Aug 4, 2007
New York Times: Romney Defends His Faith
August 4, 2007, 12:48 pm
Romney Defends His Faith
A clip of Republican Mitt Romney in a contentious exchange with a conservative Des Moines radio host over his Mormon beliefs is making the rounds today, offering something of a different critique about his religious faith.
Mr. Romney was interviewed on Thursday morning by Jan Mickelson, of WHO, who essentially challenged him on whether he was really a devout Mormon, a bit of a change from the usual questioning about his beliefs.
Mr. Mickelson pointed to Mormon doctrine discouraging abortion and questioned how Mr. Romney could have ever supported abortion rights. Until some two-and-a-half years ago, Mr. Romney has said that he was "effectively pro-choice," vowing to protect the law of the land in Massachusetts allowing abortion. But in a conversion story he has told many times at this point, when his state began debating the cloning of human embryos for stem cell research, he changed his view.
Much of the exchange occurred when they are not on the air, but the radio show had a camera that was taping Mr. Romney, something he clearly did not know.
In the video clip, Mr. Romney seems clearly irritated that Mr. Mickelson is trying to inform him of the particulars of his church's beliefs.
Mr. Romney explained that while his church bars individual members from getting abortions or encouraging that practice on a personal basis, it is an entirely different matter when it comes to the stances Mormons who are public officials take. He gives the example that he is barred as a member of the church from drinking alcohol, but that does not mean he should make that the law of the land for others.
Mr. Mickelson also questioned Mr. Romney about his knowledge of other aspects of Mormon beliefs, including whether Jesus Christ will appear in his second coming in Missouri.
Mr. Mickelson's point was that Mr. Romney should not be distancing himself from his church's beliefs because that is even more of a turnoff for Christian conservatives who disagree with Mormon theology.
But Mr. Romney lashed back that Mr. Mickelson is "trying to tell me I'm not a faithful Mormon."
This is actually a question that comes up with surprising regularity among Christian conservatives on the trail, who wonder if Mr. Romney is a "cafeteria Mormon" and not even faithful to his own church. It is illustrative of the delicate balancing act that Mr. Romney must do with regard to his faith among Christian conservatives he is courting who are troubled by his church's teachings.
Mr. Romney assured Mr. Mickelson that he is committed to his church, pointing out he served as bishop of his ward, the Mormon equivalent of a Roman Catholic parish, and president of his stake, a collection of wards.
But he pointed out, as he has time and time again, that he is not "running as a Mormon," so the specific doctrines of his church should not be a part of the discussion.
Here is the link.
Pakistan Fires Back At Obama
Officials Criticize Presidential Hopeful For 'Irresponsible' Comments on Military Strikes
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3, 2007
Pakistani protesters burn a U.S. flag to condemn U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama's remarks, Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, in Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistan criticized Obama for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes inside this Islamic nation to root out terrorists. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
Pakistan Fires Back At Obama
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3, 2007
(AP) Pakistan criticized U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes against terrorists hiding in this Islamic country.
Top Pakistan officials said Obama's comment was irresponsible and likely made for political gain in the race for the Democratic nomination.
"It's a very irresponsible statement, that's all I can say," Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khusheed Kasuri told AP Television News. "As the election campaign in America is heating up we would not like American candidates to fight their elections and contest elections at our expense."
Also Friday, a senior Pakistani official condemned another presidential hopeful, Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo, for saying the best way he could think of to deter a nuclear terrorist attack on the U.S. would be to threaten to retaliate by bombing the holiest Islamic sites of Mecca and Medina.
Obama said in a speech Wednesday that as president he would order military action against terrorists in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan if intelligence warranted it. The comment provoked anger in Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror.
Many analysts believe that top Taliban and al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are hiding in the region after escaping the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has come under growing pressure from Washington to do more to tackle the alleged al Qaeda havens in Pakistan. The Bush administration has not ruled out military strikes, but still stresses the importance of cooperating with Pakistan.
"There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again," Obama said. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will."
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported Friday that Musharraf was asked at a dinner at Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's house on Thursday about the potential of U.S. military operations in Pakistan. Musharraf told guests that Pakistan was "fully capable" of tackling terrorists in the country and did not need foreign assistance.
Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim said no foreign forces would be allowed to enter Pakistan, and called Obama irresponsible.
"I think those who make such statements are not aware of our contribution" in the fight on terrorism, he said.
Pakistan used to be a main backer of the Taliban, but it threw its support behind Washington following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Since then, Pakistan has deployed about 90,000 troops in its tribal regions, mostly in lawless North and South Waziristan, and has lost hundreds of troops in fighting with militants there.
But a controversial strategy to make peace with militants and use tribesmen to police Waziristan has fueled U.S. fears that al Qaeda has been given space to regroup.
In Pakistan's national assembly on Friday, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afgan said he would bring on a debate next week on recent criticism of Pakistan from several quarters in the U.S., including Tancredo's remarks.
It was a matter of "grave concern that U.S. presidential candidates are using unethical and immoral tactics against Islam and Pakistan to win their election," Afghan said.
Tancredo told about 30 people at a town hall meeting in Osceola, Iowa, on Tuesday that he believes that a nuclear terrorist attack on the U.S. could be imminent and that the U.S. needs to hurry up and think of a way to stop it.
"If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina. Because that's the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they otherwise might do," he said.
Pakistan Fires Back At Obama
Officials Criticize Presidential Hopeful For 'Irresponsible' Comments on Military Strikes
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3, 2007 Pakistani protesters burn a U.S. flag to condemn U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama's remarks, Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, in Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistan criticized Obama for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes inside this Islamic nation to root out terrorists. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil) Pakistan Fires Back At Obama
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3, 2007
(AP) Pakistan criticized U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes against terrorists hiding in this Islamic country.
Top Pakistan officials said Obama's comment was irresponsible and likely made for political gain in the race for the Democratic nomination.
"It's a very irresponsible statement, that's all I can say," Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khusheed Kasuri told AP Television News. "As the election campaign in America is heating up we would not like American candidates to fight their elections and contest elections at our expense."
Also Friday, a senior Pakistani official condemned another presidential hopeful, Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo, for saying the best way he could think of to deter a nuclear terrorist attack on the U.S. would be to threaten to retaliate by bombing the holiest Islamic sites of Mecca and Medina.
Obama said in a speech Wednesday that as president he would order military action against terrorists in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan if intelligence warranted it. The comment provoked anger in Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror.
Many analysts believe that top Taliban and al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are hiding in the region after escaping the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has come under growing pressure from Washington to do more to tackle the alleged al Qaeda havens in Pakistan. The Bush administration has not ruled out military strikes, but still stresses the importance of cooperating with Pakistan.
"There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again," Obama said. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will."
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported Friday that Musharraf was asked at a dinner at Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's house on Thursday about the potential of U.S. military operations in Pakistan. Musharraf told guests that Pakistan was "fully capable" of tackling terrorists in the country and did not need foreign assistance.
Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim said no foreign forces would be allowed to enter Pakistan, and called Obama irresponsible.
"I think those who make such statements are not aware of our contribution" in the fight on terrorism, he said.
Pakistan used to be a main backer of the Taliban, but it threw its support behind Washington following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Since then, Pakistan has deployed about 90,000 troops in its tribal regions, mostly in lawless North and South Waziristan, and has lost hundreds of troops in fighting with militants there.
But a controversial strategy to make peace with militants and use tribesmen to police Waziristan has fueled U.S. fears that al Qaeda has been given space to regroup.
In Pakistan's national assembly on Friday, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afgan said he would bring on a debate next week on recent criticism of Pakistan from several quarters in the U.S., including Tancredo's remarks.
It was a matter of "grave concern that U.S. presidential candidates are using unethical and immoral tactics against Islam and Pakistan to win their election," Afghan said.
Tancredo told about 30 people at a town hall meeting in Osceola, Iowa, on Tuesday that he believes that a nuclear terrorist attack on the U.S. could be imminent and that the U.S. needs to hurry up and think of a way to stop it.
"If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina. Because that's the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they otherwise might do," he said.
Mickelson in the Morning
Video note! After some debate, here's the re-posting of Thursday's intense exchange with Gov Mitt Romney. A technical note... All of the in-studio presidential interviews are video taped for later webcasting. Normally, as in this case, they are shot with two fixed cameras by the webcaster. He and the cameras are highly visible. The cameras are mounted on tripods just a few feet from the guest and host. Most of the time the interviews are mixed down for time and composition, as in the recent Senator John McCain interview. In this case the complete one camera feed was posted so no later issues of "editing" could be raised. ( and because Mickelson looks crappy on camera... ed. note)
Direct download: mickelson-2007-08-03.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 6:28 PM
Here are more comments:
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 6:28 PM
Here are more comments:
Thanks WHO and Jan for re-posting the video. The exchange of ideas was interesting.
posted by: j on Fri, 8/3 09:00 PM EDT
Jay,
Could you share with us the back story on how this video became public? Did Romney know he was being video taped? The whole thing smacks of unfair treatment of your guest. I'm not referring to your "hard" questioning of Romney. I'm referring to videoing someone when they are unaware and broadcasting what was supposed to be a private conversation -- off the record -- between you and your guest. That may be standard procedure in Iowa, but it's considered underhanded at best in other parts of the country. If that's NOT what happened, if Romney knew his comments were being recorded for broadcast (or he gave his permission for their broadcast after the fact), we should know that. If it is what happened, if you violated your guest's trust, we should know that, too.
By the way, I don't think Romney came off poorly in the exchange. It's the surreptitious nature of the recording that's distasteful.
Could you share with us the back story on how this video became public? Did Romney know he was being video taped? The whole thing smacks of unfair treatment of your guest. I'm not referring to your "hard" questioning of Romney. I'm referring to videoing someone when they are unaware and broadcasting what was supposed to be a private conversation -- off the record -- between you and your guest. That may be standard procedure in Iowa, but it's considered underhanded at best in other parts of the country. If that's NOT what happened, if Romney knew his comments were being recorded for broadcast (or he gave his permission for their broadcast after the fact), we should know that. If it is what happened, if you violated your guest's trust, we should know that, too.
By the way, I don't think Romney came off poorly in the exchange. It's the surreptitious nature of the recording that's distasteful.
posted by: David Walser on Sat, 8/4 03:57 AM EDT
Jan,
Please forgive my typo! I know your name and don't know how "Jan" became "Jay" in my post, above.
Please forgive my typo! I know your name and don't know how "Jan" became "Jay" in my post, above.
posted by: David Walser on Sat, 8/4 04:09 AM EDT
Gov. Romney Interview With Jan Mickelson
Did anyone else get the impression that Mickelson was trying trap Romney in his words? Perhaps the entire interview was a setup. Which GOP candidate is Mickelson supporting anyway? Mickelson seemed to deceive Romney into thinking their off-the-air conversation was off the record too but Mickelson recorded the whole thing. Nice job Mickelson! If anything, this interview helps Mitt Romney. Go Mitt!
gundyrage (3 hours ago)
You would think that this Mickelson fella would do a little research before accusing a former leader of the LDS church of not knowing the churches teaching, than later accusing him of not being devout to said teachings. This interview lacks class and respect.
HiveRadical (7 hours ago)
I wish people would get over the Stephanopolous thing. The man clearly didn't know what to ask what he wanted to ask. I'm glad Romney's been assertive on that. As a Mormon myself I get frustrated when people simplify things, and in so doing, distort them to the point that they are literally wrong.
If Mikelson wanted to really find out then why not give the full position of the Chruch on abortion? It's available on the website where it clearly points out views of exceptions in which abortion may be okay, or even proper.
But he misunderstood the Church's position. He missed the nuance that our Church allows abortion in certain circumstances and he misunderstood that being for the capacity to keep the options of abortion available for such exceptions is NOT against Church policy. Mikelson was not wanting to allow the nuance that genuinely exists.
But he misunderstood the Church's position. He missed the nuance that our Church allows abortion in certain circumstances and he misunderstood that being for the capacity to keep the options of abortion available for such exceptions is NOT against Church policy. Mikelson was not wanting to allow the nuance that genuinely exists.
BrenttheGreat (7 hours ago)
That DJ is worthless. He won't even listen, or give Romney the chance to talk. Romney did well.
phil24601 (9 hours ago)
This Mickelson guy is definitely a little screwy. I'm glad we're electing Romney and not Mickelson for president. The dude wants to just ignore the supreme court whenever he doesn't like a decision.
This video shows a very impressive side of Romney, he's not going to put up with radical stunts like this where they don't give him a chance to answer.
This video shows a very impressive side of Romney, he's not going to put up with radical stunts like this where they don't give him a chance to answer.
theaustinpeay (9 hours ago)
Romney is very impressive. Even when he doesn't know he's being taped. He's very classy.
darthmills (9 hours ago)
wow, first time i have seen mitt get upset. refreshing. Go get em mitt! President Romney 08!!
Edenite2006 (12 hours ago)
Thanks for posting this.. This is the kind of open discussion we need to see Mitt speaking openly about his faith so we can understand where he stands on his beliefs...
From the TownHall comments on Dean's post:
SCOTTMSTER (12 hours ago)
I feel Jan Mickelson had a pre-planned agenda for Mitt Romney to explain his views on his LDS religion and make his religion an issue in his run for the presidency. It however turned into a GREAT off air and genuine perspective of how Mitt views his moral and religious convictions, how those morals and views intertwine to make him what he is and yet separate as a President.
Mitt wins again, what a classy Presidential candidate.
Scott Rasmussen
Gilbert. Az.
Mitt wins again, what a classy Presidential candidate.
Scott Rasmussen
Gilbert. Az.
From the TownHall comments on Dean's post:
| SJU writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 4:34 AM |
| Is Mickelson Promoting Christian Facism? | |
| Wow, Mickelson seems to be saying, if someone from his church were to run for president that he would expect that president to convince or maybe even impose his beliefs into the decisions that all the citizens in the U.S. make. Does that sound a little like the Taliban to you? Is that what those who are against Romney, on the basis of religion are saying? It sure sounds like it. Either that, or Mickelson's church doesn't have any standards and therefore there's Nooo Probleeeem. No wonder the left worries about the evangelical extremists. They start to sound like, either it's their way, or off with our heads! | |
| Daniel writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 2:54 AM |
| What arrogance! | |
| Romney was exactly right about Mormon beliefs. It was ridiculous to see Mickelson pretend that he understands what being a Mormon means better than does a man who has led a congregation as a Mormon bishop and then, as a Mormon stake president, has led SEVERAL congregations and overseen SEVERAL bishops. Mitt Romney has been a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint as well as a full-time missionary for it, and Mickelson isn't even a member. Astonishing. | |
| Thomas9938 writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 1:59 AM |
| Off-Mitt-da-Gloves | |
| A rare look at a candidate's true nature...and I liked it alot. While I'm a "Rudy-Guy" myself (talk about the abortion question, but Rudy gets a pass, because he's Catholic and they don't really follow the rules anyway), I would be perfectly comfortable with Mr. Romney as President. He's smart, sensible, and a realistic person. He's right too. You don't run or govern as a representative of your religion (and it must be terribly frustrating to have to remind interviewers of that simple fact, time after time). You run for the job, pledging to perform it, as the law dictates. It was a cheap-tacky-trashy sort of thing this interviewer did, to secretly record the "Off-Air" comments of his guest. It's a cheap-shot that will likely make Mr. Romney a better candidate from here on out though. | |
| chessexpert writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 1:30 AM |
| Is Mitt sincere? Yes | |
| The biggest complaint about Mitt Romney is that he is flip flopper. The fear is that you can't take his words at face value. He might advance other words and actions when it suits him. Is he sincere? Is he steadfast? These attacks on Mitt have an obious opportunistic quality. They gang up and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. They are mostly soundbite arguments. Still the questions remain: Who is the real Mitt Romney? Is there a there there? It is ironic that the sins of the Democrats - Kerry, Clinton, and others - are visited on a Republican, Romney. I think Romney is sincere and steadfast. He is the real deal. Yes, it's wise to question, but it's not worldly or smart to be a perpetual cynic. | |
| jimgdvm writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 1:13 AM |
| Hmmm | |
| I agree this is not Mini-Mitt, or "Plastic-Mitt". It is the best I have seen him. Maybe it's that passion that he has not really shown in debates and on the stump. Understandably though, if you have been hammered about your faith for all these months, you ought to take the opportunity to "vent". Mitt did so in manner that showed a controlled frustration with his interviewer. While I'm not sold yet, it sure makes me look at him even closer. | |
| one hot minute writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:48 AM |
| Mitt looked great | |
| Yeah, there are some folks out there who still haven't figured out we're electing a Commander-in-Thief, not a Theologian-in-Chief. If these folks think they have a theological divide with LDS, wait until they find out what living under the Islamic caliphate is all about ! Mitt looked great in handling the situation, and Brightwinger makes a good point about how it appears Mickleson was hoping to catch Romney in a relaxed "gotcha !" moment where, say, the Governor was picking a piece of broccoli out of his teeth. For heaven's sake, at least the guy who does the "Girls Gone Wild" videos asks his subjects to sign a document affirming they know they were being videotaped. And you know if either the Sam Brownback or Ron Paul campaign got ahold of a hypothetical video of Romney picking broccoli out of his teeth, it might enable them each to sustain their 9th and 10th place "grassroots" campaigns for another...two weeks ! Townhall's own anti-Romney blogger Matt Lewis would have been able to mine that gold for at least a week's worth of "If Mitt has trouble with broccoli, just HOW can we trust him to defeat Al Qaeda ?!" posts. | |
| se7en writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:29 AM |
| 2nd Coming acc. to Mormons | |
| Mitt was very impressive. He's exactly right. The whole George Stephanopolis issue is just silly. Mormons believe the 2nd Coming (or when Christ appears to the whole world in His glory), will be at the Mount of Olives! Now, Mormons also believe that he will appear in Missouri BEFORE that time to meet with few faithful mormons. That is NOT the 2nd coming. They also believe that Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 - Is that Jesus's 2nd coming? NO, his 2nd coming is when he appears to the whole world in all His glory, not when he makes little appearances to individuals or small groups of people. Therefore, Mitt is correct on Mormon theology. Mormons do believe the 2nd Coming is in Jerusalem, NOT Missouri. | |
| cordeiro writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:28 AM |
| Mickelson | |
| got taken to school. Well done Mitt. Thanks for the post Dean. | |
| Joe writes: | Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:10 AM |
| Mitt impressed me with this | |
| Mitt held his own and defended his position well. Frankly I thought Mitt was a bit of a phony, but he raised his stature with me a lot with his arguments. They were civil and forceful. Maybe I have been too hard on the Governor. | |
| Joe writes: | Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:45 PM |
| I heard Mitt get way-laid | |
| by Glenn Beck too. It was about the flat tax. I will give Beck limited credit in I think he is a jerk on the flat tax to all politicians, but it was still out of hand. I was impressed that Mitt calmly explained that the American people would not tollerate the superrich not paying any taxes (which is what Beck's flat tax would mean) and the middle class paying the vast bulk of taxes. | |
| Daniel (LA) writes: | Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:43 PM |
| Wow! | |
| Mitt was impressive! Standing firm in his personal beliefs while understanding the difference between personal belief and governance. Mickelson came off as arogant and unwilling to reason. Even as Mitt would offer a rebuttal, Mickelson seemed incapable acknowledging his errors. | |
| Sami writes: | Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:06 PM |
| Love it! | |
| Mitt supporter since Dec '04 Wearing a Mitt shirt today strangely enough. Seeing Mitt handle himself under fire in an "off the record" environment was fantastic. Cool, poised, firm, fair, can't give him enough props. I hope a lot of people see this video. It'll help with independents and the farther right at the same time. | |
| DK Walser writes: | Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:04 PM |
| Wow! | |
| Look, I know Jan Mickelson was TRYING to do the right thing, but that was just way out of line. It was good to see Mitt stand up for himself, but it was so painful to listen to Jan grill Romney about Romney's beliefs. Who's the best arbiter of what Mitt Romney believes, Romney or someone else? | |
| shockfam2 writes: | Friday, August, 03, 2007 10:57 PM |
| Wow. | |
| You know, I've supported Romney for a while now by default (he's been the least "bad"). One of my biggest complaints about him was that he was plastic, that most of his lines were well rehearsed and focused grouped. The only thing I can say now is that he actually really impressed me here. He was firm but respectful and answered the questions directly. I don't know what Mickelson's intent was in releasing this video, but I do think it will only help the Governor. | |
Gov. Romney Interview With Jan Mickelson
Friday, August 03, 2007
Mitt Takes the Gloves Off
Posted by Dean Barnett | 9:58 PM
Yesterday, Mitt Romney went into Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson’s studio for a conversation about politics. At least it should have been about politics. Instead, Mickelson decided he wanted to grill Romney on the Mormon church and Mormon theology. (I also thought Mickelson’s comments on politics, namely that the President should overrule the Supreme Court when in the President’s opinion the Court oversteps its bounds, were a tad on the screwy side as well.)
Mickelson’s station, WHO, had a video recorder on the governor that was recording his off-air comments, something that Romney was unaware of. On the air, Mickelson stated that according to Mormon theology, Romney should have been excommunicated from the Mormon Church because he was once pro-choice. Off the air, Romney tried to gently tell Mickelson that he didn’t know what he was talking about. Although I’ve never heard even a snippet of Mickelson’s show before today, I bet Mickelson holding forth on something he knows nothing about happens on a not infrequent basis. The off air exchange (that once again Romney didn’t know was being taped) was at times heated. WHO today posted the footage on its website.
Dirty pool aside, I don’t think Romney has looked better at any time during the campaign. Firm, decisive, authoritative – that’s the guy I know. While it’s a shame that some members of the media will decide that Romney should have to defend his faith and insist that he campaign for theologist-in-chief as well as commander-in-chief, it was wonderful to see Romney making such a strong case for his candidacy and the proper role of religion in the campaign.
The footage above starts a bit slow, but give it time. I promise you it heats up.
mrclark writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 10:36 PM
Scummy of Mickelson to post this….
But I’d like to thank him for doing so.
Hey…I’ve personally never been “FOR” Mitt Romney like for instance Hugh has. I have no qualms about voting for a man who happens to be a Mormon either.
But viewing this video definitely put Mitt over the top (for me) as a real contender for the office. He shows grit and more than holds his own against Jan Mickelson (whoever that is). And it has nothing to do with Mitt saying he won’t try to impose his religion’s restrictions on alcohol on us either.
Hopefully this Mickelson guy disclosed to the Romney campaign before posting this. It would at least have been the honorable thing to do considering he told Mitt it was “off the record”, and then he puts it “on the record” by releasing it to the public via the web.
shockfam2 writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 10:57 PM
Wow.
You know, I’ve supported Romney for a while now by default (he’s been the least “bad”). One of my biggest complaints about him was that he was plastic, that most of his lines were well rehearsed and focused grouped. The only thing I can say now is that he actually really impressed me here. He was firm but respectful and answered the questions directly. I don’t know what Mickelson’s intent was in releasing this video, but I do think it will only help the Governor.
DK Walser writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:04 PM
Wow!
Look, I know Jan Mickelson was TRYING to do the right thing, but that was just way out of line. It was good to see Mitt stand up for himself, but it was so painful to listen to Jan grill Romney about Romney’s beliefs. Who’s the best arbiter of what Mitt Romney believes, Romney or someone else?
Sami writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:06 PM
Love it!
Mitt supporter since Dec ‘04
Wearing a Mitt shirt today strangely enough.
Seeing Mitt handle himself under fire in an “off the record” environment was fantastic.
Cool, poised, firm, fair, can’t give him enough props. I hope a lot of people see this video. It’ll help with independents and the farther right at the same time.
Daniel (LA) writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:43 PM
Wow!
Mitt was impressive! Standing firm in his personal beliefs while understanding the difference between personal belief and governance.
Mickelson came off as arogant and unwilling to reason. Even as Mitt would offer a rebuttal, Mickelson seemed incapable acknowledging his errors.
Joe writes: Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:10 AM
Mitt impressed me with this
Mitt held his own and defended his position well. Frankly I thought Mitt was a bit of a phony, but he raised his stature with me a lot with his arguments. They were civil and forceful.
Maybe I have been too hard on the Governor.
one hot minute writes: Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:48 AM
Mitt looked great
Yeah, there are some folks out there who still haven’t figured out we’re electing a Commander-in-Thief, not a Theologian-in-Chief.
If these folks think they have a theological divide with LDS, wait until they find out what living under the Islamic caliphate is all about !
Mitt looked great in handling the situation, and
Brightwinger makes a good point about how it appears Mickleson was hoping to catch Romney in a relaxed “gotcha !” moment where, say, the Governor was picking a piece of broccoli out of his teeth.
For heaven’s sake, at least the guy who does the “Girls Gone Wild” videos asks his subjects to sign a document affirming they know they were being videotaped.
And you know if either the Sam Brownback or Ron Paul campaign got ahold of a hypothetical video of Romney picking broccoli out of his teeth, it might enable them each to sustain their 9th and 10th place “grassroots” campaigns for another…two weeks !
Townhall’s own anti-Romney blogger Matt Lewis would have been able to mine that gold for at least a week’s worth of “If Mitt has trouble with broccoli, just HOW can we trust him to defeat Al Qaeda ?!” posts.
Mitt Takes the Gloves Off
Posted by Dean Barnett | 9:58 PM
Yesterday, Mitt Romney went into Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson’s studio for a conversation about politics. At least it should have been about politics. Instead, Mickelson decided he wanted to grill Romney on the Mormon church and Mormon theology. (I also thought Mickelson’s comments on politics, namely that the President should overrule the Supreme Court when in the President’s opinion the Court oversteps its bounds, were a tad on the screwy side as well.)
Mickelson’s station, WHO, had a video recorder on the governor that was recording his off-air comments, something that Romney was unaware of. On the air, Mickelson stated that according to Mormon theology, Romney should have been excommunicated from the Mormon Church because he was once pro-choice. Off the air, Romney tried to gently tell Mickelson that he didn’t know what he was talking about. Although I’ve never heard even a snippet of Mickelson’s show before today, I bet Mickelson holding forth on something he knows nothing about happens on a not infrequent basis. The off air exchange (that once again Romney didn’t know was being taped) was at times heated. WHO today posted the footage on its website.
Dirty pool aside, I don’t think Romney has looked better at any time during the campaign. Firm, decisive, authoritative – that’s the guy I know. While it’s a shame that some members of the media will decide that Romney should have to defend his faith and insist that he campaign for theologist-in-chief as well as commander-in-chief, it was wonderful to see Romney making such a strong case for his candidacy and the proper role of religion in the campaign.
The footage above starts a bit slow, but give it time. I promise you it heats up.
mrclark writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 10:36 PM
Scummy of Mickelson to post this….
But I’d like to thank him for doing so.
Hey…I’ve personally never been “FOR” Mitt Romney like for instance Hugh has. I have no qualms about voting for a man who happens to be a Mormon either.
But viewing this video definitely put Mitt over the top (for me) as a real contender for the office. He shows grit and more than holds his own against Jan Mickelson (whoever that is). And it has nothing to do with Mitt saying he won’t try to impose his religion’s restrictions on alcohol on us either.
Hopefully this Mickelson guy disclosed to the Romney campaign before posting this. It would at least have been the honorable thing to do considering he told Mitt it was “off the record”, and then he puts it “on the record” by releasing it to the public via the web.
shockfam2 writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 10:57 PM
Wow.
You know, I’ve supported Romney for a while now by default (he’s been the least “bad”). One of my biggest complaints about him was that he was plastic, that most of his lines were well rehearsed and focused grouped. The only thing I can say now is that he actually really impressed me here. He was firm but respectful and answered the questions directly. I don’t know what Mickelson’s intent was in releasing this video, but I do think it will only help the Governor.
DK Walser writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:04 PM
Wow!
Look, I know Jan Mickelson was TRYING to do the right thing, but that was just way out of line. It was good to see Mitt stand up for himself, but it was so painful to listen to Jan grill Romney about Romney’s beliefs. Who’s the best arbiter of what Mitt Romney believes, Romney or someone else?
Sami writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:06 PM
Love it!
Mitt supporter since Dec ‘04
Wearing a Mitt shirt today strangely enough.
Seeing Mitt handle himself under fire in an “off the record” environment was fantastic.
Cool, poised, firm, fair, can’t give him enough props. I hope a lot of people see this video. It’ll help with independents and the farther right at the same time.
Daniel (LA) writes: Friday, August, 03, 2007 11:43 PM
Wow!
Mitt was impressive! Standing firm in his personal beliefs while understanding the difference between personal belief and governance.
Mickelson came off as arogant and unwilling to reason. Even as Mitt would offer a rebuttal, Mickelson seemed incapable acknowledging his errors.
Joe writes: Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:10 AM
Mitt impressed me with this
Mitt held his own and defended his position well. Frankly I thought Mitt was a bit of a phony, but he raised his stature with me a lot with his arguments. They were civil and forceful.
Maybe I have been too hard on the Governor.
one hot minute writes: Saturday, August, 04, 2007 12:48 AM
Mitt looked great
Yeah, there are some folks out there who still haven’t figured out we’re electing a Commander-in-Thief, not a Theologian-in-Chief.
If these folks think they have a theological divide with LDS, wait until they find out what living under the Islamic caliphate is all about !
Mitt looked great in handling the situation, and
Brightwinger makes a good point about how it appears Mickleson was hoping to catch Romney in a relaxed “gotcha !” moment where, say, the Governor was picking a piece of broccoli out of his teeth.
For heaven’s sake, at least the guy who does the “Girls Gone Wild” videos asks his subjects to sign a document affirming they know they were being videotaped.
And you know if either the Sam Brownback or Ron Paul campaign got ahold of a hypothetical video of Romney picking broccoli out of his teeth, it might enable them each to sustain their 9th and 10th place “grassroots” campaigns for another…two weeks !
Townhall’s own anti-Romney blogger Matt Lewis would have been able to mine that gold for at least a week’s worth of “If Mitt has trouble with broccoli, just HOW can we trust him to defeat Al Qaeda ?!” posts.
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Gov. Romney Interview With Jan Mickelson
Friday, August 03, 2007
Yesterday, Mitt Romney went into Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson's studio for a conversation about politics. At least it should have been about politics. Instead, Mickelson decided he wanted to grill Romney on the Mormon church and Mormon theology. (I also thought Mickelson's comments on politics, namely that the President should overrule the Supreme Court when in the President's opinion the Court oversteps its bounds, were a tad on the screwy side as well.)
Mickelson's station, WHO, had a video recorder on the governor that was recording his off-air comments, something that Romney was unaware of. On the air, Mickelson stated that according to Mormon theology, Romney should have been excommunicated from the Mormon Church because he was once pro-choice. Off the air, Romney tried to gently tell Mickelson that he didn't know what he was talking about. Although I've never heard even a snippet of Mickelson's show before today, I bet Mickelson holding forth on something he knows nothing about happens on a not infrequent basis. The off air exchange (that once again Romney didn't know was being taped) was at times heated. WHO today posted the footage on its website.
Dirty pool aside, I don't think Romney has looked better at any time during the campaign. Firm, decisive, authoritative – that's the guy I know. While it's a shame that some members of the media will decide that Romney should have to defend his faith and insist that he campaign for theologist-in-chief as well as commander-in-chief, it was wonderful to see Romney making such a strong case for his candidacy and the proper role of religion in the campaign.
The footage above starts a bit slow, but give it time. I promise you it heats up.
From the YouTube comments:
hlynnj (3 hours ago) Marked as spam