May 12, 2006

There are some conservatives who have said they could not vote for Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romey should he decide to run for President. The reason? He’s a Mormon.

That strikes me as just as stupid as refusing to vote for anyone else because of their religious beliefs. We don’t elect “theologian-in-chiefs.” We elect people we think are best qualified to run the country.

Need I remind you about Jimmy Carter? Many Christians and conservatives voted for him because he spoke biblical language and claimed to be one of them. When he won, he became one of our worst presidents and did many things many believers thought were inconsistent with his professed beliefs, including the installation of the attorney in Roe vs. Wade as one of his top assistants.

If I’m struck by a car I might be interested in where the ambulance driver goes to church, but I’m more interested in whether he knows the way to the hospital. That’s the standard we should apply to those seeking the presidency and Mitt Romney should be judged on the content of his beliefs and character and not on his faith.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.