National Review’s Kate O’Beirne: “Romney’s performance is his strongest in the series.” (National Review’s “The Corner,” corner.nationalreview.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Michelle Malkin: “So, who won? Quick and dirty reaction: Romney looked strong and energetic …” ( Michelle Malkin , “Live blog ging The CNN/Youtube,” http://michellemalkin.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

Townhall’s Mary Katherine Ham: “[Romney] came across serious and conservative.” ( Mary Katharine Ham , “Who Won?,” http://www.townhall.com/blog, 11/28/07)

The American Spectator’s Philip Klein : “… I thought Romney got the better of that [immigration] exchange. It’s one thing to use Romney’s illegal immigrant lawn care workers in a joke, but it’s another thing to try and base a serious criticism on that.” ( Philip Klein , ” Sanctuary Mansion ,” The American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

CBS’ Vaughn Ververs: “In the opening minutes, Romney and Rudy Giuliani sparred over illegal immigration… Romney appeared to get the upper hand in the exchange, challenging Giuliani on his charge and the sometimes vocal audience sounded a note of apparent disapproval at the mayor’s line of attack.” (Vaughn Ververs, “Romney Battles, Huckabee Shines In GOP Debate,” CBS’S Horserace ‘08 Blog, http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs, Posted 11/28/07)

Captain’s Quarters’ Ed Morrissey : “Romney gets the edge here, especially for beating Rudy Giuliani like a bongo drum on immigration.” ( Ed Morrissey , “CNN/YouTube Debate – CNN Wins,” Captain’s Quarters Blog, www.captainsquartersblog.com, Posted 11/28/07)

· Morrissey: “Romney has this issue [of interrogations] exactly correct. We should not start defining these techniques on national debates for the reasons Romney said.” (”Heading Right,” www.headingright.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Power Line’s Scott Johnson: “Best performance: Mitt Romney.” (Scott Johnson, “Best And Worst Of The Debate,” Power Line, http://www.powerlineblog.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

· Johnson: “Best line of the night: Mitt Romney, on abortion (’I was wrong’).” (Scott Johnson, “Best And Worst Of The Debate,” Power Line Blog, http://www.powerlineblog.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

National Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez: “Romney played it straight and didn’t over explain the abortion change. Seemed a wise and effective approach, especially in this format.” (National Review’s “The Corner,” http://corner.nationalreview.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Heading Right’s Macranger: “Good answer [on life]. People do change.” (”Heading Right,” www.headingright.com, Accessed11/28/07)

The American Spectator’s Philip Klein : “[Gov. Romney] showed more humility by saying several times he was wrong, that he isn’t perfect, that he hasn’t always made the right decisions. It worked a lot better for him.” ( Philip Klein , “Romney’s Abortion Flip-Flop Answer,” The American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

Townhall’s Hugh Hewitt : “I agree with most of the posters at The Corner that Mitt is doing very, very well.” (Townhall, www.townhall.com Accessed 11/28/07)

Former Secretary Of Education Bill Bennett: “Mitt Romney talked about education as the next civil right…Liberals have failed inner city blacks overwhelmingly in the last 30 years.  That’s why the question from the father and son was so pertinent and I thought Romney did a good job on it.” (CNN’s, “Post Debate Coverage,” 11/28/07)

Townhall’s Mary Katharine Ham : “… I grew up in the inner city, in public schools. The plight of those who live there is real, sad, and cannot often be solved by the Nanny State .  Romney focuses on families, empowerment, police protection in solving black-on-black crime, and invokes Bill Cosby. Well done. It addressed the question directly and treated the questioners’ concerns with respect. It was a serious answer with real application, not a flippant appeal to the family values crowd that would have made him look disconnected, which it easily could have been.” ( Mary Katharine Ham , “Romney’s Winner Answer on Black-on-Black Crime,” Townhall.com, www.townhall.com, 11/28/07)

The American Spectator’s John Tabin : “Romney’s answer is pretty good; family’s important, of course it is” (James G. Poulos, “Black On Black Crime,” The American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

Thank you for stepping up to the plate and giving yourself to your country. Thank you to Ann. Thank you to your good sons and their families for also putting themselves out there to fight for what they believe is best for this country.

And to all of the Moms4Mitt readers…may you have a blessed Thanksgiving!

I am so excited to know a great blogger Beth. We just had the greatest conversation about Mitt. And in honor of her BIRTHDAY, I am reposting her amazing analysis of “The Mormon Issue”:

I must credit the title to Steve over at www.mydryfly.wordpress.com

I quote from the comment that Steve made in his own blog over at when he refers to John F. Kennedy, as the first American-Irish Catholic running for President:

“People were worried about Catholicism in the White House. Catholicism has been around for a while and is fairly well understood. It was “old scary” for a lot of people. The LDS church, or Mormonism as it were, is “new scary”. In my experience, I would bet it’s about 80% of the people I’ve encountered still believe that polygamy is a Mormon practice. It’s been well over a century since that has been true, but people remain ignorant.

So the fear of having a religious man in office still exists, a man that belongs to a mostly misunderstood religion is the number one reason why a lot of people will not even take the time to figure out what his political stances are before they write him off.”

So this is what we’re facing — “the new scary.”

Perhaps it’s part of the maturing process of America - to learn to accept the ‘unacceptable’ - the un-understood. After all, isn’t that what is at the root of prejudice* — lack of understanding?

I’m just old enough to remember when John F. Kennedy ran for president.
I lived in Massachusetts then, and, of course, my parents were conservative Republicans and were going to vote for Nixon. I was perplexed, as one of my classmates (in 1st grade) told me: “Well, I’m voting for John Kennedy. He’s cuter!”

Well, that was true — he definitely was cuter. And he got elected as President that year.

But his Catholicism, at the time, was a big deal. It was a huge obstacle.

Many people may not realize it now, but a lot of Protestants believed that Catholics were going straight to hell and … a lot of Catholics believed that Protestants were going straight to hell. (Ireland, anyone?)

I dated a lot of guys who qualified as “pond scum” when I was in high school in the late 60s. My father interviewed every one of them. They all passed — they were Protestants. Except one … Jim Lowe.

Jim Lowe was one of the nicest and most moral guys in my high school.
]
But this guy, Jim Lowe, was a Catholic, and he was forbodden. I could not date him. No. Not ever.

Well, when my parents told me I couldn’t date him, I ran away (to my girlfriend’s house) and eventually got my way and dated Jim Lowe.

Today, my mother (still Protestant) works with Jim Lowe’s mother (still Catholic) in the Right to Life endeavor in my home town in Indiana.

They have found a common bond. They are now united in that bond.

I tell you this story because it is extremely relevant to what is happening today.

Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Orthodox Jews, and other people of various faiths who hold the value of human life in high esteem can all find a common denominator.

America is in the process of getting educated … once again.

I implore my Mormons friends to be patient with the Protestants of today.

I have come to believe that my job, as a conservative political activist, is one of education.

People are so poorly informed. It is human nature to form quick opinions about things we don’t understand. It’s a survival mechanism.

But when we start to talk to people, and really listen to people and then have the opportunity … we can inform people about the way things really are … then we have a done a tremendous service for our country.

I implore you, Mormons and non-Mormons, those who are supporting Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination — Be Patient!

Fear is a real thing for many people.

Listen. Ask questions.

People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.

I see Mitt Romney living this out in his campaign. He is an amazing man.
He understands that people are afraid. Afraid of what they don’t understand.

And, as you can see, the more people get to know him, the more they rally behind him.

*From the American Heritage Dictionary: prej·u·dice (Noun) An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts. A preconceived preference or idea. The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion. Detriment or injury caused to a person by the preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or others.