Posted by
The Valletta Papers on Friday, December 01, 2006 9:34:43 AM
Interesting statement from Jerry Falwell: “There's no question that there are strong feelings about Mormonism. But we're not electing a Sunday-school teacher, we're electing a president. I do not believe his church affiliation will hinder his being a viable candidate among evangelicals.” The upcoming issue (December 18) issue of National Review will have more on Jerry Falwell and the Mormon candidate.
After a Mississippi Newspaper incorrectly quoted Romney claiming Falwell’s backing, the Reverend felt the need to clarify that he has not officially endorsed any candidate. According to the Boston Globe:
Governor Mitt Romney, who has assiduously courted evangelical Christians in preparation for a probable 2008 presidential campaign, was thrust into an awkward position yesterday after a Mississippi newspaper reported that he said he had the backing of the Rev. Jerry Falwell and other religious leaders.
Falwell immediately distanced himself from the remark, reported in the Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jackson, Miss. He insisted that he has not endorsed Romney, while the governor said his comments were taken out of context and that he never implied Falwell had endorsed him.
"It has come to my attention that a statement attributed to Governor Mitt Romney suggests that I have endorsed his candidacy for President," Falwell said in the statement. "I have met with and respect Governor Romney, as I do many of the other prospective candidates for President.
"If Governor Romney becomes the Republican candidate, I could certainly support him," he said. "However, I have not endorsed or offered support for Governor Romney or any other candidate and have no plans to do so in the immediate future."
A spokesman for Mitt Romney emphasized that the Clarion-Ledger newspaper had misstated what Romney actually said. The spokesman provided a transcript of Governor Romney’s actual words. As the Boston Globe noted:
The Clarion-Ledger, which covered Romney's appearance Tuesday at the annual banquet of the Rankin County Republicans in Jackson, reported that Romney touted the support of Falwell and other religious conservatives in discussing his efforts to win over Republican primary voters.
The paper, however, did not quote Romney saying directly that Falwell supported him, a point that Romney's spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, emphasized yesterday.
"What he said was that Jerry Falwell has said in the past that he could support a candidate of a different faith if that person agreed with him on moral and social issues," Fehrnstrom said.
An aide to Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi provided a transcript last night of Romney's comment that corroborated Fehrnstrom's account, showing that Romney said that Falwell and others have said they would be willing to work with him if he is the nominee.
Mitt Romney has made inroads with Evangelicals, which is not something the liberal media like the Boston Globe like to see. A survey of recent news items makes it clear that the liberal media sees it in their interest to drive deeper the wedge between the Mormon candidate and Evangelicals. However, Evangelicals seem more open to the prospect than most liberals initially thought possible. Falwell’s statement that "If Governor Romney becomes the Republican candidate, I could certainly support him" will certainly not hurt Romney’s momentum. More conservative Christians are also concluding with Falwell that “we're not electing a Sunday-school teacher, we're electing a president.” This openness is not something the liberal press wants to allow in conservative Christians.