Deseret News Op Ed: Romney and the paradox of political courage
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Read a little closerFebruary 15, 2020
@Frank Pierce, if you click through and read the rest of the article, it DOES say that Mike Lee's vote was also courageous. That's kind of the point of the whole thing.
Frank PierceFebruary 14, 2020
If Romney's vote was courageous, was Mike Lee's vote cowardice? Lee is an expert on the Constitution, and is supposedly just as good a member of the Church as Romney. He has a better conservative record. I suspect that Albert Caldwell has a good point. In the end, who would you rather have for president: Trump or Hillary?
MaryFebruary 14, 2020
President Trump is a flawed man, so is every other person who walks the earth. He is making a personal sacrifice to clean up “the swamp” He has done a lot of good and the impeachment hearings were a joke. Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut (a Democrat) even said- where is the proof? He was asking for real evidence of wrong doing because there was none- except against Senator Biden lining his sons pockets with political bribes. His debauched drug addicted son who is involved in illegal activities. How so many people could be fooled by the mock trial saddens me. Mitt Romney did not show courage rather jealousy and disdain and a personal agenda. His job is to represent his constituents.
MaryannFebruary 14, 2020
There was absolutely no legitimate basis for impeaching the President. I am still shocked that Mitt voted as he did.
WendyFebruary 12, 2020
I do not consider President Trump's lifestyle, speech and communication patterns to be unorthodox, as Albert Caldwell labelled them. The word I would choose would be dishonest or maybe vile. President Trump is a joke, who has done more to lower the level of political discourse in this country than any person I have seen in politics. We will never recover from from what he has done. I too would have voted to impeach him. Senator Romney might not represent all the people of Utah, but he represents me and my conscience and I thank him for his courage and integrity.
Rebecca DouglasFebruary 11, 2020
I am incredibly proud of Mitt! In these days of partisanship and political expediency we see very little personal courage. America needs more statesmen. Thank you Mitt for standing up for your beliefs!
Mike PrescottFebruary 11, 2020
Mitt's style was not a winning strategy against Barack Hussein Obama / (Barry Sarturo). He was a milk-toast nice guy and finished last and let the dumb lady moderator in his CNN debate with Obama turn him away right when he had Obama on the ropes for Benghazi. Trump is confrontational and aggressive and has a more abrasive style. In our current political atmosphere, he wins big races and Mitt loses. I don't care how Mitt votes really but he was just "uninvited" from CPAC for his "own protection." I think his vote makes him a man without a country in the political sense.
Letty VFebruary 10, 2020
I'm so proud of senator Mitt Romney... The world needs people who cannot be bought, who put character above wealth, who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, who can say NO with emphasis, although all the rest of the world say "yes", Who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it"...
Rod HartmanFebruary 10, 2020
I believe we are in a cultural civil war, Trump is the brash, take no prisoners, sometimes distasteful general who has plan to win this war. Romney sits in his pious corner and remarks, I don't like him, he is so immoral and rude etc etc, while our country burns under the leftist progressives. I want the fighter, I did not vote for a religious leader for this war. I want the left defeated and President Trump is doing that. If Mitt were president we would be back to the same of do nothing Republican party. I love the fighter in Trump!
Rieta EbbertsFebruary 10, 2020
If Mitt would have just said he was voting his conscience and left it at that, it would have been fine. But he made it about God and about religion, which implies that to be a faithful Latter-day Saint you must agree with his higher standard. I live in the Bible belt and resent having to explain that Mitt Romney doesn't speak for me.
Carl OlsenFebruary 10, 2020
I respect those who may disagree with me, but it seems to me that Mitt Romney's vote clearly shows that even the very elect can be deceived. Constitutional experts agree that neither of the Articles of Impeachment met the founder's standard of an impeachable offense.
LAMBFebruary 9, 2020
My concern is that when he was running for president, his foreign policy adviser was involved with the same Ukraine gas company that Biden's son was. I hope Mitt wasn't just trying to cover possible political fallout by looking like a good guy. I personally would like to know what was going on over there, read lots about it and it seems to be typical business shenanigans.
Robb CundickFebruary 9, 2020
I keep hearing that Mitt Romney’s vote was wrong because he didn’t represent his constituents. I am one of his constituents and he certainly represented me. How do those who are dissatisfied even know that a majority of his constituents feel the way THEY do? Donald Trump drew less than 50% of the Utah vote in the last election. I suspect there are many Utahns like me who, having now witnessed his antics in office, are even more disgusted with him now than they were then. Thank you, Senator Romney!
TJFebruary 9, 2020
I am from Utah and I appreciate Senator Romney's integrity and courage. He is voting the way I hoped he would vote so he does represent the conscience of some Utahns.
Ed DrebotFebruary 9, 2020
Perhaps everyone has overlooked the integrity of senator Mike Lee who voted for President Trump and also took an "oath to God."
Elaine RazyFebruary 9, 2020
I say "BRAVO" to Mitt Romney for standing up for TRUTH, not party, no matter the consequences!!! This country is sorely in need of people of integrity, like the founding fathers and other statesmen in America's past. Mitt knew before he cast his vote, that he was going to be condemned, but he chose to do the right thing, NOT the political thing. If that's not courage, I don't know what is!!! I am grateful to him and to the people of Utah who voted him into office, believing he would indeed do the right thing, no matter what! May God bless America with more Mitt Romneys!!! We need fresh air and hope for the future.
Noel DuerdenFebruary 8, 2020
It seems odd to me that anyone cannot see that our egotistical president, who blatently lashes out in vile anger at anyone who disagrees with him, cannot applaud Romney for his vote knowing that it would not matter in the end. It needed to be done. Now look at the number of good people who have been dismissed by Trump in his three years because they did not agree with him. Lately, three more who were just witnesses in the bogus House hearings. Yeh, I voted Republican, but Trump is not my ideal as a president, yet I generally agree with his policies, but I blast his style and tell him to shut up. He can't fire me for that..
Neal ChristensenFebruary 7, 2020
I would only say what I've said to a senator from my state. " We, the voters who elected you, didn't send you to Washington to vote your conscience, we sent you there to vote our conscience...you represent us."
Rochelle HaleFebruary 7, 2020
I do not live in Utah, nor is Mitt Romney my senator. Nevertheless, I respect his decision. It was difficult to tell from his remarks if he referred to his "oath to God" as his oath upon taking power or if he was speaking about his personal convictions. As Latter-Day Saints we have recently been counseled by President Nelson seek for additional personal revelation. The outcome of Mr. Romney's vote did nothing to change the President's acquittal. I believe he deserves some credit, whether he was voting his professional or spiritual conscience.
Albert CaldwellFebruary 7, 2020
I don't at all believe it was political courage. I believe it was Mitt's deep dislike for our President and our president's unorthodox lifestyle, speech and communication patterns, and on and on.
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