Poll: Romney leads, Santorum joins top 3

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The candidate, at a New Hampshire rally, seeks to draw a contrast between that state and Massachusetts<div class=feedflare>
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[DrLeftover]

And Mr. Newt is an expert on who Won't be nominated how?

 

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Republican candidates trailing in New Hampshire go after the frontrunner, but don't do much damage<div class=feedflare>
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In Sunday's debate both say they are against discrimination, but also reiterate stance against gay marriage   Video<div class=feedflare>
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[Fatal Dawn]

Nothing against the guy, but Santorum royally messed up when he compared homosexual marriage to polygamy.

 

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CBS News survey finds Romney holds onto top spot after slim Iowa victory; Santorum rises fast at Gingrich's expense<div class=feedflare>
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[DrLeftover]

[Please forgive the mentioning of religion here, but it is on topic, as we are discussing a Presidential candidate and his views and both in light of their treatment in the mainstream media. I am NOT discussing the religion itself. This is a more or less objective look at the matter in the arena of politics.]





It has been interesting watching the media trying to work over Mr. Romney on his religious beliefs, and their effect on things like Gay Marriage, Abortion, and other 'hot button' issues.





He is a Mormon, which is Christian, which makes him the natural born enemy of liberals in the mainstream media.



However, The CJCLDS has been labled a cult by Fundamentalists, the Roman Catholic Church, and so on. Which means that in most cases the media loves everything wearing a Latter Day Saint lapel pin (remember the Osmonds), and their fondness for last year's Broadway play The Book of Mormon. With the flamboyant exception of Glenn Beck who, as a has been right wing media nutcase, was a very good bad example of the faith.



So the talking heads on the news shows are torn. Romney is religious, which makes him a target, But he is more liberal than most of the rest of the pack, but he is also more Conservative than Mr. Obama, but, when you look at it, JFK was more conservative than O. But he also belongs to this religion that others look at with suspicion and open derision.



What's a good inside the beltway liberal/neo-socialist commentator to do?





From listening to NPR the other day setting up the NH primary, it would seem that they flame Governor Perry's religion- Evangelical, or Senator Santorum's- Roman Catholic, or any of the others, and then throw Mitt into the same fire in passing.



And it was likely Santorum was trying to get a dig in at Mitt and raise the issue of the LDS's former acceptance and even promotion of Polygamy, which it no longer endorses. Remember, at this level, VERY little happens without prior planning and scripting. Fortunately for both, the attempt fell flat on the floor and stayed there.





How do you see it?

 

[Fatal Dawn]

I’m too young to be adding any kind of opinion on politics.



But the way I see it, religion should not have any control on what a person’s policies are or the person’s competence (as naïve as that may sound). Things like religious background, military service, or educational background are (in my view) the most common things people tend to nitpick about but really tend to be inconsequential. Whether Romney is Mormon should ideally say nothing about how he will be in office.



In terms of the media’s influence – well they love a good soap opera. Firstly, contrary to how the media wants to portray them, there are Christian democrats and not all Republicans are dogmatic and extremist. As much as I don’t know about the Latter-day Saints religion, if Glenn Beck represents Mormons as well as Ann Coulter represents Christians then I would take it with a grain of salt.

 

[DrLeftover]

Well stated.



What is fascinating is that both of your examples are absolutely NOT representitive of anything from their respective unberella churchs.



Mr. Beck is a fruitcake, pure and simple. While he does have a good idea once in awhile, and makes some very valid points, he doesn't leave it well enough alone and rides it squarely into the ground, sometimes for MONTHS on end. Often, it seems, without even realizing he's doing so.





Ms. Coulter, on the other hand, is a lightning rod. That is what she does, and what she seems to enjoy, and is very good at it.

She too will make a valid point, but instead of carrying it to its logical extreme she comes up with the most outlandish most antagonizing way of stating it, and then she will dress herself up as she is a rather pretty woman (and according to the feminists, she should be a pro-choice bra burning man hater because of it), then she will get on TV and make her point in such a way as to guarantee a firestorm of response, hopefully from BOTH sides so as to garner her the most publicity for what she said. The railing from the Right will be along the lines of yes, we agree, but we'd never say it like that '#@*^%!' said it!, and the Left would come in she's wrong and she's a '#@*^%!' for even thinking such a thing!



Which sells both of their books, and tickets to their appearances and so on.