Romney lost because he is Mormon

[Anonymous]

For all celebrating Obama's win, Romney ran a sensible campaign and projected sound fiscal ideas with an argument for bringing the country back from the brink that should appeal to Republicans. Yet he pulled in fewer Republican votes than J. McCain. People stayed home. He lost, because he is a Mormon. That is nothing to celebrate.

No actually the voter turnout including the ultra conservatives was higher in 2012 than 2008. They didn't stay home and they did vote for Romney (even if it bothered them that he was a Mormon, it bothered them more to vote for Obama). Where Romney lost registered Republican voters was in the middle with women, and Latinos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only Mormonism were not just a 19th century version of Scientology, you might get some sympathy from me on this. If a person's core belief system is as looney as LDS, you don't get to be leader of the "free world"...no. You don't.

Ah, but if for 25+ years you go to a church whose pastor publically makes statements like "God d--m America," then of course you do.

Ahhhh. Your quote is out of context and Obama just went to the church occasionally. He has never been active in the church in any way.Do you agree with everything your pastor says? Black preachers are passionate and sometimes intemperate. Romney was a BISHOP of the wackadoos. He doesn't just drink the kool-aid he serves it to others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom, a lonely democrat in the middle of South Carolina, has been saying something similar since the primaries: that her republican neighbors would never be able to vote for a Mormon. So I think there is probably something to the argument that his religion may have impacted the turnout of your fervent, bible-thumping base. However, I don't know that you can attribute the loss to it. Mitt had quite a few legitimate negatives working against him as we'll.

This argument may hold water if the election were decided on the popular vote - it was not. Romney lost becasue he did not appeal to/or pissed off the voters that would have helped in the states that matter (Hispanics, working class whites in the midwest and women). If his religion was such a big issue he would not have made it out of the primaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The same people who would have such significant problems with Romney being a Mormon, to the extent they wouldn't cast a vote for him, are certainly not going to vote for a guy they still think is Muslim.

I don't think religion had much impact on this election at all.

The 2 things are not mutually exclusive. You can be an R, have a fundamental problem with Mormonism in the White House and rationally understand that Obama is neither Kenyan nor a muslim. In fact, if you are a traditional R, this is likely how you feel. But baseline, you don't see blacks as equals, but tokenism makes you feel better about this (Herman Cain, Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele, et al.) and you think white men running the world is some sort of "natural order". IMO.

[Anonymous]

Are you f-ing kidding? He lost because he and his family are out of touch with the struggles of the middle class.

On top of that, he keeps changing his views so I feel that I cannot trust him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Show me a state he lost b/c he is a Mormon.

I think that throughout the NE he would have had a stronger R turnout but for his space alien religion. I know that didn't deter NE Dems--but it did deter R's. Old style R's are not enthused by a candidate that believes in space aliens. But of course in the south, the abject hatred of any Black man in power overrode the fear of a Kolob invasion.

[Anonymous]

My parents usually vote Republican. They are not well educated in politics, they get their info from CNN and such. My mom told me they did not vote for Romney because he scared them. Dad felt that Romney was a jerk and that Obama hasn't ruined our country yet, so why not give him another chance. Being a Mormon was a huge deal for my Dad. He would vote for a satanist before a Mormon, lol. I think that was a big factor in the election. But also Romney's personality and just how rich and out of touch he is played an even bigger part. I am actually relieved Romney didn't win. Never liked him much and don't think he would have been a good leader. I am not too thrilled with Obama either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only Mormonism were not just a 19th century version of Scientology, you might get some sympathy from me on this. If a person's core belief system is as looney as LDS, you don't get to be leader of the "free world"...no. You don't.

Ah, but if for 25+ years you go to a church whose pastor publically makes statements like "God d--m America," then of course you do.

This is so weird to me. Obama's pastor basically said that America would be punished for the sin of racism. How is that different from white evangelicals saying that America will be punished for the sins of gay sex or abortion? Why is one awful and crazy, and the other a-ok?

As bad as Wright sounds to you, Robertson, et al, sounds to me.

[Anonymous]

I think that throughout the NE he would have had a stronger R turnout but for his space alien religion. I know that didn't deter NE Dems--but it did deter R's. Old style R's are not enthused by a candidate that believes in space aliens.

The polling information and other analysis really doesn't support this. Even if this were the case, the margins were not very close in the NE and would not have turned this into a win for Romney if he had been a different religion. Romney was an unpopular governor so his track record in the NE hurt him here with Republicans as well.

Romney lost with moderate Republicans because he wasn't a compelling candidate, moved to far to the right during the primaries, and then had big problems with key segments. The fact that he was a multimillionaire that made his fortune on buy outs and business history of outsourcing was one of the biggest problems. Romney symbolized for many working class and middle class americans the stereotype that still got rich even when the financial collapse wiped them out.

A moderate Republican with a middle class background and some previous political success in office would have won.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop. Romney lost because of his policies against women, the elderly, education, for the 1% against the middle class, the list goes on and on. If you want to blame it on being a Mormon because it makes you feel good go ahead. I'd submit more people voted for Romney because of his religion than they did for the black Muslim (no his isn't) who wasn't born in the US (yes he was). The election is over. Time to go back to being an American and rallying behind your country and your President. This is the kind of crap that goes on in Congress all the time. Stop being devisive. Lets get it together or we will never pull out of this.

^ This!

Also, let's face it. Romney lost because the Republican party is having a hard time rallying in people from different races, ethnic background, religious beliefs, Gays, etc. Republicans need to understand that when they cross the line and get more people that match the American demographics their party will turn around. They need to step up their game and embrace different people having one or two Latinos speak at the convention is not going to cut it. Having Condi Rice speak for you it not going to cut, the Republican Party needs to embrace the American Culture, it's no longer a white world out here it's a diverse world and they need to understand it and accept it. Besides Romony had a lot of good ideas, but his execution plan was never very clear, not that Obama's is very clear as well. I live in VA and had lots of neighbors who were Republicans, like myself that voted Democrat.

[Anonymous]

I posted at 6:17 saying I think there is bias against Mormons, but that he lost for a number of reasons. I think the reasons he lost the general election are fairly obvious, and tied to the GOP's problem with immigrants, women, etc. John Weaver, the Republican strategist, has it right when he says the GOP has to change. I think we're kidding ourselves, however, if we don't acknowledge that there is a great deal of bias against the LDS church, and that it comes from both the left and the right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted at 6:17 saying I think there is bias against Mormons, but that he lost for a number of reasons. I think the reasons he lost the general election are fairly obvious, and tied to the GOP's problem with immigrants, women, etc. John Weaver, the Republican strategist, has it right when he says the GOP has to change. I think we're kidding ourselves, however, if we don't acknowledge that there is a great deal of bias against the LDS church, and that it comes from both the left and the right.

Yes, I think you're right about that.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the data supports the assertion.

Romney got 3 million fewer votes than McCain. But Obama got 10 million fewer votes than he did in 2008.

So the data suggests that the republicans were more motivated to get out than the Dems, given the general conditions of the 2012 election.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only Mormonism were not just a 19th century version of Scientology, you might get some sympathy from me on this. If a person's core belief system is as looney as LDS, you don't get to be leader of the "free world"...no. You don't.

Ah, but if for 25+ years you go to a church whose pastor publically makes statements like "God d--m America," then of course you do.

Ahhhh. Your quote is out of context and Obama just went to the church occasionally. He has never been active in the church in any way.Do you agree with everything your pastor says? Black preachers are passionate and sometimes intemperate. Romney was a BISHOP of the wackadoos. He doesn't just drink the kool-aid he serves it to others.

How do you take "God d--m America" out of context? And "went to the church occasionally?" Please. The man married him, baptized his children and was a guest in Obama's home numerous times. Nice try on the spin.

[Anonymous]

I probably should have said a certain amount of Republicans, Democrats and Indeoendents didn't vote Romney b/cause he is Mormon. Prejudice is not exclusive to a party. I do think it partly explains the depressed Republican turnout. Saddening.