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Don't ask, don't tell: Mormonism mentions scant at GOP debates Don't ask, don't tell: Mormonism mentions scant at GOP debates
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Mitt Romney is Mormon. But if you're anything like the majority of GOP voters polled by Pew Research Centers, you probably know "little or nothing" about Mormonism.Mitt Romney is Mormon. But if you're anything like the majority of GOP voters polled by Pew Research Centers, you probably know "little or nothing" about Mormonism.
In an essay for New York magazine Frank Rich speculated that Mitt Romney's decision to say almost nothing about his Mormon faith may the reason he had trouble connecting to voters. He has chosen to stay silent about something that is extremely important to who he is. "Romney's very public persona feels like a hoax because it has been so elaborately contrived to keep his core identity under wraps," Rich writes. In an essay for New York magazine Frank Rich speculated that Mitt Romney's decision to say almost nothing about his Mormon faith may be the reason he had trouble connecting to voters. He has chosen to stay silent about something that is extremely important to who he is. "Romney's very public persona feels like a hoax because it has been so elaborately contrived to keep his core identity under wraps," Rich writes.
But Romney has had help from campaign journalists. None of the moderators in the debates have asked him about it. Only three questions across 20 debates have addressed Mormonism at all, and of those three, none were explicitly directed at Romney or Jon Huntsman, the other Mormon candidate. Instead, provocative statements made by another candidate are brought up and an explanation is demanded.But Romney has had help from campaign journalists. None of the moderators in the debates have asked him about it. Only three questions across 20 debates have addressed Mormonism at all, and of those three, none were explicitly directed at Romney or Jon Huntsman, the other Mormon candidate. Instead, provocative statements made by another candidate are brought up and an explanation is demanded.
For example, in the August 11, 2011 debate in Ames, Iowa, Byron York of the Washington Examiner asked Herman Cain: "Mr Cain, you recently said this about Governor Romney's Mormon faith: 'It doesn't bother me, but I do know it's an issue with a lot of southerners.' Could you tell us what it is about Mormonism that southerners find objectionable?"For example, in the August 11, 2011 debate in Ames, Iowa, Byron York of the Washington Examiner asked Herman Cain: "Mr Cain, you recently said this about Governor Romney's Mormon faith: 'It doesn't bother me, but I do know it's an issue with a lot of southerners.' Could you tell us what it is about Mormonism that southerners find objectionable?"
CNN's Anderson Cooper put Rick Perry on the spot in October about a pastor connected to Perry who denounced Mormonism as a cult.CNN's Anderson Cooper put Rick Perry on the spot in October about a pastor connected to Perry who denounced Mormonism as a cult.
From these circuitous encounters, what did we learn about Mormonism and the sort of influence it might have in a Romney administration? Basically nothing.From these circuitous encounters, what did we learn about Mormonism and the sort of influence it might have in a Romney administration? Basically nothing.
When the candidates have been asked about personal faith, like one general question from an audience member about how religious beliefs would "impact the decisions that you make in the office of the presidency," Romney has himself kept the M-word from passing his lips. He certainly wasn't pressed for more detail by the moderators.When the candidates have been asked about personal faith, like one general question from an audience member about how religious beliefs would "impact the decisions that you make in the office of the presidency," Romney has himself kept the M-word from passing his lips. He certainly wasn't pressed for more detail by the moderators.