at what they see as his economic credentials. Of course, all that will get us is more corporate control of government.

As for progressives, they for the most part dismiss us as they do most religions. That's totally fine with me - we all have our liberties to pursue our own lives.

I think Romney will never get the support from the Republican base (all 18%!). He could draw some from the independent middle, but the truth is that religion, but even more so his move to the right, will preclude much support.

And I think we can see from the comments here how he'd be recieved on the left. Fine by me, I think he's just another right-wing wacko. But don't make it about his religion, because if you really know the religion (the public and private, good and bad) you'll understand it's no worse than any other religion, and in some ways better. It makes for good neighbors, anyway.

Bottom line? Steele's comments were true. Big deal, Mitt - get over it.

[Fez]

Anybody with an interest in the true history of Joseph Smith and the founders of Mormonosity needs to read a book called "No Man Knows My Story" by historian Fawn Brodie. Ms. Brodie is a lapsed Mormon, born and raised in the "church," who is a respected historian and was on the faculty at UCLA. Her research into the original sources (local newspapers in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois) gives a clear picture of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as frauds, sexual predators, thieves, and liars. While the Mormons today perform many good deeds, the history of the institution is another story. Always remember... organized religion is a blight on human history and has caused more death and destruction in the name of "God" and his "prophets" than any other human activity.

[richrich]

Why are "lapsed" Mormons the best source for information on the church. This has always boggled me. It is like saying Timothy McVeigh could write the best U.S. history book because he sees the United States for the country it is.

Always remember... organized religion has done some incredible things for the human race.

[finishcurve]

A "lapsed" mormon is similar to McVeigh?

What incredible thing has the mormon church done for the human race?

[MourmonDudeCTR]

because current members suffer from so much cognitive dissonance that any response should be taken at face value, because nothing will allow a current believer to go against his/her faith even when it is clearly wrong.
It is important to act personally offended as if you are being singled out, instead of applying some thought to the lds.
Nobody is denying that a mormon can be a good person. that's fine. but the attempt at redirecting questions or withholding information that is crazy nevertheless factual is just a poor way of trying to defend the faith.
And I'm sorry. It is crazy. Joseph Smith was a criminal. He was a polygamist who took his friends' wives. He made up a bible story with "magic glasses."
the lds do where magic underwear.­...ahem..s­acred garments. Sealing rituals with masonic secret handshakes. Bigotry towards blacks until 1978.
lack of belief in DNA evidence. God comes from the planet Kolab.
We males will become gods of our own planets in the afterlife to populate with our spirit children.
Posthumous baptisms for people who weren't mormon.
Hey mormons! How can we always claim to have the largest growth of new believers?
Make sure they're dead first!
And see, to deny that any of this is untrue means you either don't know about the truth of your faith, or you are simply in too deep to allow your brain to function in a logical way.

[newdates]

This true either from my personal experience with mormon workers or the historical facts.

Although most of the modern Mormons appeared to be normal and mingling with mainstream. They are, deep in their minds and brain-wash disciplines, still selfish and somehow confused when they try to be conscious. Oh, well, just keep it quiet, but then, nobody is perfect.

[JohnJames]

They were frauds!!!? Say it ain't so.

[miguelobrien]

Our youngest son became a Mormon and a missionary after two years at Northern Arizona University. We were shocked and awed, since he had been raised free of religious conditioning. Even the Baptists could not get him when he was a youngster. That is how strong their program is.

He is recovered, but will not talk about it. I believe that he took a blood oath. He will answer questions, maybe. He did tell me something interesting lately; He said that if he had not been a missionary [to Australia for two years] he would probably still be one.

The best thing I have read is a book by Deborah Laake, Secret Ceremony [maybe plural], a prize-winning journalist now. Born and bred Mormon, she wound up institutionalized and suicidal. Mormon ladies have had to hide under the covers at night, reading it by flashlight.

The Phoenix New Times ran a series on Mormon infiltration of the CIA. Very sinister. Where we live in northern AZ, the term Mormon cop is redundant.

Please notice that I am just reporting a few items from personal knowledge. I have personally known some Mormons I greatly admired, but I would not want my kids to marry one. Read and learn.

[richrich]

Woah, woah, woah.

You are completely lying about the LDS (Mormon) Church. No one takes any "blood oaths". No one is brainwashed. And there is not some secret Mormon agenda to infiltrate the CIA.

Please stop spreading such acid-laden lies. LDS people lead normal lives. They sing Hymns, and have Sunday school at church just like everyone else.

All of your statements have been SO hurtful and disrespectful. I'm sorry that your son obviously had a bad experience but please know that your sons is the RARE exception. I'm sure every religion has disaffected people, please don't treat the LDS (Mormon Church) so much differently.

[finishcurve]

I live in utah and apparently have been around much longer than you have...and know the "old" rituals of the church. Yes, there certainly were blood oaths...and much more.

The mormon church is trying to put on a normal public face, but are anything but.

[hunt49]

The whole CIA thing is hilarious -- talk about going looking for a story.

There's no insiduous plan to 'infiltrate' the CIA or anything else. The CIA and FBI really like to hire Mormon boys, because they tend to come from squeaky-clean backgrounds and easily pass the background checks.

Have any of you ever seen what that background check looks like? It's intense - my dad (an elementary principal) was once contacted by the FBI about a candidate. For info on his elementary years!

So all that should tell you is that for the most part, an LDS guy will be a pretty decent guy to hire. Kinda like looking to see what cars are being used for fleet vehicles by insurance companies -- you know they are a good pick.

[texmike]

Being in charge of clarifying the RNC chairman's remarks is quite the full time job these days. Ms. Gitcho better be prepared for some serious vertigo after all the spinning she'll be doing.

By now I would think any spokesperson, when they see Steele about to speak, would rush over and whisper into his ear "Please......dont!"

[wgsalter]

"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

[HallStyle]

The GOP and to some degree the Democratic Party has forgotten that part of the Constitution.

[hunt49]

Good point -- we in the middle and left need to be careful not to preclude someone for their religion, either.

Now, as to his politics... that's a different story.

[seg153]

it's a made up religion, really, don't you understand?

[wgsalter]

Seriously, the intolerance of some of the posts on this site are remarkable. You're not religious? Fine. You are, but you're not Mormon? Fine. You don't like Mitt Romney? Great, don't vote for him.
Great people who were driven by their religious beliefs to make America a better place have existed in every generation (William Lloyd Garrison (R) and Martin Luther King (D) come to mind). Likewise, there have been American charlatans who use religion as a cover and cliam to the moral highground, while pursuing slimy personal agendas through political candidacies, usually for fundraining purposes (Pat Robertson (R), Al Sharpton (D)). In other words, it's complex.

[Oldchef]

What about the bunch of Danites Romney had as his security team? Acted as if they were real cops in confronting protesters and even just those asking legitimate questions, not pressing an agenda, just looking for facts. Stories of being illegally detained or thrown out of public events by Romney's storm troopers.

[richrich]

Danites? Wow, you are really trying to spread some conspiracy theory here. Why must people like you spend every moment of their lives destroying the LDS church. Why do you find it so threatening?

Have you ever noticed how LDS (Mormon) people are so meek and mild? The LDS (Mormon) church has all the right intentions. As much as you try and extrapolate and overplay its history, it does NOT want to take over the United States.

Stop being so cruel. Stop making a mountain out of a mole hill. The LDS church is full of normal hard working people, who are really not different than other religious people. They believe in God, they want to help their neighbor, they want to raise a wonderful family, they want to contribute to society, and they want to make the world a better place.

Stop being so sinister to an organization that has NO ill-intended agenda.

[finishcurve]

stop denying your weirder aspects.

[redsongia]

It's weird how I only like Romney, even a little, when his own people are ganging up on him.

[KrugnacTheMagnificent]

Romney doesn't have to confront prejudice against his religion so much as he does ignorance about his religion.

[JohnJames]

The more we know, the more we laugh.

[JustForComments]

I do not want this man as President. He is a waffler and his church baptises dead people from other religions. Sorry - no way.

[richrich]

The LDS church has released an official statement about this.

First of all, don't make it sound like dead people are unburied and then baptized. People are baptized in their place. You have to more sensitive to their feelings. They believe that they can be together forever with their families. This belief goes so far as to say that their ancestors need to be baptized somehow to allow this to happen. So people, today get baptized in behalf of them.

Baptism in behalf of those who have passed away is done out of a hope that those who have passed away will accept Christ's teachings because this LDS ceremony does NOT force people to become Mormon.

Ya, it's different. But lots of religions do seemingly "strange" things in the eyes of lots of people (ie. burning paper money for ancestors, setting up vigils).

Hopefully this helps make this LDS thing not so strange.

[finishcurve]

come on, talk about more of the weird stuff.

[pyro]

If you want to know the details of JUST how terrifying and wacked the mormons really are, read John Krakauer's "UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN"

Great, entertaining and educational read. But I didn't sleep good for weeks after I read it. (Romney was still in the running at the time)

[poster1122]

Geez. Look at any group and you'll find people within them who are out there, be they Mormons, Catholics, atheists, animal rights folks, etc, etc.

For my part, I've known a number of Mormons over the years, and while I sometimes don't agree with them on a number of issues, I've generally found them to be quite nice and mellow.

[LoriAnn]

Yes.. I agree... gives a good understanding of the mind set of those who would use the mormon life style to justify horrible crimes !! I am an atheist and it just re enforces all that I hate about organized religion.... fairy tales gone so wrong but makes so much money and marginalizes so many for sex and power !!

[swan1]

Mitt can become Prez in 8 yrs, not before. ):

[blukazoo]

No he can't. Steele is (ack!) right about one thing (even a broken clock is right twice a day)-- the conservative base of "christians" do not accept mormonism as a christian religion.

[newworldman777]

Michael Steele is justified with his misgivings concerning Mitt Romney's political aspirations, considering his affiliation with the Mormon Church. After all, the Mormons proclaimed (until 1978, when they conveniently "changed" their doctrine for political reasons) that anyone who was not "caucasion" was a member of a so-called "inferior dark race." That would include Native Americans, Jews, and African Americans, like Steele. I know that Romney has tried to distance himself from such bigoted religious beliefs, but he had been a practicing Mormon his entire life and was 31 years old in 1978 when the Mormon Church finally altered (kicking and screaming) their racist doctrine. Lawrence O'Donnell went absolutely ballistic on the McLaughlin Group one night over this very issue.

[2626Jump]

100% lies.

[MourmonDudeCTR]

you are 100% wrong. Those are not lies. You are either an apologist, or you are being too lazy to look this stuff up.

[seg153]

2626Jump: You have no idea, do you?

[finishcurve]

You must be a youngster.

[fame]

I find Mittens likable for some reason but I'm not comfortable with his religion, there's too much racism in the Mormon church to overlook. Teaching that black people are black because of a curse and keeping them out of their church on that basis until 1978? Awful.

[hunt49]

The curse thing wasn't official doctrine, although some higher-ups did state it, but it was never in the 'canon' of belief. And blacks could be members before 1978, but couldn't 'hold the priesthood,' that is, have authority in congregations. Not having it is a big deal, as all men in the church have that authority and are expected to live up to its role.

Not excusing anything -- just clarifying for accuracy.