EDITORIAL: Campaign is no place for religious bigotry

It seems that Senator Obama is described as having one of the most extreme positions that one can find when it comes to the issue of abortion….Normally, I can understand a lawyer’s dancing on the head of a pin for the sake of not wanting to undermine a future legal argument or position. However, regarding Senator Obama, some other details give me pause and raise questions about whether his stated motivation(s) can be trusted. Obama Would Evidently Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater found at: http://zachjonesishome.wordpress.com/2008/08/02/obama-would-evidently-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater/

white evangelicals need to be reminded that barry hussein obama, for all his islamofascist connections is the puppet of the liberal jewish media elite and their rump congress of liberal jews and blackstooges. if they have lost sight over the years, thanks to THEIR unyielding though unrequited support for the state of israel, american evangelicals need to recognize that liberal jewry doesnt just despise evangelical christians, it seeks to exterminate them in much the same fashion it did eastern european christians. until liberal jewry is outed as an enemy of western civilization far greater than the morons who call themselves islamo fascists, our cause, grace a georgie porgie bush! is probably lost. vive romney, morte a boxer, shumer, bloomberg, corzine, waxman, biden-sic!, durbin, pelosi--sicer!, mfume--sicest!, feinshtein, lausenberg, and the rest of that "rat" pack.

It's pretty obvious that the person who wrote this article is from the Romney camp and clearly doesn't like evangelicals like myself. Evangelicals are not voting against Romney because of his faith, but there voting against him because he doesn't have a track record of supporting our issues. Supposedly he has changed his mind on certain issues (ya right), at least that’s what he says but talk is cheap so why believe him. So the Romney crowd can continue to call us bigots all the want, but something tells me they are to changing very few minds about slick Willy.

I could speak much truth about WHY we don't trust McCain, giving laundry lists of examples, but it would be fruitless in this venue. No matter what we say, the Washington Times will persist in calling us bigots, because we do not support their candidate. Get real. This is nothing more than Part 2 of a desperate attempt by the WT to disparage Mike Huckabee, just in case McCain is thinking about, say, how he might energize the BASE, and win the SOUTH. I've heard it said lately that the day is past when simply bringing the base along will win an election. That may be true, but John McCain surely won't win WITHOUT the base, and it's going to be a long, expensive eight years if Obama wins. John, I hope you're reading this. You know Mike and his supporters, and you know this is malicious. We're anxious to put our full support - blogging, answering ridiculous editorials like this one, making phone calls, waving signs, organizing voting drives, knocking on doors - behind you. It's that kind of energy and excitement that you'll need to win against The One.

Wow. The Washington Times is not being honest. Either that or their writers need a remedial reading course for comprehending. I do tutor in that subject if anyone is interested. Another article has been written about this bigotry subject, and many "evangelicals" commented to that article stating the reasons they didn't like Romney, and his mormonism truly was not the reason they didn't like him. Governor Romney changes with the wind on his positions, and this is why evangelicals do not like him, not to mention him spending millions on ads during the primary lying about Huckabee and McCain. I cannot with a good conscience vote for Governor Romney when he does not have a TRUE conviction on important values issues. See, that is NOT bigotry. That shows conviction to what I stand for. I cannot vote for anyone that does not hold to values such as prolife and traditional marriage. Isn't that my right? You have a right to vote for whom you want for the reasons and convictions you have. Stop being so hard on the evangelicals, especially since you can't even get the facts straight. Go to http://trueromney.com and see for yourself the reasons I don't like Romney. The reason I love Governor Huckabee so much is not because he is Baptist. I'm not Baptist, and happen to disagree with some of the doctrine, but I love his convictions for values issues. I also love Governor Huckabee because he is REAL and he connects with the people. He has a true heart. Governor Romney cannot understand how it is to struggle everyday with the gas prices as high as they are because Governor Romney has never been in the position of struggling and worrying about if there will be any food to put on the table, or enough gas to get to work. Governor Huckabee connects to the people because he can empathize. He's been there. Faithfulcitizen is right. A Romney supporter obviously wrote this article, and I think it's to detract from the TRUTH that they don't want others to know...that Romney has been more than dishonest in his political game. The media would have you to believe Romney is some moral, descent, great guy, but they have lied, too. People need to do their research and find out the facts before listening to the GOP elite, the media, the political pundits, and online news sources such as the Washington Times. The Washington Times is not being truthful about "evangelicals" reasons for disliking Governor Romney. SAD.

" Thus, these evangelicals would do well to be tolerant and work toward broadening the conservative base, rather than upholding barriers based on religious bigotry." Oh, my goodness...imagine if the sentence I quoted above was addressing any other "group" in America! I can see the headlines of prejudicial accusations now if the sentence read "Thus, these black people...or thus these white women...or thus these gay people...etc..." The press would be in an uproar over the prejudicial tone of this person...are "evangelicals" the only group of people that it is ok to hurl baseless accusations at? Since when is it ok for a reporter in a national publication to state that one group of people is being intolerant and full of religious bigotry? I mean, think about this logically... by making the above accusatory statements, this reporter, in this article is doing the very thing he/she is accusing "evangelicals" as a group of doing! And by the way, we're not lemmings! That's like saying all soccer moms feel this way, or all black folk act that way...come on, give the readers some credit, we're smarter than that. I learned in high school that generalizations are a fallacy...was the author of this article asleep during that class? Now, to address the point...I believe everyone has a right to believe whatever they choose. So, Mr. Romney's religious views are NOT the reason I would not vote for him. The reasons I would not vote for him are that on point after point...from abortion, to gay marriage, to business issues, he has proven himself to be untrustworthy.(He twisted the facts, during the primaries, about his opponents until they were unrecognizable from the truth.) I will not vote for him because I do not believe he is an honest man...I would just as soon have cast my vote for Hillary Clinton as for Romney! (Wow, did I just type that? I have been a lifelong Republican...well, except for that Ross Perot vote back in the day ;) Anyway, I spent many,many hours working very hard for Huckabee during the primaries, and if McCain desires a group of people who will give it their all and throw themselves behind him in his bid for the presidency, then he should ask Mike Huckabee to be his VP. Oh, and if you want to talk diverse demographics...McCain's people have only to check out the sheer # of diverse people groups who consistantly voted Mike Huckabee into office as Governor of the state of Arkansas! McCain needs Huckabee, and so does our country :)

By sjoiii As a conservative Presbyterian deeply involved in moving the church of which I am a member from the super liberal PCUSA to the much more conservative EPC, I feel my evangelical credentials are not suspect and I agree with the WT editorial position. Romney is a fine man with a distinguished record in both the private and public sector. His personal morals are consistent with those who call themselves evangelicals. This is not a perfect world and you you will find no perfect candidate. Staying home and allowing Barack Obama (the exact opposite of what evangelicals want) to be elected is what gives evangelicals the reputation of being bull headed and stupid

Who the hell are you to accuse me or anyone else of bigotry? Are you some kind of mind reader? Since when does not being interested in a political candidate put you in the same category as the Ku Klux Klan? Since when does a politician or some Editor have the right to publicly slander you, your religion and your constitutional right to vote for whomever you want for whatever your reason? This has been covered already, even on this very site just last week. Is there no end to your love of fueling the fire? Or is this the only way you get readers to visit your site? http://conservativeoasis.blogspot.com/

Nice story about the Protestants coming to America to escape religious persecution. However when they did get here they routinely burned Catholics at the stake. All religions think they are the one true religion. If the Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism (thanks Simpsons) believe that Mormons are are not desirable political candidates, or I don't want a Muslim or Jain representing me, like what's new?

It always irritates me when the mainstream media assumes that whites who won't vote for Obama are closet racists, so I will concede that there are far fewer evangelicals who won't go for Romney because of his faith than the media seems to assume. Those few for whom Romney's religion is a factor are indeed bigots, and the worst kind of hypocrites. Let them stay home on election day. For the vast majority of evangelicals, the argument seems to be Romney's overtly political conversion to the pro-life club. So what? He's here now. Welcome him on board and focus on the positive. He's a proven success and will lend credibility on the economy, and he is a first-rate debater and fundraiser. And however much you love Huckabee, we just can't have a Pastor on the ticket. It may play well in Arkansas, but it would be death in the battleground states. Evangelicals are not the only component of the Republican base.

It's not about Mitt being Mormon, I just don't like him. He cares about $$$$ more then people. he has made millions from laying workers(tax payers) off. Romney showed me how he cared when on the very day he dropped out, his blog and myspace stopped, he got what he wanted from his supporters and dropped them on the very day they need to talk to one another the most.

"By: entropent And however much you love Huckabee, we just can't have a Pastor on the ticket." So let me get this straight. No one can dislike Romney without being a bigot but you can dislike Huckabee for being a former pastor? And who is the bigot? Oh, that's right, Christians are fair game, I almost forgot. And just so you know, Romney was a Bishop and Stake President of the Mormon Faith. So your argument falls flat on it's face.

Joseph, Mike Huckabee is a politician who was a pastor almost 20 yrs. ago. He has been governor over a decade, and lt. gov. before that and for you to call him a pastor shows you are the one who has religious bigotry against Huckabee! In my opinion, there is just as much bigotry against Huckabee for having once been a pastor as for Romney for being Mormon, Obama as a black man or Hillary as a woman or McCain because of his age. Sad to say a small degree of bias does exists , but it is very small and each candidate has their share. Fewer people probably care about Romney's faith than any of the other things mentioned. The difference is that Romney folks can't see the other reasons he is not accepted by the mainstream. We want a man of character, strong core beliefs and the courage to stand up and speak about them and explain the reasons for their beliefs even if they are not just like ours. THAT speaks to leadership, and, in my opinion, is what is missing from Romney.

I would like to say that I believe Mike Huckabee has been treated with bias and bigotry by liberal media. These past 2 months there has been NO word in the media of Huckabee as potential vp. This even though he has topped BOTH the independent survey usa election polls AND the Rasmussen polls just taken 7/25-27 (he helps McCain +8, Pawlenty +1 and Romney -6!) This, with NO MEDIA support for Huck at all for 2 months!! Does this not tell you that the American people respected Huckabee during the primary and realized he has his finger on the pulse of America and we want him on the ticket with McCain? It is not just about evangelicals/social conservatives. It's also about independents, atheists,jews,black republicans, Reagan democrats and everyone else who wants a politician that can actually do what Obama promised. McCain/Huckabee can deliver on their promises!!!

nrobyar, the comments so far are painful reminders to many conservatives about the primary. This is a classic: "(he helps McCain +8, Pawlenty +1 and Romney -6!)". Umm...that's because evangelicals won't support Romney. Get it? Huckabee is less conservative all around than Romney, is a bad fit with McCain on government spending, and has some rather glaring ethical and honesty faults, despite your worshipful support. The point of the editorial is spot-on: Huckabee's radical evangelical supporters are generally ignorant of his record, and politics in general, and support him because he's "one of them". They will not support Romney because he's a Mormon, and the small percentage of bigoted evangelical Christians will not vote for a Mormon. I can find no fault with that opinion, and you are the evidence that it is true. Hopefully, as the editor suggests, there will be an epiphany - if you will allow - to the bigots, and they will see Romney as a good man, and a highly conservative and qualified candidate, and put aside their bigotry toward Mormons for the good of the country. I won't hold my breath.