Thread: Romney speech is a huge gamble

Romney speech is a huge gamble
By: Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin
December 3, 2007 08:15 AM EST


Mitt Romney's speech is inspired by then-Sen. John F. Kennedy’s shrewd use of a 1960 address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association to defuse worries that the first Catholic president would give undue sway to the Vatican.

Mitt Romney decided to deliver a major speech about his religious faith after concluding attention to his Mormonism would only intensify in potentially unflattering ways in the crucial weeks ahead. But even some of his top aides see the speech as a wildly unpredictable gamble.

Aides were split over the wisdom of elevating the Mormon issue even more, and the campaign goes into the speech with barely disguised trepidation.

Romney, however, is excited to finally be fighting back, advisers said.

The speech, titled “Faith in America,â€

I give Romney credit for doing this. His Mormonism should not be an issue, so I'm glad he's attacking this head on.

Populist I have to agree with you, I live in a community that was mostly Mormon until lately. I have had no problems at all and I am not Mormon.