Brian Schweitzer continues to be awesome

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/04/schweitzer-goes-where-dems-have-gone-on-romney-121114.html

Is it insensitive? Yes. Is it true? Also yes.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I think the Democrats have just found their nominee for 2016!

Go Schweitzer!

[Oakvale]

I wasn't expecting any Democrats to highlight the weird and sinister religion that Romney belongs to, so this is a pleasant surprise. Not sure it's good politics, though.

[Landslide Lyndon]

FF.

[HST1948]

Romney's religion shouldn't be an issue in this election.  Its not right to attack someones religion, it's not American to attack someone's religion, and it's not a winnable issue in this election. I now have one less candidate to consider voting for in the 2016 primaries.

[argentarius]

I think the Democrats have just found their nominee for 2016!

Go Schweitzer!

I didn't think he'd be the sort of person you would be majorly in favour of. That's partly because he's someone I really like.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Romney's religion shouldn't be an issue in this election.  Its not right to attack someones religion, it's not American to attack someone's religion, and it's not a winnable issue in this election. I now have one less candidate to consider voting for in the 2016 primaries.

He didn't attack him for his religion. He attacked him for his hypocrisy.

[minionofmidas]

Nor is "polygamous commune in Mexico" (ie Americans going to Northern Mexico to both profit from and exacerbate general lawlessness there in the period) much of a salespoint with Mexicans, either.

[Oakvale]

Romney's religion shouldn't be an issue in this election.  Its not right to attack someones religion, it's not American to attack someone's religion, and it's not a winnable issue in this election. I now have one less candidate to consider voting for in the 2016 primaries.

I'd agree that it's not a winnable issue, unfortunately, but why on earth shouldn't someone's religious beliefs be open to criticism? Presumably they have at least some influence on how someone thinks and behaves.

[old timey villain]

This doesn't sound like an off the cuff comment to me. I have a hunch that Schweitzer's comment was planned, either by the Obama campaign or the DNC. They're using him as a surrogate to bring up the topic. Obama can denounce it and steer clear of any backlash while the issue still circulates and brings it into a national conversation.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Wow.  If it weren't for Schweitzer's position on marriage equality, maybe I'd actually be supporting him.  Maybe.

[Vermin Supreme]

I think the Democrats have just found their nominee for 2016!

Go Schweitzer!

I didn't think he'd be the sort of person you would be majorly in favour of. That's partly because he's someone I really like.

Schweitzer is pretty left wing for Montana. He tried to pass single payer last year with GOP state legisatives that are typical GOP when it comes to the issue of health care. He's also pretty libertarian as well, opposing gun control and the Real ID Act of 2005, which makes him good fit for the state without going all DINOish at the same time governing.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I am sure you all would b singing a different tune if some one brought up Obama's association with Ayers or Rev Wright...accusing of racism and bigotry. I am surprised that you all find it ok to attack a man's faith...

[greenforest32]

I look forward to the day you lose votes for saying you believe in nonsensical myths

[old timey villain]

I am sure you all would b singing a different tune if some one brought up Obama's association with Ayers or Rev Wright...accusing of racism and bigotry. I am surprised that you all find it ok to attack a man's faith...

Well, to be fair, that already happened...four years ago. And who said that every democrat approves of it? It looks like a lot of us don't. But the fact of the matter is that this kind of campaigning exists in every cycle. Democrats have usually been at the other end of it (i.e. Dukakis, Kerry, Obama). It was particularly nasty for Dukakis- being asked whether he would support the death penalty if his wife were raped and murdered, very sleazy stuff. Or the ridiculous rumor that Dukakis didn't support the pledge of allegiance. It looks like Mittens might be the one having to fight off brazen attacks this time.

I can't say I approve of it, but I can't help but say to myself, "what goes around comes around..."

[Lief 🗽]

I don't know why it's not okay to attack someone's faith. Surely a person's religion informs their worldview and ideology as much as anything else. Bush would have been much less of a total disaster if he weren't a fundamentalist Christian, for example.

[bgwah]

Who attacked anyone's faith? He merely explained why his father being born in Mexico probably won't be used by the Romney campaign to gain support among Hispanics.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I don't know why it's not okay to attack someone's faith. Surely a person's religion informs their worldview and ideology as much as anything else. Bush would have been much less of a total disaster if he weren't a fundamentalist Christian, for example.

I respect that- but I respect consistency. When Newt says undrstanding Kenyan colonial mindset is important to understand Obama's father's worldview he is attacked as racist... this is very similar but is embraced

[minionofmidas]

Who attacked anyone's faith? He merely explained why his father being born in Mexico probably won't be used by the Romney campaign to gain support among Hispanics.

Actually, he did go into a little rant after that about how "polygamy" is far less accepted than "Mormonism" by the swing voter.
And of course, you'll find polygamy in the family history of many Mormons and all the Mormon gentry.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I think that for anybody to use this statement against either Schweitzer or Obama would be bordering on Talibanism.

[Averroës Nix]

When Newt says undrstanding Kenyan colonial mindset is important to understand Obama's father's worldview he is attacked as racist... this is very similar but is embraced

But that's not what Gingrich said:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Anyway, while his statement isn't quite as ridiculous and inappropriate as Newt's, I do think that Schweitzer's comment was out of line, if only because there's not much reason to believe that Romney's grandparents are the key to understanding his Mittness. I don't care about his grandparents; I do care about the religious beliefs that the man actually holds.

For the record, I believe that a candidate's religious beliefs should be subject to scrutiny, and I agree with what greenforest states in his characteristically caustic way. Or at least, that would be ideal. As it stands, a large chunk of the electorate insists that candidates demonstrate that they are bona fide religious. Skirting the issue entirely is a practical necessity for the irreligious/non-religious.

[NHI]

Schweitzer's type of language has no place in the public debate, and it's sad that no one will call him out on it; especially Harry Reid who is a Mormon, but once again it is all a result of the Democrat's M.O. Attack others, but when the shoe is reversed, call foul.

[bgwah]

Who attacked anyone's faith? He merely explained why his father being born in Mexico probably won't be used by the Romney campaign to gain support among Hispanics.

Actually, he did go into a little rant after that about how "polygamy" is far less accepted than "Mormonism" by the swing voter.
And of course, you'll find polygamy in the family history of many Mormons and all the Mormon gentry.

He's just analyzing the election.

Besides, weren't some of Obama's Kenyan ancestors polygamists?

[tpfkaw]

Who attacked anyone's faith? He merely explained why his father being born in Mexico probably won't be used by the Romney campaign to gain support among Hispanics.

Actually, he did go into a little rant after that about how "polygamy" is far less accepted than "Mormonism" by the swing voter.
And of course, you'll find polygamy in the family history of many Mormons and all the Mormon gentry.

He's just analyzing the election.

Besides, weren't some of Obama's Kenyan ancestors polygamists?

His father was a polygamist.

[Alcon]

but when the shoe is reversed, call foul.

seems reasonable of the democrats, that sounds painful