You would think that Mitt Romney would be the perfect candidate for the GOP. He is pro life(though he's a convert on that issue) he fought gay marriage when the supreme court of Massachusetts decreed that it was constitutional, he was able to get himself elected in the most liberal of states and was actually able to govern like a republican. Heck, he even looks like a president. There's just one problem, he's Mormon. Anti- Mormonism is the last respectable bigotry in the United States. Would anyone have an objection to him if he were a Lutheran?

Now, this being America, there is freedom of religion. No one is disqualified from office because of his religious beliefs. At the same time people are free to disagree with someones religious beliefs. Yet, I think someone would be hard-pressed to claim they are not bigots to reject someone because of their religion. If someone said they wouldn't vote for candidate A simply because he is Jewish then we could rightly claim that anti-Semitism is influencing his decision. If you claim that Mormonism is an automatic disqualifier then it's fairly obvious that religious bigotry is influencing the decision.

Now, of course, people can be against Romney without being bigots. If someone is against his policies and doesn't care one wit about his religion that is perfectly legitimate. The truth is, however, that criticism of Romney is almost entirely wrapped up in his religion. Most people who are against him are against him because of his religious beliefs, which to mainstream Christians do seem odd, and they demand that he address his religion.

No one demands that Giuliani give a speech about his lapsed Catholicism, or McCain give a speech on faith, or Hillary about her recent discovery of faith. That's because Catholicism, the Episcopal Church, and Methodism are considered in the mainstream and there is nothing to explain. But it might do Romney some good to give a speech on his religion, and if I were advising him it would go something like this.

"My fellow Americans. I am here to talk about my faith. I believe in God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the path to salvation. Yet at the same time I know that there are many people out there who out of hatred or ignorance question my faith or dismiss it as a dangerous anti American cult. This could not be further from the truth. This is a country of many faiths and it is our way to tolerate them.

But let me continue especially to the people who question or ridicule my faith. I ask: how many of you even know a Latter Day Saint? How many of you even know what we believe? Or do you just repeat the anti Mormon preachers who have a monetary interest in attacking my Church? I am running to be President of the United States of America. That means I am asking to run the executive branch of the federal government and be commander in chief, and if you are with me we can plot a new course for our nation. That has nothing to do with where I spend my Sunday morning.

I want to be President, but if my religious beliefs are so repugnant to you that I am instantly disqualified for the job, then vote for someone else. There are lots of other people who belong to Churches that make you feel more comfortable, although their politics might leave something to be desired. In truth if you are the type to jude a person solely on his religious beliefs and are willing to dismiss a person based on those beliefs I would rather you not vote for me at all. As much as I want to be President I don't want to go to the White House on the vote of religios bigots.

But I don't think I'll have to. Most Americans are not bigots, they are honest, hard working, decent people. The Anti Mormons are already against me and nothing I say can change that. It's to the rest of America that I now speak. We are a nation of many beliefs, and we must all work together no matter what those beliefs are. It's time for us to come together and take America into the future. Thank you and God bless America."

I don't know if that's what Romney will say, but it would put the matter to rest. It never should have been an issue to begin with, except for a few elements on the religious right and radicals on the left, who feel threatened by any religious belief. This is not an endorsement of Romney, just an observation that his religion should not play any part.

We are being asked to elect a President next year in what could be the most important election in our Republics history. We can't judge a candidate on religion, this election is too important for that.