You know, I’ve seen some hype in my three decades in the business, but this still stands out as unusual.
It’s one thing to have a particularly delicate speech coming up. And I can see how, behind the scenes, there’d be considerable suspense within one’s own camp as to how it will go. But to pump up public expectations with a release such as this one really knocks me back.
In case you’re too lazy to click on it, Mitt Romney’s campaign has sent out a release about how hard he’s working on his JFK-style "Hey, don’t worry about my religion" speech. It includes pictures of him working on it. I am not making this up; I don’t think I could. Note the official photo above; see how he’s just a-sweatin’ over it. I’m almost surprised they didn’t release one of him on his knees.
You know what I infer from this? Romney has determined that the potential voter blowback he could get because of his Mormonism is such a huge threat that he considers this to be a Make-or-Break Moment. He must think, either this speech is successful, or he’s toast — so why not build up expectations?
Either that, or he thinks this speech is going to be such a rip-snorter that it’ll put him right over the top all by its lonesome.
We’ll have to see how it plays. I know I can’t judge its effect on the basis of my personal reaction. To me, there’s something unseemly about a man speaking about his faith in a way designed to get votes. I don’t much like the way Kennedy did it, and I have my doubts about this one, too. But then, Kennedy wasn’t doing it for me; he was aiming at another audience altogether. And everybody seems to think it worked.
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I wish that our presidential hopefuls would stop blathering on about their faith. Please understand, I have no objection to them having a strong faith, or to them practicing it. I object to them talking about it constantly. I really object to them using it in the hope of getting extra voters. I’m getting really tired of hearing versions of ‘Lord, I thank you that I really practice your one true faith, and am not like those other sinners out there’. I begin to think that they might not be as justified as they might think. Our current president, for example, again and again has spoken of his Christian ideals. Either he’s not allowing his ‘Christian ideals’ affect his running of the country, or his concept of Christ is so different from mine as to be close to mutually exclusive. Hey, politicians! I don’t wanna hear a bunch about your religion; I want to hear about what you plan to do, and how you plan to do it!
Well now, in Mr. Romney’s defense, he’s certainly not going to say, “Lord, I thank you that I really practice your one true faith, and am not like those other sinners out there.”
No, he’s more likely to say, “Voters, please-please-please don’t dismiss me as a heathen weirdo just because I’m a Mormon.” His position is not that of the smug majority, but of the uneasy minority.
You are correct. But it’s a sad day when people judge others on their theological ‘correctness’ rather than on their ethics as measured by their experience with the person (past record). Understand, I know that people do change their minds. But did the person stand up for what he/she believed was right? I feel sorry for Mr. Romney that he has to go through this; however, christian conservancy seldom tolerates theological deviation these days. And there are plenty to claim ideological/theological ‘correctness’. Personally, I’m a little nervous about people who just “don’t believe” in scientific theories (theories, not hypotheses). Do they also not believe in the theories of gravity (somewhat outmoded, but correct as far as it goes) or the theory of relativity? They don’t seem to understand basic facts. Or they refuse to understand them.
“Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it.” These are the words of a man who possesses true character and principles.
Governor Mitt Romney stood before the American people to address an issue that no American should have to do. The Governor comes from a very long heritage of practicing Mormons. Because of some ignorant statements and beliefs about Mormonism held by a small percentage of the public, the Governor felt compelled to go to the public as a statesman to proclaim his Christian beliefs and explain his religion would have no influence on his performance as the leader of the free world.
I know that in Governor Romney the American people will have a president who will oversee our country as he is well prepared by the successful experiences of his outstanding business career and term served as Governor of Massachusetts. He will want the best health care for all, just as he demands for his wife Ann who daily faces MS. He will demand the best education, values and protection for the young of our country, just as he does for his own five sons and their families.
Governor Mitt Romney is the one person who can stand proudly before the people and proclaim The Job Will Be Done and Done Right.
Marilyn