Bob Jones III Endorses Romney
Dr. Bob Jones III has decided to endorse Mitt Romney for President, despite Romney’s heathen ways.
Dr. Bob Jones III, chancellor of the fundamentalist Christian university that bears his name, is looking past his religious differences with Gov. Mitt Romney and endorsing the Mormon for the Republican nomination for president, he told The Greenville News today.
“This is all about beating Hillary,” Jones said. “And I just believe that this man has the credentials both personally and ideologically in terms of his view about what American government should be to best represent the rank and file of conservative Americans.
“If it turns out to be Guiliani and Hillary, we’ve got two pro- choice candidates, and that would be a disaster.”
Asked whether Romney’s religion was a stumbling block for him, Jones replied, “What is the alternative, Hillary’s lack of religion or an erroneous religion?
Not exactly an unqualified endorsement. Still, the GOP race does pose some interesting challenges for the social conservative set, to the extent that a large third-party run may not be out of the question if Giuliani ends up being the GOP candidate. I guess when it comes down to it, some folks on the religious right will take a Mormon over a pro-choice candidate. Maybe.
Personally, I would predict that this endorsement will not aid Romney’s candidacy. I also think that the social conservatives in the GOP will hold their nose and vote for Giuliani if he wins the nomination, rather than push for a large third party run. Of course, seeing as how two years ago I predicted that Hillary Clinton would not run for President, I suppose you can take my election prognostication with a big grain of salt.
I worry that Guilianni will have another cancer moment and leave the GOP with no candidate at a crucial moment.
“I guess when it comes down to it, some folks on the religious right will take a Mormon over a pro-choice candidate.”
But why is he endorsing a Mormon who was fairly recently also pro-choice, one who, as Huckabee once said, had his conversion on the road to Des Moines, not Damascus?
You’ve got me. Given that Huckabee, McCain, and Paul all have consistent pro-life records, I confess that this puzzles me, not being particularly socially conservative at all.
Is there a term for an endorsement that makes you less inclined to vote for a candidate than you were before the endorsement occurred?