Published: December 07, 2007 12:24 am            

Voters give Romney credit for addressing issue of religion

DERRY, N.H. — Mitt Romney stood by his Mormon faith and his American values Thursday, vowing he will uphold the Constitution and also make room for religion in the public square.

The former Bay State governor delivered his long-awaited explanation of his Mormon faith, "Faith in America," at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.

The setting was a smart move and made Romney seem more presidential, said political analyst Andy Smith. The Texas location and the topic invited comparisons to President Kennedy's 1960 address to the Greater Houston Ministries, which helped quell fears about electing the first Catholic president. Romney also capitalized on those connections.

"I was surprised it was that good," said Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center and an associate professor of political science.

He said Romney only mentioned the word "Mormon" (and Brigham Young) once, while placing himself in the mainstream of U.S. history, as well as at the heart of political and religious thought.

"He put himself on the side of the angels of American history," Smith said. "He did a really good job of changing the question. It's no longer a question of his religion being different. It's a question of other people being religious bigots."

Romney didn't mention Kennedy by name, but referred to him as "another candidate from Massachusetts (who) explained that he was an American running for president, not a Catholic running for president."

Romney also echoed Kennedy by adding that if elected president, he would not follow directions from religious leaders and would not serve any one group's interests, but would be president of all the people.

But he also stood up for his faith and said he would not distance himself from his religion. Romney challenged the religious tolerance of people uneasy with the prospect of the first Mormon president and posed his own question for voters to ask the other Republican and Democratic hopefuls.

Do they believe in American values of equality, community and liberty, Romney asked, adding that question was the most important to ask any candidate who is also a person of faith.

Smith said he couldn't find anything to criticize about the speech. But Michele Dillon, a UNH sociology professor, wasn't sure if Romney connected emotionally. He made the intellectual case well, she said, but that might not be enough to open minds.

"He didn't come across as heartfelt," she said. "He didn't have a punch line."

The real test of the speech will come from Iowa voters, Smith said. Unfortunately, most people will probably not listen to the speech, but will rely on the way it's reported, he said. If the pundits like it, Romney will get a bounce in Iowa. For the New Hampshire audience, religion is not so important, he said.

A small sampling of New Hampshire voters, including Ola Lessard of Londonderry, one of 154 people in The Eagle-Tribune's voter project, bore out Smith's prediction.

Lessard decided not to watch the speech, which aired live over three major cable television news networks.

"I don't need to hear about people's personal religion," she said. "It's not relevant. We're trying to elect a president, not a leader of a local church or a temple."

Lessard, 38, a business owner, said she looks at the issues the candidates have supported for evidence of their values.

"Have they supported children's health care?" she said. "What have they done on issues that really are about values?"

Tom Linehan, 60, a Salem software engineer, said he thought Romney's speech was pretty good, although he doubted Romney would have given the address if he was not battling Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in Iowa.

Linehan sees the speech as part of the fight between Romney and Huckabee over evangelical voters, who represent a constituency | such as the elderly or unions.

"In the Republican Party, there's an awful lot of very religious people," Linehan said.

Romney needs them in his corner. Thursday, he came across as a decent, hardworking American, Linehan said.

"I think he probably believes what he is saying" (about religion), Linehan said. "Unlike a lot of (other) things he says."

David Knight, 57, of Danville said he was encouraged Romney decided to give a speech exploring the nation's religious foundations. Knight thought it showed the importance Romney is giving to faith and morals | values that will build him up with conservatives.

But Pat Webb, 63, of Manchester has heard enough about religion.

"Nobody ever said Romney couldn't make a good speech," she said. "But I am so sick of people talking about God in this election."



Margo Sullivan writes about The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass.

        

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