Video – Why The Mitt Romney ‘Faith in America Speech’ was a Stroke of Brilliance
Terry Trippany on Dec 06 2007 at 12:30 pm | Filed under: Election 2008, Feature Article
The first sign that the speech was brilliant is that everyone, and I do mean everyone, is talking about it. The second sign that the speech was brilliant is that the mainstream media is mis-characterizing the speech he made to Americans as one that was a speech uniquely to evangelical Christians; to me it was much more.
Here is how the Guardian UK decided to portray the speech.
Mitt Romney, facing the evaporation of his presidential ambitions, today tried to win over evangelical Christians suspicious about his Mormon beliefs, by calling for a greater role for religion in public life.
In a speech from the presidential library in Texas of the first president George Bush, Romney made a direct promise that his Mormon beliefs would not influence his decisions in the White House.
But far more important for the evangelical Christians who were the target audience of his speech, and who are a powerful voting bloc in the primary season now less than a month away, was the prospect that a Romney administration would grant them the greater influence in public life they crave. – Under pressure Romney calls for greater role for religion
The headline alone is a lie. Romney called for greater religious tolerance, something the mainstream media seems to fear and have no tolerance for.
Here is what Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, said about that role:
“As a young man, Lincoln described what he called America’s ‘political religion’ – the commitment to defend the rule of law and the Constitution. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your President, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.
“There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers – I will be true to them and to my beliefs.
“Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people. Americans do not respect believers of convenience. Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world.
“There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church’s beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.
“There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church’s distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.
Watch the speech below here:
Mitt Romney stuck to his convictions. Whether or not you liked the speech he has snapped a few heads. It has people talking and a speech that doesn’t run from the liberal left is much appreciated when looking at the field of phonies that are urging you to make them the most powerful person in the world.
See also: Mary Katherine Ham, Riehl World View, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Captain’s quarters
President, Faith in America, Mitt Romney
Editor,
I find it very odd that with all the baggage that Hitlery is dragging around, the Edwards joke, Oblama who knows and even some of the republicans are all determined to beat this dead horse again and again. The man isn’t running around waving a cycle and beheading anyone. He is a good business man, good family man and father. It’s more than I can say for some of the rest of them.
I haven’t yet decided who I am voting for but I can say it will not be a democrat or Ron Paul. But I just have to refer back to my glass houses point. So far all I’ve heard is a lot of 5 y/o’s on a play ground trying to one up each other. I think all of them need a reality check.
Hi Ir,
I couldn’t agree more. It is notable that people are still discussing the speech today. It is a powerful statement to see a candidate managing to get people talking for an extended period of time when it is not centered around controversy.
The left is beside itself over this one.