Less than half of Americans know Romney’s a Mormon

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/less-than-half-of-americans-know-romneys-a-mormon/2011/10/27/gIQAF6XyMM_story.html

By Adelle M. Banks| Religion News Service, Published: October 27

Less than half of Americans know that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a Mormon, despite recent media attention focused on his faith, a new survey shows.

Just four in 10 Americans — 42 percent — identified the former Massachusetts governor as a Mormon, according to the Washington-based Public Religion Research Institute. That figure remains unchanged from July 2011, despite a flurry of media attention after an evangelical supporter of another GOP candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, called Romney’s religion a "cult."

[Scuba]

1. Yeah, but that same half can name all the Kardashian sisters. n/t

[pampango]

2. "The only group that showed an increased knowledge about Romney’s religion was white evangelicals.."

whose knowledge of Romney’s faith rose from 44 percent in July to 53 percent in mid-October."

“The increase in knowledge of Romney’s Mormon faith among evangelicals is potentially problematic for Romney, since we know from our research that six in 10 evangelicals do not see the Mormon faith to be a Christian religion,” said Daniel Cox, PRRI’s research director.

“As more evangelical voters identify Romney as a Mormon, the question will be whether he can bridge the religious gap with shared political values.”

"White evangelicals" - just the people who hold his religion against him are the ones who are increasingly aware of it. ;)

[DCKit]

3. We get the word out, and he's toast.... but let's wait until he's won the primary. nt

[Enrique]

5. if it's going to hurt him, it would be in the GOP primary

that's where most of the bigots are.

[karynnj]

13. It likely won't hurt in the general election as the alternitive is Obama

who they characterize as a parishioner of Rev Wright or a Muslim - either clearly worse than a Mormon.

It is hard to see things through their stereotypes, but they really don't see the lovey Obama family as they really are.

[Homer12]

4. I thought it said Moran.

n/t

[LonePirate]

6. What difference does his religion make to us? We are better people for not making this an issue.

Personally I would prefer he was an atheist; but I will not begrudge the man for his faith.

[NNN0LHI]

8. If Harold Camping were running for president his religious beliefs shouldn't be an issue?

[WinkyDink]

10. Guess again. Or visit Utah.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. It's Perry's job to inform the other half.

[dkofos]

15. Don't worry he will.

[CanonRay]

9. 82% know he's a Moron, however

[stillwaiting]

11. He has now become "Mormon Mitt" for every time I talk about him with my conservative friends.

Romney is the only one of the Repubs that isn't batshit insane, and if he loses the nomination then Obama's chances of re-election will be
higher, imo.

It's time for all conservatives to become introduced to Mormon Mitt. I'm thinking they might not like him too much.

They have this problem with "the other"...

[MountainLaurel]

12. Americans' ignorance and their bigotry

Which will win out?

[Viva_Daddy]

20. American Know-nothings?

Perhaps this helps explain why so many Americans continue to vote for Republicans.

As the ancient Greeks used to say: "Even the gods struggle in vain with ignorance."

[hobbit709]

14. I need more coffee. At first glance I read that as moron.

[Marrah_G]

16. I read that as "Moron"

:rofl:

[elocs]

17. Democrats would be foolish to be all noble and righteous about not using Romney's religion

against him because Republicans do it in a heartbeat. You can't fight this battle by 2 sets of rules: Democrats wanting a nice and fair battle against Republicans run by Marquis of Queensbury rules while they engage us using street fight tactics. It's a shortcut to getting your ass kicked in most cases.

All that needs to be done is to simply let it be known in a roundabout way that Romney is a Mormon. Nothing wrong with being a Mormon except that thousands of religiously conservative evangelicals believe Mormonism to be a cult masquerading as a mainline Christian denomination. These people will not vote for Obama, but they would not vote for Romney either.

[NNN0LHI]

19. Let me be the first to say I don't play by Marquis of Queensbury rules for politics

I have had no qualms about mocking the snake handling rapture ready Republicans over the years.

I won't have any qualms about mocking Romney for his beliefs either. If he can manage to win the GOP primary that is?

JFK had to promise he wasn't going to let the Vatican run the country before he could get elected. Obama was forced to disavow his minister. It comes with the territory of political campaigns.

No free rides for Mormon candidates either. He will be going under the microscope.

Don

[Aerows]

18. Being Mormon is just one reason he'll never be elected President

The other reason is that his only position that has remained firm has been "I want to be elected". Everything else he's ever claimed to stand for changes from minute to minute, depending on who he's talking to.

[quinnox]

21. I remember when millions said they thought Obama was a muslim in polls

it didn't seem to hurt him any. I don't think religion really makes much of a difference to the average voter. *shrug*

[Jack Rabbit]

22. Gee, I guess no one is paying attention

Since I'm turning 60 next week, I just assumed that Mitt Romney is a Mormon when I first heard of him in connection with the Salt Lake City Olympics several years ago. After all, I knew his father, a one-time contender for the GOP presidential nomination, was a Mormon. It wasn't the issue then that it is now.

I can think of good reasons to oppose Mitt Romney's bid to become president. His religious faith isn't one of them. I drinking a cup of coffee right now and I assume that I will be able to do so even if he becomes president.

[ehrnst]

23. Yes, and they claim to know Obama's a Muzlimm....(nt)

Dems should absolutely bring up Mormon card in response to any statement about religion from the GOP.