Is Mitt Like Mike?

Mitt Romney has gone to great lengths to convince the public that his Mormon church would not drive public policy if he should become president. Lots of people, however, have not been persuaded, and perhaps for good reason. The Salt Lake Tribune late last month ran a story that once again illustrates just how involved the church can be in politics. The story isn't about Romney but another Mormon in public life, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.

Before joining the Bush administration, Leavitt served three terms as governor of Utah. Recently, the state posted thousands of pages of documents from his tenure online. Buried in the archives were several hundred pages of transcripts of "Early Morning Seminary" meetings Leavitt held in 1996 at the Governor's Mansion with his top advisers, including the U.S. Attorney at the time, a high-ranking Mormon church official, and a former professor from Brigham Young University. Leavitt convened the meetings to study the Book of Mormon to figure out how to best incorporate "holy and just" principles of Mormonism into state policy. Leavitt singled out several themes from the religious studies, including a focus on marriage, which later translated into a campaign to ban unmarried couples from adopting children.

Like the good Mormon he is, Leavitt recorded all the meetings (Mormons seem to write everything down), and the transcripts ended up in state archives after he left office. After the Tribune started asking questions about the meetings, Leavitt asked the state to take the transcripts off-line, arguing that they were not official meetings and might even be "sacred." Naturally the state complied, so you can't read them in full, but the Tribune posted some with its story, and they provide an interesting insight in to how deeply involved the LDS church is in Utah politics. Of course, just because a cabinet secretary based his public policy on the Book of Mormon doesn't mean Romney would as president, but it's stories like these that leave people deeply suspicious that he could simply check his faith at the door if he were elected.

Comments

If Romney has the most efficient campaign isn't that a reflection of his leadership, management and political pizzaz....wake up America, we got a viable president with real experience and leadership.

Posted by: RMax on 01/07/08 at 8:46 AM Respond

MacCain is 70 yrs old, has a militaristic point of view and has squandered his campaign finances ---- is this the kind of president you want --- wake up and get real America!

Posted by: Rmax on 01/07/08 at 8:49 AM Respond

McCain is 70 yrs old, has a militaristic point of view and has squandered his campaign finances ---- is this the kind of president you want --- wake up and get real America!

Posted by: Rmax on 01/07/08 at 8:50 AM Respond

Reid, the Senate Majority leader is a Mormom. He should resign.

Posted by: Aaron on 01/07/08 at 9:51 AM Respond

When Romney went through the secret LDS temple endowment ceremony he would have taken the oath to observe the Law of Obedience and promised before God, angels and witnesses to “accept the Law of Consecration as contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, in that you do consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion.” If Romney should be elected, would he view the US Presidency as something the Lord has blessed him with? Would he keep his sworn oath to consecrate that blessing to the LDS Church?

Posted by: caedmon on 01/07/08 at 6:41 PM Respond

caedmon, I am more concerned about the Jewish Zionists in the Senate and the Congress who put Israel's interest first before American interests.

Posted by: Bobby on 01/07/08 at 6:49 PM Respond

Do people get upset when the President holds prayer meetings with Billy Graham or other popular ministers. How is that different. When Mitt makes it to President his consecration to God would be to be the best President he can be, not to make every american a mormon.

Posted by: Lynda on 01/07/08 at 7:23 PM Respond