Der Mittenfuhrer's strategist says questions on Multiple-Choice Mitt's faith are fair game

[Ian David]

To Romney strategist, questions on faith fair game
By Scott Helman, Globe Staff | March 6, 2007

CAMBRIDGE -- It's appropriate for the public to ask questions about Mitt Romney's Mormon faith as he pursues his presidential campaign, a top Romney campaign strategist said yesterday.

Strategist Alex Castellanos was speaking at a forum of Republican presidential advisers held at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He was asked why the media seemed to be celebrating the fact that the country may elect its first African-American or woman president, but treating the specter of its first Mormon president with suspicion.

"I think there's very little known about the governor's faith," Castellanos said at the forum, which also featured top advisers to Senator John McCain of Arizona and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. "It's just a question mark that folks are right to ask about."

The forum treated about 400 students, faculty, and guests to a peek inside three leading GOP presidential campaigns. The advisers, who also included Rick Davis for McCain and Chris Henick for Giuliani, were guarded and revealed little beyond conventional wisdom, but they offered some insights into how issues such as Iraq and the Internet are figuring in their strategies.
Castellanos fielded more questions about Romney's religion from students as the night wore on, including one who referred to the Mormon Church's former exclusion of blacks from its leadership as a "horrible history."

"Do you think he stands a chance with black voters?" the student asked.

"Let's put him down as undecided," Castellanos joked, before saying that both political parties could find racism in their pasts and that in America "things change."


A panel discussion featured Republician advisers (left to right) Alex Castellanos, who is a top strategist for Mitt Romney; Rick Davis for John McCain; and Chris Henick for Rudolph Giuliani. (MATTHEW J. LEE/GLOBE STAFF)

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