My advice to Romney...skip the Mormon speech

Dear Governor Romney,

Skip the Mormon speech.

There are those who have been waiting for you to give a "Mormon speech". In this speech you are supposed to give a Kennedy-like speech to reassure the American people that you won't take orders from the Pope, or the Prophet in your case.

But I don't think that a speech like that would accomplish much. The bigots will still be bigots, the tolerant will still be tolerant, and the Mormons will still be Mormons.

And people don't really care anyway. Only 28% of Americans polled said that they wouldn't vote for a Mormon because of his religion. Compare that to the 50% of Americans who wouldn't vote for Hillary...because she's Hillary.

What's at risk is that you will look defensive, and almost apologetic for your faith. The speech could stir up more controversy than it puts aside.

The speech will put too much focus on your religion, and you won't have enough time to clear up the misconceptions and cover all the bases.

The questions that people should be considering are:

Do we want to put someone in the White House who will cut spending and balance the budget? Do we want someone who has turned around dozens of corporations and governments and made them profitable?
Do we want someone who GETS THINGS DONE?

And the questions we don't want people worrying about are:

Am I "ready" for a Mormon in the White House?
Sure he says that he won't take orders from Salt Lake City, but what if he secretly does?
What's the deal with Polygamy anyway?

The press would love the speech. They'd sell tons of newspapers and TV time would be through the roof.

Instead, Governor, you need to pick an issue and make it yours. Make the issue be about change...and make it something that America desperately needs. Your supporters should be able to say I am supporting Mitt Romney because______________. And it shouldn't be too complicated.

You have spent the past year telling us what your stance will be on the various issues. So most of us know that you will be a good Republican president. But you need an issue that will distinguish you from the rest of the pack. You need a mandate. Find that, and people won't care what religion you are.

Replace the long-awaited Mormon speech with a speech about what you will change once elected. Instead of simply laying aside fears, you give us something to be excited about! You have done a great job so far, just focus your message to one or two passions...and then the American people will follow.

Maybe at the end of the speech you can say: "the only orders I will be taking from Salt Lake City are the same orders I will take from the American people everywhere, to protect the homeland, to clean up Washington, and to grow the economy".

That's all us Salt Lakers want anyway.

Sincerely,

David Alvord