Romney Withdraws: On to The Next Chapter
“In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision. I hate to lose,” the former Massachusetts governor said.
“If this were only about me, I’d go on. But it’s never been only about me. I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, in this time of war I feel I have to now stand aside for our party and for our country.”
Jon and I are still deciding just what that chapter will look like, but we are not going anywhere!
For now, here’s an appropriate thought from our interview with the Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray:
Article VI Blog: Considering the questions that continue to follow Governor’s Romney campaign, what do you see as the biggest challenge facing Mitt Romney in his bid for the presidency?
Reverend Murray: I think Governor Romney must see himself as a symbol. Symbol of the underdog, who must run a good race, fight a good fight, and if and when he loses, walk with his head high because the victory was not in the victory, but in the struggle. He must hold America to its highest . . . . He may see himself as a door opener, because four years from now he might run again and find a whole new chemistry. Or forty years from now another Mormon will run, and they will see, just as Jesse ran for President and Al Sharpton ran for president. There was not a chance that they would win. Blacks knew it very well. They themselves knew it. But they were door openers for such as Barack Obama.
There’s more to come on this blog. Stay tuned!
John adds: Here is my take-away from the suspension speech: (the video is here)
“What is it about American culture that has led us to become the most powerful nation in the history of the world? We believe in hard work and education. We love opportunity: almost all of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who came here for opportunity – opportunity is in our DNA. Americans love God, and those who don’t have faith , typically believe in something greater than themselves – a ‘Purpose Driven Life.’ And we sacrifice everything we have, even our lives, for our families, our freedoms and our country. The values and beliefs of the free American people are the source of our nation’s strength and they always will be.
“The threat to our culture comes from within. The 1960s welfare programs created a culture of poverty. Some think we won that battle when we reformed welfare, but the liberals haven’t given up. At every turn, they try to substitute government largesse for individual responsibility. They fight to strip work requirements from welfare, to put more people on Medicaid, and to remove more and more people from having to pay any income tax whatsoever. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. Dependency is a culture-killing drug. We have got to fight it like the poison it is.
“The attack on faith and religion is no less relentless. And tolerance for pornography – even celebration of it – and sexual promiscuity, combined with the twisted incentives of government welfare programs have led to today’s grim realities: 68% of African American children are born out-of-wedlock, 45% of Hispanic children, and 25% of White children. How much harder it is for these children to succeed in school and in life. A nation built on the principles of the Founding Fathers cannot long stand when its children are raised without fathers in the home.
“The development of a child is enhanced by having a mother and father. Such a family is the ideal for the future of the child and for the strength of a nation. I wonder how it is that unelected judges, like some in my state of Massachusetts, are so unaware of this reality, so oblivious to the millennia of recorded history. It is time for the people of America to fortify marriage through Constitutional amendment, so that liberal judges cannot continue to attack it.
“Europe is facing a demographic disaster. That is the inevitable product of weakened faith in the Creator, failed families, disrespect for the sanctity of human life and eroded morality. Some reason that culture is merely an accessory to America’s vitality; we know that it is the source of our strength. And we are not dissuaded by the snickers and knowing glances when we stand up for family values, and morality, and culture. We will always be honored to stand on principle and to stand for principle.
These are things that remain worth fighting for, and now the battle ground shifts, but the battle is far from over.
We as co-believers in Christ, even if we believe very different things about Him, have this fight in common and we have much work to do on our cooperation. We as conservative have a great deal of work to do as well.
Mitt Romney is as class an act as I have known in politics on this level. I salute the man, I applaud his campaign and look forward to what is next for him.
And this blog has much work to do as well. But I hope our readers will indulge a slower pace. It has been a long, hard-working two years.
Posted in Electability, Political Strategy, Religious Bigotry | 7 Comments » | 
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JLFuller on 07 Feb 2008 at 1:28 pm #
Withdrawing now is the correct thing to do. I have said even though the party has rejected Romney’s bid this time it does not mean the end for him. He is genuinely more representative of conservatism than the remaining two. For whatever reason, the country is not ready for a Mormon in the White House. That is OK with me. But there will be a time when Mormon leadership will be sought. But, for now, it is time to move to the next stage. It is time to lay the ground work for future Mormon and values candidates. It is time to put party ahead of personal ambition. The party has to survive. It won’t in its current state.
Mormons have sacrificed for our country before, even in the face of unwarranted attacks from our fellow citizens. But our opponants are not evil people. They have just been badly served by those who lead them. But there will be a time when internecine tribalism fails. I think that time is coming. It may not be far off and there must be someone ready to step in and take the reigns. I think Mitt Romney is that man. In the mean time, he can be of great value by helping elect others for state and national office and working to elect John McCain.
coltakashi on 07 Feb 2008 at 2:06 pm #
McCain campaigns on his reputation as a hero. A heroic choice for him would be to offer the vice-presidential slot to Romney, putting the two most popular Republican candidates together and demonstrating more concretely than words can that he is sincere in reaching out to the conservative part of the Republican party.
McCain could make other choices. I think Huckabee assumes he has earned the VP slot by standing on Romney’s coattails. McCain could reward Giuliani for pulling out and endorsing him. I personally think there is a real possibility that McCain could even ask Joe Lieberman, who is officially and Independent, to be his VP, in an effort to reach out for Democrats who support their more aggressive stance on fighting Islamic terrorists. He could also reach over to Fred Thompson to make himself look more conservative.
However, offering the VP slot to Romney, and making it clear that Romney would have a significant role in the White House if elected, would be an act of greatness and perspective that sees beyond the personal competition. If McCain could bring himself to take that step, he would demonstrate with that one action that he can rise to the occasion, that he can be a leader of a nation.
CarlH on 07 Feb 2008 at 2:32 pm #
Thank you, John and Lowell. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Understandably, “The Question” (at least as to Mitt Romney as a Mormon) is now moot for –except for all the postmortems. Those should be both fun and aggravating to wade through.
But the bigger question for which Article VI Blog was established remains, both for the immediate future and every future election cycle (at least in presidential elections–but this LDS voter worries whether this campaign will have fall-out in “lesser” races by having legitimized “the Question” at virtually any level). The anti-religious Left and their bullhorns in the MSM will see “the fall” of Romney as a victory, just as they are trumpet McCain’s ascendancy as the failure of conservatism. As John has been particularly forceful in warning here, that faction is now to try to run Huckabee (and any other religiously serious conservative candidate) off the road.
Even at a slower pace, the perpetuation of this blog as a rudder in discussions of the big issue of religious influences in American politics will remain vitally important.
4thnephite on 07 Feb 2008 at 4:31 pm #
John and Lowell, thank-you for providing the means to express what so many of us feel.
From the very beginning of our nation those with the power felt the need to outshout and
hamstring the less fortunate. We do have good people, and I know you both are made from the same cloth Mitt has. Thanks, and lets keep this going. Joe
fitzwdarcey on 07 Feb 2008 at 4:32 pm #
I admit that I am concerned about the legitimization of the never vote for a Mormon idea. Do those who voted against Romney because of his religion feel like they have been sucessful and therefore will gear back up for the next Mormon that may run?
I am afraid that some of the actions taken in this election have poisoned the well. The question is how badly.
jane on 07 Feb 2008 at 5:12 pm #
I’m sure that the Romney family, individually AND together has prayed for what is the best thing they should do at this time, concerning whether or not to continue, and that they believe this is the right path. I agree, though it REALLY saddens me that this is so. I think the USA REALLY needs Mitts expertise at this time!
I also think that since Huckaberry has not felt any moral obligation himself to cease his run, even though he has less support by delegates and of funds and since I heard the VERY caucus members of WV said that McCains headquarters TOLD them to switch their votes to H. then it is not possible to win with such tactics already in accepted play. They would just double team him.
I’m SOOO pleased with the choices and attitudes of Mitt. He is a good representative of his faith and values. I’m also thankful to the people who have worked so hard on this Blog. It has been a comfort and help to me through this stress.
I have also been VERY pleased to get to read the opinions of more Evangelicals who are willing to look at a persons fruits, instead of be prejudiced by what they THINK a person believes. As I have personally studied a LOT of anti Mormon works, I KNOW that they insist we believe/teach things that LDS don’t believe/teach and we even find blasphemous! They set up straw men, just as McCain did with the “Mitt supportes time tables to end the war”. I think Evangelicals would find we have WAY more in common than they thought!!
Anyway, just as I hope that bridges will be built to help us defend and forward the causes of conservatism, I hope it will be so with Evangelicals and LDS, we do NOT need to agree on everything, as we agree on SO VERY much! Go Conservatives!
JLFuller on 07 Feb 2008 at 5:43 pm #
A few political conversationalists have admitted they made a mistake in not supporting Romney earlier. I think many others will eventually come to that conclusion too. I hope they will also come to understand their knee-jerk anti-Mormonism interfered in their better judgment and will rightfully hold Huckabee accountable. He played on and encouraged the anti-Mormon sentiments in a bid for advantage. Well, he got it. Fat lot of good it did for him – he came in third in a two man race.