Mormon tycoon enters White House race
February 13, 2007
timesonline.co.uk
Tim Reid in Washington
Mitt Romney, the former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, set out to convince America today that it is ready for its first Mormon president as he officially entered the 2008 White House race.
Mr Romney, a chisel-jawed multi-millionaire with a remarkable record of achievement in public and private life, has muscled his way into the top tier of Republican presidential hopefuls by assembling a formidable fundraising operation and campaign machine.
But as he began a three-day tour after declaring his candidacy in his home state of Michigan, he faced two significant political hurdles.
First, Mr Romney, who as recently as 2004 appeared pro-abortion and was once a staunch supporter of gay rights, must convince social conservatives — a vital part of the Republicans’ primary base — that he is really one of them.
Second, he must convince the same conservatives, especially Southern evangelicals who hold disproportionate influence in the selection of Republican presidential nominees, that his Mormonism is not a threat. Many on the religious Right do not consider Mormons to be Christians, but view them as a cult.
This strategy was on display as Mr Romney rolled out his candidacy as a Reaganite, small-government social conservative. It was a far cry from the social liberalism he invoked as he charted his political rise in Democrat-dominated Massachusetts.
In a speech that repeatedly extolled family values and the sanctity of life, Mr Romney was flanked by his wife Ann, their five sons and five daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren.
It was a not-so-subtle message that despite being a Mormon — Mr Romney describes the illegal practice of polygamy as “bizarre” — only he among the main Republican contenders has remained married to one woman. His two main rivals, John McCain, the Arizona senator, and Rudy Giuliani, the former New York Mayor, have five marriages between them. Like Mr Romney, they face problems winning over the conservative base.
In 1994 Mr Romney unsuccessfully challenged Ted Kennedy, a liberal lion, for his Massachusetts senate seat. During the campaign he was vocally pro-abortion and gay rights, a message that came back to haunt him.
Three years ago, in an almost overnight conversion, Mr Romney declared himself anti-abortion and a foe of gay marriage.
In his past three years as governor, he vetoed embryonic stem-cell legislation and opposed a state Supreme Court ruling legalising gay marriage. Persuading social conservatives that his conversion is genuine is perhaps an even bigger challenge than his Mormonism. But in recent months, after tireless campaigning, Mr Romney has begun to win over sceptics.
“I believe in God; I believe in the sanctity of life; I believe the family is the foundation of America,” he declared today.
Mr Romney, 59, also focused on his achievements as governor and in his business life. A hugely successful venture capitalist, he stepped in and saved the scandal-plagued 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He closed Massachusetts’s $3 billion budget deficit without raising taxes. His signal achievement as governor was to pass a system of near-universal health insurance.
Pouring scorn on “lifelong politicians” — a swipe at Mr McCain — Mr Romney said: “Throughout my life I have pursued innovation and transformation. Talk is easy. It is the doing that is hard.” He reiterated his support for Mr Bush’s “surge” plan for Iraq, which is also backed by Mr McCain and Mr Giuliani. |
