AP report on Romney's "Faith in America" speech uncritically Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:38:03 -0500

AP report on Romney's "Faith in America" speech uncritically reported Romney's decrying "religious test" for office

http://mediamatters.org/items/200712060003

A December 6 Associated Press article by reporter Glen Johnson uncritically reported Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's complaint that a "religious test" to become president was "prohibited in the Constitution," without noting that Romney himself has repeatedly stated that Americans want a person of faith to lead them.

The AP report -- which previewed Romney's then-upcoming December 6 "Faith in America" speech, in which Romney discussed how, in his words, his "own faith would inform his Presidency if he were elected" -- stated that "Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, declared Thursday that as president he would 'serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause,' and said calls for him to explain and justify his religious beliefs go against the profound wishes of the nation's founders." The article went on to quote Romney saying: "There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. ... To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution."

But Romney has repeatedly said that he believes Americans "want a person of faith to lead them." For instance:

By contrast, after Romney gave his speech, during the 10 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live, journalist Sally Quinn said of the speech: "I'm really stunned because I think it was an obliteration of the idea of the separation of church and state. He eliminated anybody who was a doubter, an atheist, an agnostic, a seeker. It's like, if you believe in God or Christ, you're on my side. If not, you're not."

From Johnson's December 6 AP report:

Republican Mitt Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, declared Thursday that as president he would "serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause," and said calls for him to explain and justify his religious beliefs go against the profound wishes of the nation's founders.

At the same time, he decried those who would remove from public life "any acknowledgment of God," and he said that "during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places."

In a speech prepared for delivery less than a month before the first nomination primaries, Romney said he shares "moral convictions" with Americans of all faiths, though surveys suggest up to half of likely voters have qualms about electing the first Mormon president.

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines," Romney said. "To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes president, he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."

Excerpts from Romney's speech, which he was delivering at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at 10:30 a.m. EST, were released in advance by his campaign.

From the 10 a.m. hour of the December 6 edition of MSNBC Live:

CHRIS MATTHEWS (MSNBC host): For the first time in this campaign, and it's been a long campaign already, I've heard greatness this morning. What I liked was his major statement here, not about his religious profession, but about his profession as to what America stands for. And he said the conviction of the inherent and inalienable worth of every life is still the most revolutionary political proposition ever advanced. That was at the heart of who we are. Sally, I've got to give you a chance.

QUINN: I have to say that I'm really stunned because I think it was an obliteration of the idea of the separation of church and state. He eliminated anybody who was a doubter, an atheist, an agnostic, a seeker. It's like, if you believe in God or Christ, you're on my side. If not, you're not.

MATTHEWS: Joe?

JOE SCARBOROUGH (MSNBC host): I will say what I said at the top of this hour. I thought this was a great idea. He got to stand next to the president of the United States. He got to talk about his faith, and he hit this thing out of the park. [Republican presidential candidate] Mike Huckabee was concerned about this coming up. Like I said earlier, Huckabee said, "I wish I would have an hour." He hit this out of the park. It was a great morning for him, and, you know, throw any candidate into this briar patch. Mitt Romney did well. And good luck from this point forward trying to paint this man as some survivor of Jonestown. He is an accomplished governor. He was an accomplished businessman, an extraordinary businessman. And this, as we say in the South with evangelicals all around us, that dog just won't hunt anymore, and it won't.

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