Posted on 09/26/2006 6:36:05 AM PDT by areafiftyone
The quarterly meeting of the S.C. Republican executive committee Sept. 16 ended on a sour note when one of its more prominent members cornered Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and grilled him about his Mormon faith.
It was not a pretty sight, according to witnesses.
Romney, a possible Republican candidate for president in 2008, was in town to address the state executive committee.
Cyndi Mosteller, chairwoman of the Charleston County Republican Party, one of the largest GOP organizations in the state, came armed with a bunch of material — and questions — about the Mormon church.
The incident only underlines what could become an uncomfortable debate over Romney’s faith if he runs for the White House. The issue will be on the table in South Carolina’s early primary contest, where roughly 35 percent of GOP voters are evangelical Christians, many of whom view Mormonism with skepticism.
Mosteller, an evangelical, said she especially was concerned about the church’s attitude toward African-Americans and its stand on polygamy.
The Mormon religion was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing faith groups in the United States. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, it is known formally as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mormonism’s short history has been tumultuous, with an early embrace of polygamy, which it later renounced. Still, Mormons grapple with their polygamous past.
It has been almost 30 years since the Mormon Church lifted a ban that kept black males from the church’s priesthood.
Brigham Young, who succeeded Smith as church leader, wrote that God put a curse on Cain — a “flat nose and black skin” — for killing his brother Abel.
Mosteller said the issues of race and marriage concern her. She fears they could become campaign issues and hurt Republican chances.
She had planned to ask the questions in an open committee session, but Romney nixed that idea by ending his short address with a final “thank you.”
The governor then proceeded to meet with the media for about 15 minutes.
Enter Mosteller.
Sensing trouble, Romney aides hurriedly ushered reporters out the door.
Afterward, Mosteller said the governor did not answer any of her questions. She described the meeting as “very tense.”
Cindi Costa, a conservative Christian from Charleston and member of the Republican National Committee, waited outside the room. She earlier pleaded with Mosteller not to confront Romney.
“This makes me sick,” Costa said. “Your personal faith is not game in politics. It’s a private matter.”
The Romney campaign said the governor is focused on seeing that S.C. Republicans get elected to office this year.
He has found Palmetto State voters “warm and open-minded.” He shares their conservative values, said Julie Teer, political director for Romney’s Commonwealth PAC.
On previous visits here, Romney has appealed to voters not to rush to judgment.
“They don’t know what I believe necessarily — yet. But they will,” he said in July.
For any evangelical who had doubts, Romney offered what amounted to a personal testimony. “From a religious standpoint, Jesus Christ is my personal savior.”
Costa said Mosteller’s questioning “besmirches her character. It makes her look hateful. This is not what we’re about. The party does not give religious tests,”
“This is awful,” said Spartanburg GOP chairman Rick Beltram. “I’m unhappy with Cyndi.”
State GOP chairman Katon Dawson isn’t pleased either. “She acted in bad taste.”
It's much easier to politic for someone if you can keep folks from knowing anything that might be considered detrimental about your candiate, like giving school kids $100 toy laptops or funding unpaid emergency room visits from state coffers, etc.
I don't go by religion either. Issues are important. How they voted - what bills they helped pass. What they did for the people of their state. That's important.
Romney is a MA liberal and doesn't have a chance. That said, there is a State Rep here that is Mormon along with the Governor's candidate and they have both convinced me not to vote for Romney. Long story but someone should investigate the way they spend their campaign funds and the undue influence their church has on members to support these candidates.
Karl Rove isn't Mormon. He just lived in Utah for a while.
From what I've read about him, he's a typical Massachusetts big-gov't politician.
No thanks. The fact that he practices a made-up religion is between him and God.
Fight harder for the Ammendment: Deny a "judicial fiat" decision on grounds that he is upholding the Constitutions of both the US and Massachussetts by "not issuing sodomy marriage liscences", legally the courts have no real written power to force the Executive or Legislature to pass or uphold their "laws" especially when those "laws" violate the Constiutional seperation of powers clauses!!
Thanks mike..er never mind it's now worth it right now..
Sorry I had to leave the thread, I have unexpected company this morning. I'll have to answer the suspected trolls later. I've been drafted in to going fishing, and they need my boat.
Later, all.
Yep, they are meek when it comes to fighting the Democrats but they will tear each others hearts out.
Please stop spamming and find something new to say
Thanks
No problem my friend.
With that said I think both Massachusetts' and New Jersey's public school systems need a complete overhaul.
And just for the record I thought your generalization was rather funny, being a teacher in Massachusetts. :)
We do know that he balanced the budget in Massachusetts by cutting spending and not raising tax rates. He's also pushed repeatedly to lower the state income tax rate from 5.5% to 5.0%, but the Dem-dominated legislature has refused to do so. I heard him speak last year at the Federalist Society Convention, where he stated that the federal government could benefit from the same approach.
Maybe Romney's position on the issue you raised will not be sufficiently "conservative", but how about at least waiting until he's declared his candidacy and announced his position on those specific issues?
Mike Spence for FREEDOM!!!
Sounds like a winner. Good luck...
"The problem is that Romney is a Mormon, not a conservative Christian"
No, the problem is that he is not as much of a conservative as conservatives would like, including this one. Mormons accept Christ as the divine Son of God and Saviour. We teach that only though Christ and his atonement can we return to God. That alone makes us Christians and other doctrinal differences don't change that. Check a dictionary if you need to.
Mormon teachings reject abortion as immoral when the pregnancy is not the result of rape, incest, or when it is a threat to the life of the mother. We have been very active supporting the fight against gay marriage, and are well known for supporting traditional family values. Look at the support Utah gave Bush. Implying that we some kind of liberal non-Christian sect is false.
ARE you dumb? Have you even looked at my and theworkersarefew's posting record on FR? It's HARDLY trollish DU Sh*t! Maybe you just don't like that some people dont like Romney (has romney paid you yet for your propoganda)..Also notict that I have NOT once mentioned Pence in my posts on this thread untill now!! Shut up and get back to Massachussetts, you ARE the Troll!!!
Concentrating on the gay marriage issue when the ceiling of the Ted Williams Tunnel is falling is not a winning strategy.
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