Did Mitt Romney Have Leader's Permission To Go Pro-Choice?

[_Madison54]

I have friends who send me links to anything about Mormonism (published articles) and I usually just skim through them as I pretty much did this one titled:

"Exclusive: Brigham Young’s Great-Great-Granddaughter on Mormonism and Mitt Romney"
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... omney.html

But, this paragraph caught my attention:

Will he [Romney] be more beholden to his church than to the American people? Emmett recalls that when Romney was stake president in the church, he was pro-life. But when he was running for governor he changed his position to pro-choice. A woman in the church who was a good friend of Emmett’s went to see Romney and thanked him for changing his position. “He told her that he had talked to church leaders in Salt Lake,” Emmett says, “and that they gave him permission to change his position.”

Of course this is hearsay, but how accurate do you think that is?

[_Kishkumen]

I believe it. There is nothing about it that strikes me as unlikely in the least.

Isn't this one of those Judy Dushku nuggets?

[_DarkHelmet]

But did he check with BC Space?

[_Madison54]

I believe it. There is nothing about it that strikes me as unlikely in the least.

Isn't this one of those Judy Dushku nuggets?

Wow....you are up on your references....I'm impressed! I have to say that I am not that familiar with all that's been written about Mitt Romney as I never liked him even back when I first heard of him and was very active in the church.

I'd imagine this is from the same person unless two women had the same experience. Here's what Dushku related:

Judy Dushku: Then in 1994, when Romney was running for the Senate, he came out in favor of choice for women — which was surprising to me. I was pleased and called, asking to see him. I told him I suspected that we had our differences, but that maybe I could work with him if he’d come to a really good position on women and childbirth.

And he said – Yes, come to my office.

I went to his office and I congratulated him on taking a pro-choice position. And his response was – Well they told me in Salt Lake City I could take this position, and in fact I probably had to in order to win in a liberal state like Massachusetts.

Suzan Mazur: Who’s “THEY”?

Judy Dushku: I asked him the same question. And he said “the Brethren” in Salt Lake City.

And I said, Mitt, it doesn’t make me happy to hear that. What you’re suggesting is that you’re not genuinely pro-choice. It’s a position of convenience.

He said – Oh no, I actually had an aunt who died of a botched abortion. So I have some positive feelings about choice, but basically I know that I have to take that position.

Kishkumen,
Do you remember this website (from 2006)?
http://web.archive.org/web/200611152010 ... g/website/
(give it a minute to load)

This website was put up by one of my friend's sons and it was the first time I'd heard much about Romney. My friend sang him praises and wanted everyone to support this effort and send money, etc. I was not impressed.

She still believes that it was her son's effort and website that got Romney to run for president....kinda funny but true.

[_3sheets2thewind]

From the CHI, it can be deduced that the LDS Church is "Limited Pro-Choice".

The Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience. Members must not submit to, perform, arrange for, pay for, consent to, or encourage an abortion. The only possible exceptions are when:

1.

Pregnancy resulted from forcible rape or incest.
2.

A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy.
3.

A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

[_Emma Smith]

I have friends who send me links to anything about Mormonism (published articles) and I usually just skim through them as I pretty much did this one titled:

"Exclusive: Brigham Young’s Great-Great-Granddaughter on Mormonism and Mitt Romney"
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... omney.html

But, this paragraph caught my attention:

Will he [Romney] be more beholden to his church than to the American people? Emmett recalls that when Romney was stake president in the church, he was pro-life. But when he was running for governor he changed his position to pro-choice. A woman in the church who was a good friend of Emmett’s went to see Romney and thanked him for changing his position. “He told her that he had talked to church leaders in Salt Lake,” Emmett says, “and that they gave him permission to change his position.”

Of course this is hearsay, but how accurate do you think that is?

I don't believe it for a minute. Sue Emmett is a liar and has such an axe to grind against the Church her evaluation can't be trusted. She continually bashes so-called "morgbots" etc... "Mormon Royalty?" Please. Everyone is related to Brigham Young.

A better example to look to is Romney's father, George. When asked by Church leadership to alter his position on civil rights he pretty much told them to piss off.

Mitt is a man of convenience. He has no principled stance on this issue and, like Emmett, can't be trusted.

[_Kishkumen]

I don't believe it for a minute. Sue Emmett is a liar and has such an axe to grind against the Church her evaluation can't be trusted. She continually bashes so-called "morgbots" etc... "Mormon Royalty?" Please. Everyone is related to Brigham Young.

A better example to look to is Romney's father, George. When asked by Church leadership to alter his position on civil rights he pretty much told them to piss off.

Mitt is a man of convenience. He has no principled stance on this issue and, like Emmett, can't be trusted.

So in your estimation both Emmett and Dushku are lying. Lying about what exactly? And how do you weigh their purported dishonesty against Mitt's?

I don't know how one decides in a situation where you could, for the sake of argument, have several liars involved.

[_Kishkumen]

Kishkumen,
Do you remember this website (from 2006)?
http://web.archive.org/web/200611152010 ... g/website/
(give it a minute to load)

This website was put up by one of my friend's sons and it was the first time I'd heard much about Romney. My friend sang him praises and wanted everyone to support this effort and send money, etc. I was not impressed.

She still believes that it was her son's effort and website that got Romney to run for president....kinda funny but true.

No, I had not seen that! I am not surprised that she would take credit.

If you were to ask me, I would happily tell you that I am responsible for all kinds of important things that other people have done.

[_Equality]

I don't believe it for a minute. Sue Emmett is a liar and has such an axe to grind against the Church her evaluation can't be trusted.

Strong accusation. What has Emmett lied about? Your examples were not of lies but about her choice of words in describing true-believing Mormons and the LDS church. I have only met Sue once, and have not had a lot of interaction with her. I'm just curious.

[_Emma Smith]

I don't believe it for a minute. Sue Emmett is a liar and has such an axe to grind against the Church her evaluation can't be trusted. She continually bashes so-called "morgbots" etc... "Mormon Royalty?" Please. Everyone is related to Brigham Young.

A better example to look to is Romney's father, George. When asked by Church leadership to alter his position on civil rights he pretty much told them to piss off.

Mitt is a man of convenience. He has no principled stance on this issue and, like Emmett, can't be trusted.

So in your estimation both Emmett and Dushku are lying. Lying about what exactly? And how do you weigh their purported dishonesty against Mitt's?

I don't know how one decides in a situation where you could, for the sake of argument, have several liars involved.

Kish,

For me this is a similar claim that that made my Richard Packham -- that somehow Mitt's temple oaths will make him beholden to SLC.

I look to past/current LDS leaders. George Romney and Harry Reid being great examples. In the first instance, George told SLC to piss off. In the second, if SLC is trying to get Reid to toe the party line he certainly isn't listening. Hatch and others have all taken moderate stances on issues like stem cells etc...

For Dushku I have no frame of reference but Emmett has no credibility. Her evaluation of Romney carries about as much weight as DCPs in convincing me that the Book of Mormon is historical. It may sound plausible but it just isn't.

I know Utah is a special case because the Church wields far too much power in the legislature but I would love to see just one example of where the LDS Church has given a directive to a political leader -- especially when that leader had previously held a contrary view. Sure, many LDS pols hold views on social issues that are already in line with the LDS Church -- as do many conservative non-LDS pols.

Just as you dismissed Packham because in theory this his argument is possible but not plausible, I dismiss Emmett. It just doesn't happen that way and we have no examples (that I am aware of) to suggest that it may in the future.

Emma