One of the few genuinely interesting and original things I've read in the torrent of words pouring out about Gov. Romney's promise to give a speech about the so-called Mormonism issue, is Nate Oman's Thoughts from the Anvil: Mitt, Mormonism, and American Religious Politics. Go read it.
Unlike Oman, I sure don't have anything interesting to say. Personally, the man's religion is not an issue for me. (The lying and apparent plasticity of principles on the other hand….) The timing seems very tactical, a response to dropping poll numbers. It's a speech I think Romney would rather not give, since many GOP primary voters don't believe in the separation of church and state at all — they want the state to enforce morality and subsidize their faith based activities and perhaps even their established churches. The general election voter, on the other hand, is a more diverse and discerning breed, and not so willing to have protectors of the faith, thought police, mullahs, or whatever, patrolling the virtual and actual streets. But you knew all that.
“The timing seems very tactical, a response to dropping poll numbers.”
I’m not sure you understand the GOP religious wing correctly. NPR recently did a piece discussing the fact that his mormonism is a turn*off* to non-mormons in the GOP as (in a nutshell) it is viewed as a cult. Emphasizing his mormonism will not score him points, and has hurt him. I’m not sure if you’re saying he’s trying to make peace with that crowd, or if you think he can fool them into thinking he’s just like them (which won’t work, they know the difference).
also, 4 years ago:
“plasticity of principles”=a “nuanced” Kerry. Funny how the view changes on the other side of the aisle.
Kerry wasn’t my first choice. Or my second.
That said, Kerry didn’t change course on anything major that I can recall; certainly on a massive scale like Candidate Romeny vs. Gov. Romney.
Kerry did run a lousy campaign, though, for all sorts of reasons including I think not being sufficiently true to himself.
“Kerry didn’t change course on anything major that I can recall”
Either Iraq wasn’t/isn’t major or you don’t recall it.
The only flip flopping by Romney seems to be his stance on abortion. In the last debate, he basically says flat out that he’s changed his mind from his previous positions, and actually he had before being Governor (although I’m skeptical about the latter). Considering I don’t think it would affect his choice of a Supreme Ct. nominee anyway, I’m not sure it really matters.
What other issues do you think Romney has flip-flopped on?
Health care, for starters. Gay rights too.