Religion and Politics...

By Shawn Healy

The two topics forbiden in the company of strangers, or with those whom you share conflicting viewpoints or denominations. In a presidential race where we have the most formidable female and African-American candidates to date, the issue of religion has also entered the fray on the Republican side of the aisle. Although former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is not the first Mormon to seek the White House (Senator Orrin Hatch ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in 2000), his status as one of three frontrunners in a deep field of contenders has elevated the issue of religion in this elongated contest.

Many Americans seem more willing to vote for a female or African-American candidate than a Mormon, and this brings back memories of John Kennedy's successful run in 1960 as the first Catholic President in history, or Al Smith's losing bid in 1928 as the first Catholic major party nominee. Joe Lieberman's unsuccessful run as Al Gore's VP in 2000 brought similar attention to the issue, but an overwhelming number of American stated that his Orthodox Judaism presented no barriers for them in the voting booth. For many, it actually enhanced his status.

Why then are a large segment of Americans reversing course and concluding that they could not support a Mormon? Is this bias tied to historic misconceptions? Fear of the unknown? It is my hope that these answers will emerge in the coming months, and whoever receives the respective nominations of both parties is judged by their respective policy positions and qualifications for office, and not the color of their skin, their gender, or what house of worship they frequent, or ignore altogether.