He’s got experience, presidential demeanor, the looks and money. His Mormon religion may deliver a JFK moment when Americans finally voted for a Catholic President in 1960 or it could be the insurmountable obstacle with a large segment of the Christian-right base in the Republican primaries. The Halo Ceiling: We’ve heard of the “glass ceiling” in executive suites for women. There is a similar perceived limitation on electability for US President. A substantial segment of fundamentalist Christians refuse to vote for Mormons. They view Mormons as not Christian. Some have labeled Mormons as a cult, (Church of Latter Day Saints and various off-shoots). One of Rick Perry’s supporters and Christian evangelical pastors, Robert Jeffries, while introducing the Governor at a campaign rally on behalf the latter candidate launched such a “critique” of Mormonism. It was intended to be a direct repudiation of Mitt Romney as a Christian qualified candidate. Governor Rick Perry distanced himself from those immediate comments, but only the reference to “cult” while refusing to address whether they considered Mormons as Christians. There is also suspicion that Perry’s campaign had orchestrated the affair to give their candidate an opportunity to come across as more open-minded while planting the seed of doubt regarding Romney’s Christian qualifications among the base. And, most of the rest of the Republican field also did not embrace Romney as a fellow Christian while to degrees rejecting the “divisive” terminology of “cult.” (John Huntsman also Republican presidential aspirant and trailing far behind in the polls for now is also a Mormon). A Base that will Refuse to Vote for Romney Under Almost any Circumstance? Mitt Romney has a unique problem. A portion of the Christian right Republican base will refuse to vote against him no matter what in the Republican primary. This may be enough to deny him the Republican nomination or at least extend the primary fight and make it even more bloody and divisive. Even if he wins, these Republicans crucial for victory in the general elections will refuse to vote for Romney except perhaps if the alternative is a Jew or a “Muslim labeled” Obama. It is most likely that such Christian-right voters will stay at home, denying Romney crucial votes even if not adding to Obama’s. Romney cannot hope to garner many votes from the center to left spectrum. Despite having been perceived as libertarian and more center leaning Governor of Massachusetts a decade earlier, he has shifted his rhetoric right, and his moneyed background with “hedge fund” Bain Capital, makes him appear to close to Wall Street excess (SEE Above PHOTO from BAIN CAPITAL) just at time when “Occupy Wall Street” is starting to capture the popular imagination of many in the middle and working classes. A Center-Left that may Refuse to Vote for Obama? Perhaps though the best outcome for Mitt Romney’s unique problem is not that voters will reject Obama as a “Muslim,” or “not of American birth,” but that “Occupy Wall Street” will repudiate Obama as not Democratic/working class enough and having failed to deliver on his promise for “change.” Perhaps these center-left voters would opt to stay at home on election day (mirroring the Christian-right boycott of Romney) or they could give rise to a third party candidate on the left that will this time around deny Obama huge chunks of the Democratic base. Is there Such a Thing as “Excess in Money” – Money as Adornment & Greed as Vice? Looking at above photo of Romney (at center with dollar bill in jacket and in hand) and Bain Capital associates, it does appear from a different era of “conspicuous consumption” and the adornment of one’s life with money. Nothing against money, and I certainly could wish for more and perhaps would find it difficult to say when enough is enough. Nonetheless, I find it curious that while so many Republican candidates have spoken out against excesses in drink, sex, drugs and rock & roll, none have approached greed as a vice. Herman Cain has been a particularly vocal vicar of the virtues of wealth, perhaps perceiving himself as a new convert. I wonder though if this photograph of Mitt Romney will open a discussion on greed as excess, at least in context of money as adornment? PREVIOUS POSTING – “Herman Cain -Will This Man be America’s Next President?” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/will-this-man-be-americas-next-president-by-ambassador-mo/36191 By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey



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