Mormons and Democrats

The founder of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, Joseph Smith, received from the Angel Moroni a golden tablet with an incomprehensible script, which Smith was able to  translate with the help of a “Seek Stone.”  The tablet then disappeared.  The translation is now known as the Book of Mormon.  Smith, who had earlier been arrested for fraud, learned that American Indians were descendants of one of the lost tribes of Israel which arrived here from the Middle East by ship.  He wrote down details of a great battle in upstate New York between two groups of descendants of the lost tribe.  He also learned that the Garden of Eden was located in Jackson County, Missouri.

Brigham Young, who led the Mormons to Utah, had further revelations, and, if I am not mistaken, over 50 wives.  Mitt Romney’s grandfather, who had a number of wives, moved to Mexico, which at that time was more receptive to polygamy than the American authorities. 

I may be shaky on a few of the details, but I think I am generally correct so far.

None of this was raised in the campaign.  President Obama and the Democrats never questioned whether Romney’s beliefs would affect his style of governing or impinge on his decision-making process.

Now, imagine if the Democrats had nominated a Mormon to run for President.  Do you think the Republicans would have raised the specter of a Mormon president in the White House?  Would Super Pacs have saturated the airwaves with discussions of weird Mormon theology?  Would the strange history of Mormonism been front and center in the Republican campaign?  Of course it would have.  We really are the good guys.