Previewing Romney's 'Faith in America' Speech

Thursday, Republican Presidential contender Mitt Romney will give an address titled "Faith in America" at 10:30 EST from the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Most of the major cable news channels have announced intentions to carry the address live and provide their punditry pre-and-post. It can also be watched live on line at Ustream.TV.

Many see Romney's lagging poll numbers in places like Iowa and South Carolina as linked to reservations about Romney's Mormonism. Some say this has long been a sleeper issue for Romney, leading to this speech.

According to Romney's wife, the decision to give this speech was Mitt's himself. She says he's going to address religious liberty not Mormonism, per se.. You can see Ann Romney in her own words here.

(UPDATE: Speech excerpts have been released and are posted at the end of this post.) The basis of American religious freedom is obviously protected in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It is also reinforced, and directly applicable, in this situation in Article VI, Section 3 which states:

...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

While this is in the national Constitution, six states have in their state's constitution's religious belief requirements. Specifically that an elected office-holder believe in a Supreme Being. These six states - Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Tennessee - had their language ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court 1961.

Just this year, a freshman Democratic Congressman, Keith Ellison (MN-5) was sworn into office with his hand on the Qur'an rather than a Bible. This caused a fairly significant stir in many circles.

Many expect that Romney's speech will be reminiscent of the famed speech John F. Kennedy gave, to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, in 1960, regarding his Catholicism, seen here:



Certainly a tough act to follow!

One of the reasons Romney's speech is seen as necessary is the suspicion with which many Evangelical Christians hold Mormonism. While certainly not representative of the all, this video hosted by "GodTube" which seeks to explain Mormonism, clearly sees this Faith in a dim light:


But the Secular sector is not without its concerns as well. PBS just happened to do a documentary this year, when a major political figure is running for President. (seen here). But it gets worse.

Here is an example of the religious bigotry that Romney's campaign is seeking to wrestle with the speech. It comes from CNN's Jack Cafferty. The pointed quote is "It's not like he's a Catholic or a Protestant or a Lutheran or a Methodist or a Baptist." Translation: he's fringe. Watch him here:



But the challenge for Romney is both the primary and general election voter. Pew Research reports that 51% of Americans know little to nothing about Mormonism. Some other nuggets from Pew include:
- 46% say that Romney is "very" religious (compared to 43% for Bush;
- 25% say they're less likely to vote for a Mormon (Muslims pull in at a negative 45% and Atheists 61%); and
- 36% of White Evangelical Republicans say they're less likely to vote for a Mormon.

While intolerance towards people of Faith is not nearly as un-political correct as other 'isms, its still not something modern orthodoxy normally condones - at least on parade and prominent display. It's best left to coded phrases and the New York Times editorial page.

Clearly the Romney campaign is looking to equate anti-Mormonism with anti-Faith bigotry. If he's successful, the speech is likely to be considered a success.

So what do you think the prevalence of this issue suggests about Election 2008?

(UPDATE: 12/06/07 at 8:31 AM EST: Romney's campaign has released excerpts of today's speech, here they are:)

"There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adam's words: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion... Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.'

"Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone."

"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 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."

"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter – on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.

"We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America – the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.

"We should acknowledge the Creator as did the founders – in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.'"

"These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby, and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements."

"My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family. We are a long way from perfect and we have surely stumbled along the way, but our aspirations, our values, are the self -same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation. And these convictions will indeed inform my presidency."

"The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed. "In such a world, we can be deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty, joined against the evils and dangers of the day. And you can be certain of this:

Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion - rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith."