Today’s Reading List – April 11, 2007
This Chicago Sun-Times columnist has heard Romney might use his Regent University speech next month to give a John Kennedy-type speech. I'm not sure it takes a real inside source to make that prediction. Nor am I sure Romney will ever give such a speech. If he does, I'm not sure now is even the time to do it. Besides, does anyone really think that the MSM, which has been clamoring for him to make that speech, will be satisfied if he does?
John comments: I think this is wishful thinking on the part of all those people that have been saying for all this time that Romney should give a "Kennedy speech." History just does not repeat itself that definitively. We have "values voters" now, and that is what Romney will likely talk about – values – which is how we apply religion to politics anyway, and what creedals and Mormons share.
Meanwhile, "McCain, Romney Advisers Spar Over Mormon Religion." Please read the whole thing, but two aspects of this story, about a gathering of "top GOP strategists" at Harvard, are fascinating:
(1) The way the McCain advisers brought up Romney's religion first, in the context of expressing sympathy for Romney and the mistreatment he suffers because of his faith. Call me cynical, but I agree with Romney's adviser Alex Castellanos:
Castellanos didn't see the McCain team's comments as sympathetic to his candidate. He saw them as a backhanded way to put the issue of Romney's religion into play. "I appreciate the defense today just as much as I appreciate the attacks by the other folks," he said icily. "It's awfully nice to be able to whack an opponent and defend him in the same breath." [snip]
Castellanos said he found it interesting that the campaigns of the two best-known GOP candidates appeared anxious to define the lesser-known Romney at least in part through his religion, saying they knew well the political implications of focusing on that topic.
"One of the good ways to do that . . . [and] I would say it reveals something about their campaigns as well is [to say] of, for heaven's sakes, don't attack him for being a Mormon," he said.
If you think the McCain people are doing that because they are truly sympathetic to Romney's plight, then I suggest you not listen to any sales pitches about bridge syndications or choice Everglades real estate without an adviser present.
(2) The way the Washington Post report spins the issue, twice in the same short article:
The discussion underscored the deep sensitivity within the former governor's campaign about the potential impact of his religion on his presidential aspirations. . . .
[I]t was clear how touchy Romney campaign officials are about the religion issue and how concerned they appear to be that rival campaigns will continue to stoke it in coming months . . . .
Why is the focus of the story the Romney campaign's "sensitivity" and not on the questionable tactics of his opponents?
John comments: It's clear the WaPo is playing the same game the McCain people are. The session moderator and the Romney people tried to kill the discussion:
Mark Halperin, one of the session's moderators, asked advisers to McCain and Giuliani whether they would pledge not to let anyone affiliated with their campaigns communicate negatively with voters about the Mormon religion. When McCain campaign CEO Rick Davis and Giuliani campaign manager Mike DuHaime vowed not to do so, Ginsberg replied: "When is this on the record?"
But the WaPo writer could not resist those last licks Lowell quotes above.
The New York Times political blog has a few thoughts about the same story.
Finally, The Politico engages in some tea leaf-reading about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gearing up for the increased scrutiny Romney's candidacy will bring. Interesting stuff, for those who like "inside baseball." (Do we have any readers like that? 
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CarlH on 11 Apr 2007 at 8:29 am #
Thomas Sowell looks at the Republican candidates, and doesn’t mention the Question. However, he seems to dismiss Romney as too much of a “well-spoken gentlemen” in a time when he apparently thinks there needs to be a little more outrage from Republicans. Personally, I hope American politics haven’t come to that point.
CarlH on 11 Apr 2007 at 11:04 am #
PBS has released the trailer for the forthcoming Frontline series “The Mormons” (referenced by Lowell here, here and most recently here.) A brief reference to Romney’s candidacy, with picture, appears early and thus prominently (following references to Sens. Harry Reid and Orrin Hatch).