To the Point
Mitt Romney and Religion in America's Public Life
Massachusetts Senator John Kennedy became America's first Catholic president after a speech in which he said no Catholic prelate would tell him what to do in the White House.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readMassachusetts Senator John Kennedy became America's first Catholic president after a speech in which he said no Catholic prelate would tell him what to do in the White House. In Texas today, less than 100 miles from where Kennedy made his address, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said he does not define his presidential candidacy by his Mormon religion. He promised that if he's elected "no authorities of [his] church… will ever exert influence on presidential decisions." With a Constitutional ban on religious tests for public office, is it political bigotry to question any candidate's faith, or does Mormonism raise specific questions some voters have the right to ask? Did Romney tell them what they wanted to know?
Warren Olney
former KCRW broadcaster
Katie Cooper
Producer, 'One year Later'
Christian Bordal
Managing Producer, Greater LA
Karen Radziner
Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?
Neil Swidley
Reporter, Boston Globe
Damon Linker
former Professor of Political Philosophy, Brigham Young University
Richard Bushman
Professor Emeritus of History, Columbia University