Issue of faith different for father and son during presidential runs


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DETROIT -- Support for Mitt Romney is mixed in Michigan. When his father, George Romney, ran for president in 1968, it was a different climate - especially when it comes to the issue of his faith.

It seems no one wants to talk about Mitt Romney's religion; not voters, not the candidate himself. At the same time, his campaign is looking for reasons he isn't generating more passion among voters. Some believe the faith no one wants to bring up could be the reason.

"That's the elephant in the room," said Dr. Robert Goldberg, History professor at the University of Utah. "Everybody knows it's there, nobody's talking about it. And that, to me, makes it incredibly palpable and potent."

Goldberg has researched Romney's presidential campaign as well as the campaign of his father. Back then, George Romney didn't shy away from his faith: he openly talked about not campaigning on Sunday and not drinking coffee and alcohol. His family often campaigned right alongside him.

Since the '60's though, evangelicals have become more organized and militant, even as the LDS church continued to grow, Goldberg said. As time has gone on, a lot of people have camouflaged their true feelings.

A campaign poster touting George Romney, father of Mitt Romney, during his presidential run in 1968.
A campaign poster touting George Romney, father of Mitt Romney, during his presidential run in 1968.

"Many evangelicals are savvy enough to know that they will be labeled as haters or bigots," Goldberg said, "but (they) are able to hide behind phrases like ‘flop-flop,' and phrases like ‘he's not a true conservative.'"

When it did come up, during Mitt Romney's Senate race in Massachusetts, George Romney reacted angrily, saying he was wrong to "keep hammering on the religious issue" and that he "has no right to bring (it) into the political campaign."

In 2007, Romney called for unity, addressing his faith, he hoped, once and for all.

"If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest," Romney said on his first presidential campaign.

Romney hasn't had such a moment in four years. Refusing to talk about it may not stop the questions.

"There are still plenty of advisors who believe, ‘Yes, it's not an issue as long as we don't talk about it a lot. The more we talk about it, the more it will be an issue for certain folks,'" said Chuck Todd of NBC News, Of course, Romney faces all sorts of other challenges like the fact that his personality just isn't connecting with some people, and his reputation as a flip-flopper. It all gets rolled together in a big package that, for whatever reason, isn't a runaway hit right now.

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