It looks like the former Massachusetts governor may have to address the Mormon issue head-on -- although it doesn't seem to be something he will do immediately.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Thursday he'll probably deliver a speech explaining the role his Mormon faith plays in his political life, but he argued he's made strong gains among evangelicals despite questions about his religion.

"I have thought about that," Romney said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I haven't made a final decision, but it's probably more likely than not."

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In the interview, Romney acknowledged the issue crops up often enough that he's pondering dealing with it in a comprehensive manner.

"It's probably too early for something like that," Romney said. "At some point it's more likely than not, but we'll see how things develop."

There is precedent for such a step. When John F. Kennedy sought the presidency in 1960, there was a whispering campaign about his Catholicism and he largely put the issue to rest by going to Texas to deliver a speech about the role that religion played in his life.

Romney said it's too early to decide what he would say in such a speech, largely because he hasn't made a final decision to deliver such a talk.

Personally, I don't think Mitt Romney can afford to wait to deal with the issue. His best bet, from where I stand, would be to address the issue at the time of the time of the Texas straw poll, in about five or six weeks. It is an event that all candidates are participating in, in a state where he does not already have a lead. What's more, Texas is a state where the evangelical wing of the GOP is strong -- and a strong showing following such a speech would be viewed as a sign that he has, in fact, laid the matter to rest.

Posted by: Greg at 02:21 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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