(Thinkprogress).In December 2007, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) delivered a speech on religion, in which he addressed how his Mormon “faith would inform his Presidency if he were elected.” Though Romney claimed it was “not a Mormon speech,” it was widely believed to be an effort to dispel “skepticism about his religion” among some conservatives.
Since losing the GOP primary to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Romney has insisted that the Republican Party’s base doesn’t have a problem with Mormonism. “I believe that religion will not be a factor of a significant nature in selecting our nominee, regardless of who might run,” Romney told the Deseret News last month.
But RNC Chairman Michael Steele disagrees. While guest-hosting Bill Bennett’s radio show yesterday, Steele debated a caller who thought Romney could have beat Obama if Democrats and the New York Times hadn’t “co-opted” the GOP primaries.
Steele insisted, however, that Romney couldn’t have won because the GOP based “rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism”:
STEELE: "Yeah, but let me ask you. Ok, Jay, I’m there with you. But remember, it was the base that rejected Mitt because of his switch on pro-life, from pro-choice to pro-life. It was the base that rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism. It was the base that rejected Mitch, Mitt, because they thought he was back and forth and waffling on those very economic issues you’re talking about. So, I mean, I hear what you’re saying, but before we even got to a primary vote, the base had made very clear they had issues with Mitt because if they didn’t, he would have defeated John McCain in those primaries in which he lost".
Steele regularly claims the Republican Party is “still a big-tent party.” But apparently he doesn’t believe it is big enough to accept a Mormon candidate for president.
3 comments:
Steeles comments are wrong in some regards in particular on the Mormon Question
Steel should have crawfised out that question
See my post
Chairman of Republican Party Explains Why Romney Lost (The Mormon Issue Again and other Myths)
http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/2009/05/chairman-of-republican-party-explains.html
Again we have a huge amount of exipt poll data of real GOP voters that is for some reason rarely looked at as to the Romney loss
Steele is not ready for prime time. He talks publicly the same way you'd expect some dope who doesn't even know politics to hold forth at a back hard babecue. Get rid of this embarrassing idiot.
"...because they thought he was back and forth and waffling on those very economic issues you’re talking about...."
Where on earth does this comment come from? Mitt flip flopped on economic policy. That's absolutely insane. I have no idea what he's referring to. None. This guy is dangerous.
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