Romney Campaigning Like It's 1960

The NY Times just discovered that Mitt Romney is a Morman and is having to deal with the public perceptions (or misperceptions) of his religion:

Romney Tackles Mormon Issue
In 2008 Campaign

"As he begins campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination," former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "is facing a threshold issue," the New York Times reports. "Will his religion -- he is a Mormon -- be a big obstacle to winning the White House?"

"Mr. Romney's advisers acknowledged that popular misconceptions about Mormonism -- as well as questions about whether Mormons are beholden to their church's leaders on public policy -- could give his opponents ammunition in the wide-open fight among Republicans to become the consensus candidate of social conservatives."

"Romney is taking no chances. He has set up a meeting this month in Florida with 100 ministers and religious broadcasters. That gathering follows what was by all accounts a successful meeting at his home last fall with evangelical leaders, including the Rev. Jerry Falwell; the Rev. Franklin Graham, who is a son of the Rev. Billy Graham; and Paula White, a popular preacher. Mr. Romney said he was giving strong consideration to a public address about his faith and political views, modeled after the one John F. Kennedy gave in 1960 in the face of a wave of concern about his being a Roman Catholic. "

Although I don't have any memories of the 1960 campaign, I have seen enough reports on it to know that John Kennedy faced many of the same religious hurdles that Romney will, though I don't think as many people considered Catholicism a cult . The cult stigma (at least among some evangelicals) may be a little tougher to overcome than the notion that an American president would answer to the pope.

Romney will have to do what Kennedy did and convince people that he will not bow to the wishes of his church's leaders, but will do what's best for the country. Meeting with prominent evangelical leaders will certainly help, provided he's able to assuage any fears they may have about his loyalties.