To boldly go where no Mormon has gone before

Published Mar 17 2006, 10:12 PM by Adam Reilly

Mitt Romney's trip to Rome to see Boston archbishop Sean O'Malley elevated to cardinal is a big deal. Just ask him!

"This is extraordinary, and particularly for someone of my faith," said Romney, a Mormon, before he spoke at a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in New Hampshire, an early presidential state. "I don't know that there's ever been a Mormon guy that's been to the Vatican for a Mass held by the Pope, so it's a personal honor."

Interesting strategy here. By playing up his Roman holiday, Romney sends a reassuring message to leery Catholic voters: the Pope digs me, so you can, too. On the other hand, Romney's crowing also serves as a reminer that he belongs to a faith that some people find--how to put it?--just a little bit sketchy.

Free advice for the governor: by all means, remind people that you were in Rome for O'Malley's installation when you're on the stump. But tone it down a bit.