We did see visible debate about this and it seems silly to say it made NO difference, but as the contest seemed to be between a Mormon believer and a total unbeliever in 2012, it could have been a mitigated, though minor, factor.
What hurt Romney worse? IMHO: Feeling the need he had to be “fair” to such a fault that he let himself get trounced in the last two debates. When that kind of reticence wasn’t needed; even the mild vanilla form of GOP platform that Romney endorsed should have mopped the floor with Barack Obama.
As post 83 points out, Romney was just too much of a radical leftist for republicans, after he won the nomination he even reverted back to his lifelong pro-abortion stance and reissued his support for gay Scout leaders and ran pro-choice ads in at least three states.
I haven’t seen the voting data that people didn’t vote for him because he was Mormon, preelection polling said that liberals most disliked his being Mormon.
I disagree. Romney got trounced because he bought into the mormon "White House Prophecy" and believed (and STILL believes) that the Constitution will be saved by mormon elders.
I think he believed that no huge effort by him would be required, as he was foreordained by his god to be the one to save the Constitution and just figured he could coast into the White House.
And after Mitt coasted into the White House, what would he be required by his religion to do?
The pressing question for Mitt Romney, and for the Mormons who are supporting his candidacy, is: Would Romney consider the Presidency to be something that God had "blessed" him with, and which, pursuant to his secret oath, he should "consecrate" to his church for establishing a theocracy? If he is elected, will he kneel down and thank his God for blessing him with the presidency? And what is he supposed to do, according to his secret oath, with "everything" God has blessed him with? That's right: he is to use it for the benefit of the Mormon church.
Don't for a moment forget that Beck has taken the same mormon temple vow to "consecrate all he has or ever will have" to the mormon church.
What hurt Romney worse? IMHO: Feeling the need he had to be “fair” to such a fault that he let himself get trounced in the last two debates. When that kind of reticence wasn’t needed; even the mild vanilla form of GOP platform that Romney endorsed should have mopped the floor with Barack Obama.
Quite well said!