Mitt's non-Mormon Speech

Published Dec 06 2007, 03:29 PM by David S. Bernstein

As the Globe's Michael Levenson has astutely noted, Romney's "Mormon speech" later this morning will be quite unlike the John F. Kennedy "Catholic speech" on which it is modeled. Whereas Kennedy directly addressed a gathering of "skeptical Protestant ministers" (Levenson's words) at their invitation, Romney's audience will be hand-picked supporters. Unlike Kennedy, Romney will not take questions after his prepared remarks.

But there's another significant difference apparent from the 836-word exerpt of today's speech released by the Romney campaign this morning. Unlike Kennedy, Romney seems to be avoiding mention of the very topic of the speech.

In his famous speech during the 1960 campaign, John F. Kennedy spoke the word "Catholic" 19 times by my count. The word "Mormon" does not appear once in the exerpts.

Also, note how Kennedy began his speech:

I am grateful for your generous invitation to state my views.
While the so-called religious issue is necessarily and properly the chief topic here tonight, I want to emphasize from the outset that I believe that we have far more critical issues in the 1960 election: the spread of Communist influence, until it now festers only ninety miles off the coast of Florida -- the humiliating treatment of our President and Vice President by those who no longer respect our power -- the hungry children I saw in West Virginia, the old people who cannot pay their doctor's bills, the families forced to give up their farms -- an America with too many slums, with too few schools, and too late to the moon and outer space.
These are the real issues which should decide this campaign. And they are not religious issues -- for war and hunger and ignorance and despair know no religious barrier.

Kennedy went on to speak about the history of religious persecution, and the importance of the absolute separation of church and state under our Constitution.

Romney's speech, at least in the exerpts, is quite different -- as one might expect from a candidate trying to position himself as the most culturally conservative candidate in a GOP nomination battle.

The exerpts do not mention any "far more critical issues" than religion -- rather, they begin with the opposite assertion:

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.

The exerpts are full of buzzwords and assertions meant to reassure people that a Romney Presidency will break down that wall between church and state:

Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom....When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God....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....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....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.

That's all dandy, but it would seem to make the issue of Romney's particular faith more important rather than less -- making it all the more glaring that he won't talk about those details at all, even in this speech.

Update: He said the word "Mormon" once.