Political journalists love a pre-packaged narrative almost as much as they love artificial historical analogies, which is why Mitt Romney’s speech Thursday on religion and public life will dominate the news this week. “The speech” not only figures heavily in the press’s Will-Romney’s-Mormonism-cost-him-the-nomination narrative, it also bears the faintest of resemblances to John Kennedy’s famous “Catholic Speech” during the 1960 campaign. My suspicion is that a speech, even if it’s “the speech,” won’t be enough to persuade voters who dislike Romney because he’s a Mormon to give the former Massachusetts governor a second look. Short of Romney’s conversion, nothing will persuade those voters. The decision to deliver “the speech” also speaks to another problem with Romney’s campaign, Jay Cost argues. Here’s Cost’s take:
Despite such strategic transparency, Romney’s trendlines are continuing upward in every early primary state, with the possible exception of Iowa, where his support may plateau. It isn’t time to hit the panic button – yet.
