So's Your Liberal Mother

Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times are out with a poll today about a Mormon as president. In the poll, 35 percent of registered voters say they would not vote for a Mormon for president. What a bunch of bigots, you say.

So’s your liberal mother, I say. Let’s look at the numbers.

Among political groups, the highest opposition to a Mormon candidacy comes from people who describe themselves as liberal Democrats, 50 percent of whom say they wouldn't vote for a Mormon.

As they say about bigotry, you’ve got to be carefully taught. And one thing that liberal parents teach their children, it seems from the figures, is to mistrust Mormons.

Because it couldn’t be the media that is teaching liberals to be bigoted towards Mormons, surely? And it couldn’t be the schools. It couldn’t be the Democratic Party, which is committed to diversity. So who else is left but the parents?

By the way. If you prefer not to use a perjorative, the Mormons call themselves the Church of Latter Day Saints. Their church has been growing steadily since Joseph Smith had his vision back in the Burned Over District in New York State back in the nineteenth century.