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A Question Of Faith; Shuttle Launch Delay; Shopping Malls As Targets; Mortgage Meltdown

Aired December 06, 2007 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Though he says his opposition stems from Romney's one-time support of abortion rights, not his Mormon faith.
John King, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.

A mail bomb explodes at a Paris law office. One person is killed. But was she the target?

COLLINS: Robert Hawkins. A troubled, young man takes eight lives at a mall, then his own. Why did he do it? Also a medical update on the wounded coming shortly.

HARRIS: This hour, Mitt Romney talks religion and his Mormon faith. The speech ahead, this Thursday, December 6th, in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Mitt Romney is speaking out on religion, but don't expect him to explain what it means to be Mormon. His speech coming up at the bottom of the hour right here on CNN. Meanwhile, Dana Bash, part of the best political team on television, is live with us now from College Station, Texas, where the speech will take place.

So, Dana, we've seen a few excerpts of this speech and a few surprises here, like we just mentioned, no definition of what it means to be Mormon.

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Heidi.

No definition of what it means to be Mormon, but he will be very clear about what his religion means to him. And he will not run away from it at all, despite the fact that it does hurt him with some religious voters, some evangelicals, especially in those early, critical states of Iowa and South Carolina.

What Mitt Romney is going to tell Republican voters who are skeptical is that he is really just like them when it comes to issues of values, of faith, of family. And, in fact, I'll read you an excerpt of part of his lengthy speech that he will give just in about half an hour. He'll say, "any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion - rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith."

So what he is really going to try to do here is to appeal to those critical so-called values voters who are in the Republican electorate and make clear that he, like them, believes that there is a place for faith, for God in a public square. That that is something that should remain a part of the public discourse, if you will.

But he is also going to try to walk a fine line there and have, if you will, a JFK moment, an allusion to what John F. Kennedy did back in 1960 here in Texas when he talked about his religion, his catholic religion. What Romney will say is that he does not believe that if he puts his hand on the Bible and swears to uphold the oath, that will be an oath to God, rather it will be an oath to the actual office of the presidency. So, Heidi, again, we are going to not hear him give a tutorial about the very mysterious religion to many people of Mormonism, but he is going to be very clear that he stands by his faith and he is proud of his faith.

COLLINS: But, Dana, when we talk about the JFK speech going back some 47 years or so I believe it was, that was two months before the general election. He seemed to be the clear nominee. This is so very different because of the timing. Why do you think the campaign decided to do this now?

BASH: You know, this has been debated, Heidi, from the beginning of the Romney campaign, since he decided that he was going to run for president, inside the campaign, outside the campaign. And I'll tell you, just maybe two weeks ago his advisers were saying that, you know, it was probably unlikely he would give this kind of speech until after Iowa. But, you know, I was just talking to one of his advisers who candidly told me inside, the reality on the ground, especially in Iowa, is that Mitt Romney is losing ground to Mike Huckabee, especially with those evangelical voters, and he needs to set the moment here, both in terms of what he's going to say content-wise and, just tactically, he needs to become the news. And that is what he is doing with this speech.

COLLINS: All right. Well, it will be fascinating to see how it's received. I know you'll be covering that and other things as well. Dana Bash.

Thanks so much, Dana.

And as a reminder, we are going to be bringing you Mitt Romney's speech, faith in America. It will be live right here in the NEWSROOM. It begins this hour, 10:30 Eastern, 7:30 Pacific.

HARRIS: You know we told you last hour about a problem with the space shuttle Atlantis. A problem with a series of sensors. And it was giving technicians real fits as they were fueling up the shuttle. We've just learned that today's launch has been scrubbed because of those problems. John Zarrella is standing by with the very latest on this.

And I guess they just couldn't figure out or are still in the process of figuring out how to fix the problem, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Exactly, Tony.

And we suspected that this would happen. When you have two of these four sensors, there are four of these echo sensors, those are engine cutoff sensors, in the shuttles giant external tank. And, of course, this is the external tank here. And you had two sensors fail down in the hydrogen side. You have to have three of the four working in order to fly.

Now we've got some animation that we can show you of exactly what those sensors look like and how they work. And the bottom line on this is that what they do is they, obviously, they tell engineers the fill level in that external tank. And they started filling the tank at about 7:00 this morning. At some point in that, these sensors failed. So now they've got to determine whether it's the sensors themselves that are bad or some other component, perhaps outside of the space shuttle vehicle, maybe on the ground support equipment.

What they're going to do is do a 24-hour turn around. They scrubbed at 9:56. Just about 10 minutes ago. And they're going to try to fly again tomorrow afternoon. That's the plan right now. But, of course, that is subject to change depending on what they determine is the problem.

There could be a much longer stand down in this flight if they were to have to go back inside that external tank and actually remove and replace those sensors. That could be very problematic for NASA and definitely, Tony, could cause an even longer delay.

But right now we're operating under the assumption 24-hour turnaround. They'll drain the tank down now and then they'll start to refill it again tomorrow morning and see where that goes.

HARRIS: Thanks for the update. John Zarrella for us this morning.

John, thanks.

ZARRELLA: Yes.

COLLINS: I heard a crack and then it just crumbled. A construction worker describes the collapse of this unfinished parking garage in Jacksonville, Florida. We were showing it to you moments ago. Now more live pictures coming into us from our affiliate there, WTLV in Jacksonville. Thirteen workers are hospitalized. Another is missing. Police don't know if he is trapped under the debris or if he possibly managed to escape. It happened while workers were pouring concrete on the sixth floor of the building.

At the bottom of the hour we should learn more about the shopping mall massacre in the heartland. Police in Omaha, Nebraska, say 19- year-old Robert Hawkins shot and killed eight people before killing himself. Five people were also hurt. Two of them are in critical condition this morning. Hawkins was described as troubled and depressed from recent problems. A split with his girlfriend and losing his job at McDonald's. One friend says it's hard to believe Hawkins was capable of this carnage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN SAUNDERS, FRIEND OF ROBERT HAWKINS: I was so shocked when I heard about it. Like, knew the Rob guys (ph). You know this (ph), you know, a lot like me. And I just never thought he'd do something like that. He was the one guy, you know, if people would be getting in a fight, he would be the one trying to break it up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Saunders says his friend had been on anti-depressants the last couple of months.

HARRIS: Shopping malls. Security experts say they are an easy target and so are you. But you don't have to be. CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena joins us from Washington.

Kelli, good to talk to you.

Let's start with this. What are other countries doing to protect their mall customers?

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Tony, many security experts point to Israel as a very good example. I happened to visit the country with a group of security experts, and I can tell you it was an entirely different experience.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA, (voice over): This mall in Jerusalem may look like many in the United States, but just try getting inside.

GIDEON AVRAMI, MALL SECURITY DIRECTOR: The major check is done here. And in case something goes wrong, it will be out of the mall and not inside.

ARENA: The security is intense. Gideon Avrami, who is in charge of keeping shoppers safe, says there are armed guards patrolling the perimeter.

AVRAMI: One of the guys puts a binocular, watches the mountains around, the buildings around, mostly to be seen.

ARENA: Cars coming into the parking lot are searched and shoppers go through metal detectors. Gil Kerlikowski, Seattle's police chief and the group of law enforcement officials that he traveled to Israel with, got an up close look at the security measures. Here the private sector works hand in hand with Israeli police, a relationship Kerlikowski says should be emulated with businesses in his area. CHIEF GIL KERLIKOWSKI, SEATTLE POLICE: I think I need to do a much better job to embracing them and go out to them, not waiting for them to knock on my door.

ARENA: Heavy security is just part of the offensive. Intelligence gathering is equally important.

AVRAMI: Once there is knowledge or intelligence about suicide (ph) bombing, it goes from the Israeli security services immediately to the police. From the police it goes immediately to the private sector (INAUDIBLE) immediately I'm saying about minutes (ph).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Now, obviously, security in the United States is nowhere near where they've got in Israel, which has had to deal with the issue of suicide bombers. Security experts say mall owners in the United States know what they need to do but they won't because it costs money. So until there is a major catastrophe, Tony, and shoppers stop showing up, there's little incentive for them to make the changes that security experts say are necessary.

HARRIS: That's a fascinating look. CNN's Kelli Arena for us.

Kelli, great to see you. Thanks.

COLLINS: Adjustable rate mortgage. Is yours about to take off like a rocket? Well, help may be on the way. But will you qualify? That seems to be the question. CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis is here now with more information on that.

Good morning to you, Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. Good to see you.

COLLINS: You too.

All right. So what is this all about? We have to make sure that we qualify first to get a deal, if you will.

WILLIS: Yes. The first thing you want to do is look at the documents. Know when your rate will expire and what you'll be paying. The easiest thing to do is to pick up your mortgage note or your adjustable rate rider. You'll find out how long you have before your rate adjustment and how to determine what that interest rate will be.

If you don't have a copy of these documents, call your mortgage lender to get copies. It's not free. It could cost you $25. If you don't understand the terms of your mortgage, even when you get the documents, make sure to ask your lender. Call them. Ask questions.

You'll also want to look for prepayment penalties. Look, these are penalties that you'll pay if you refinance before they want you to. And it is not cheap. The penalties can run into thousands, thousands of dollars. COLLINS: Well, how hard is it then, Gerri, to refinance if you're facing a reset?

WILLIS: Well, refinancing is a whole different ball game than it was say two years ago. These days if you want to refi, you'll have to have a decent credit score of 650 or higher. You'll need to document your income and your assets. And you'll need at least 10 percent of equity in order to refinance.

Now, if you don't have a lot of equity in your home or the value of your home has dropped significantly, it may be tough to refi. But there are programs that can help you if you can't find a lender. Get more information at fha.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FHA.

Now, on the other hand, if you have good credit with equity in your home and you're not carrying too much debt, you will find attractive refinancing rates. In fact, 30-year fixed rates right now are at their lowest level since mid March.

COLLINS: Well, that's some good news.

WILLIS: Yes.

COLLINS: What happens, though, if you just really can't refinance at all?

WILLIS: Get on the phone with your lender. If you're in real trouble here, ask for the loss mitigation department to work out a repayment plan. Document your hardships as best you can. If, for example, you lost your job, you have high medical bills, keep copies on hand to help your case. You may be able to suspend your payments for a certain amount of time or you may be able to work out a payment arrangement. Make sure you keep a record of all your phone conversations. Get promises in writing.

COLLINS: Very good idea, as always. Is there any alternative to foreclosure though? We've been hearing so much about foreclosure.

WILLIS: Yes. Actually there is. If you're worried about foreclosure, try to negotiate what they call a short sale. Now this is a deal negotiated between a lender and a borrower where the lender agrees to accept less than the amount you owe on the mortgage. First off, you'll need to prove to the lender that you are unable to afford the payments and you'll have to find a buyer. Keep in mind, in some cases, you may have to pay off the difference between the short sale and the original mortgage. Devil is in the details.

Of course, we don't know all the details on the government's plan that's being announced today, but I'll be following the story throughout the day. And later in the day we'll be talking with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on the topic and I'll be reporting those details as well.

Heidi.

COLLINS: OK. Very good. And you're going to have even more information about all of this because people are very interested in "Open House," right?

WILLIS: That's right. You know, we'll have the interview with Secretary Paulson, Saturday morning, 9:30, right here on CNN. If you can't get up that early, join us on Headline News at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. We'll be talking all about the mortgage meltdown. All kinds of details on what you can do right now if you're in trouble with your mortgage.

COLLINS: All right. Terrific information. Thanks so much. CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

HARRIS: Will he win any converts? A "Washington Post" columnist and the former Christian Coalition director on Mitt Romney's speech this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's take a moment and take a quick look at the gunmen behind the Omaha mall shooting. Robert Hawkins was 19. Court documents show he had a criminal record. His landlord described him as troubled. Those troubles may have grown worse recently. We're told he had split with his girlfriend and was fired from his job at McDonald's.

COLLINS: One person who reached out to help Robert Hawkins was the mother of a friend. Last year she opened her home to Hawkins. She found the suicide note he left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was a depressed person. He had been very depressed, but it looked like he was getting better. He had gotten a job, he got a car, he got his driver's license. So things were looking better for him.

I know that in the past couple weeks he had broken up with his girlfriend. And today, when I talked to him on the phone, he had said he had gotten fired from McDonald's, and that really put him over the edge. He said that he was sorry that he was a burden and he wasn't going to be a burden any longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, will he win any converts? A "Washington Post" columnist and the former Christian Coalition director on Mitt Romney's speech this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Mitt Romney, religion, and the race for the White House. The Republican presidential candidate speaking out on faith and politics just a few minutes from right now. A preview from two members of the best political team on television, chief national correspondent John King will be joining us live from Boston and Dana Bash -- there he is -- Dana Bash in College Station, Texas, where Romney will be speaking. Let's start with Dana.

Dana, I have to ask you, and forgive me for being Tony here for just a moment, but if Mitt Romney is not going to give us a little one-on-one in Mormonism, how is this any different than any other quote, unquote, major speech, in quotes here, that any of these candidates might give on any given day, because this is a speech where Romney is probably likely to get road-block coverage.

BASH: It is. And it really is a different speech. It's a good question. But he may not be, you know, explaining the ins and outs of the book of Mormon and all of the -- and sort of lift the cloak of some of the mysteries of his religion. But he definitely will be speaking quite extensively on his faith, what his faith means to him. Not make any apologies for that.

But also talk about just in general the role of faith and values that he will have when it comes to his public life, if he were to be elected president. This is something that he does make clear that he thinks is important because of the fact that people have questions about his religion.

And there's no question that that exists out there. I just came from Iowa, Tony, and just bumped into an evangelical voter at a Mike Huckabee event who said point blank that he would like to maybe go for Mitt Romney but he simply won't because he doesn't really know enough about and is quite skeptical of his religion. So this is an attempt for Mitt Romney to say, I have the same values as you, I have the same faith as you, and I really want to have the same goal when it comes to faith and values in the public square, if you will.

HARRIS: And yet there clearly is a group that doesn't believe that the values are necessarily shared. I'm just curious, do we know whether in some of these private meetings where he's meeting with evangelicals, he is actually taking on point by point the criticisms or the issues or the concerns that the evangelicals have with him? Is that happening?

BASH: He definitely has had private meetings, especially early on as he started to make his first trips to the states where evangelicals are really critical to the vote, like Iowa and South Carolina. He has had private meetings where he has had very specific questions, we are told from his campaign, by very important religious leaders in those particular meetings.

And what we are told that he found is that, because he found that he was able to sort of reassure those important leaders in those meetings, and even on the stump in town halls, he's asked about it in public also, that that's why he wanted to give this major address. It's in order to sort of have this moment for all of the Republican voters to hear him, not just in those private meetings.

Tony.

HARRIS: He must have found his voice in those private meetings. Dana Bash for us this morning.

Dana, great to see you. Thanks.

COLLINS: Chief national correspondent John King is joining us now live from Boston with more on this.

Good morning to you there, John.

KING: Hello, Heidi. How are you?

A defining day for Governor Romney. One quick point I want to make before you ask some questions, is to follow up on what Dana was just saying. There's an inside game in politics when you're in the months before an election when you're trying to get endorsements, trying to win people over. That's what Mitt Romney was doing in those private meetings with the evangelical pastors, with members especially of the southern Baptist faith down in South Carolina. Some leaders of that faith call Mormonism a cult.

So the inside game is to try to sway the leaders of the community. Now it's in the outside game. It's just a few weeks until the people of Iowa vote, followed quickly by New Hampshire and then South Carolina. So he's trying to have a big moment now and introduce himself to the American people. Sort of a, kick the tires moment, if you will, to see if they can have a comfort level with him. It's not just about policy, it's about personal character as well and that's one of the big tests for Governor Romney today.

COLLINS: Yes, and as we look at those excerpts, it seems pretty obvious that that's the direction that he hopes to go in anyway.

I do wonder, John, how different would this speech be, do you think, if he were -- we keep comparing it to JFK, which some people agree with that comparison and some people very much vehemently disagree, if he were already the nominee and we would be looking at the general election versus Iowa.

KING: It's a great point, Heidi, because President Kennedy was then Senator Kennedy and he gave that speech in the general election at a time there was public outcry, public criticism for many Christian leaders saying they were worried a catholic president would be beholden to the Vatican. So there was a public debate, public criticism at the time.

You don't hear very many people publicly criticizing Governor Romney's Mormon faith. But what his campaign will tell you, and other pollsters will tell you, that some doubts are showing up in polling about him and people think that voters don't want to say it's because of religion, don't want to say it's because they don't understand or don't trust Mormonism, so they put the concern, if you will, in another box. But they think it might be about that faith.

And what has happened, Governor Romney dominated the summer. He built up his support in Iowa, built up his support in New Hampshire. Came up into parity with the other candidates in South Carolina. And then along came Mike Huckabee, a former southern Baptist preacher, who is viewed as authentic and one of their own by evangelicals out in Iowa. So the Romney campaign likes to say publicly this has nothing to do with Mike Huckabee, but in some ways it has everything to do with Mike Huckabee because, as an evangelical candidate emerges, Governor Romney needs to compete for those very same voters.

COLLINS: It will be fascinating to see, absolutely. Certainly in the aftermath of it all. CNN national correspondent John King live this morning from Boston.

Thank you, John.

HARRIS: OK. So maybe this is one of the questions of the morning, can a Mormon become president? It is a question of faith and Mitt Romney hopes the answer is yes. Romney speaks out on religion and politics at the bottom of the hour, about four minutes away. Our guests weigh in right now. Ralph Reed is a Republican political strategist and former director of the Christian Coalition. He joins us from Atlanta.

Ralph, great to see you.

RALPH REED, REPUBLICAN POL. STRATEGIST: Good to see you.

HARRIS: And E.J. Dionne is a syndicated columnist with "The Washington Post" and author of "Sold Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right." It is due out in February.

E.J., great to see you. And E.J. joins us from Washington.

Ralph, I'm going to start with you. Is it enough for Romney to demonstrate shared values in this speech or does he have to speak specifically to Mormon doctrine?

RALPH REED, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I don't think he does. If you go back and look at John F. Kennedy's famous speech 47 years ago, he didn't address the particulars of catholic doctrine. I don't think he should have then. I don't think Romney should now.

I think, in fact, we've really gone over the line in this election cycle, in my personal opinion, really subjecting the candidates to a doctrinal frisk, asking them to do theological strip teases, if you will. You know, Mike Huckabee's been asked whether or not he thinks Mitt Romney's a Christian. Rudy Giuliani has been asked whether or not he was in full communion with his church.

That's not what the American people want. What they want to know is, does this person, who aspires to the highest office in our land, does he share my values? Is he uniquely qualified to lead? And does he share my views on public policy? And I hope today's speech will enable us to get to these real issues.

HARRIS: Right.

E.J., let me have you chime in here. Why is Mitt Romney making this speech today? E.J. DIONNE, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Well, the most cynical explanation is that he's now running behind Mike Huckabee in Iowa in some polls. I think it's worth comparing his situation to his dad's situation. George Romney was, along with Richard Nixon, one of the front-runners for the Republican nomination 40 years ago. He was a very serious Mormon, George Romney.

Mormonism was not an issue at all in 1967, except to the extent that people worried about the Mormon church's attitude toward black people. And that didn't hurt George Romney because he was a big advocate of civil rights.

Forty years on, religion is playing a much more important role in Republican primaries because of the rise of the religious conservative movement. And Mitt Romney has a very interesting contradiction, if you will, to deal with today. It's going to be very tricky, this speech, I think. Because on the one hand, he's been saying to religious conservatives, I'm with you, I'm with you on all of your issues because of the values I get from my faith. But he hasn't really wanted to talk about his faith very much because some evangelical Christians see Mormonism as a cult.

Now my own view is very strongly that Romney's religion should not be an issue, but I think he has sort of run a kind of campaign where he's gone a little this way and a little that way and today's speech is going to be very important in resolving all that.

HARRIS: OK. And, Ralph, for most evangelicals we've seen from some of the recent polling voting for a Mormon is out of the question. Can you break this down for folks who aren't that familiar with what Mormonism is? What is the real -- give me some straight talk on this.

REED: Well, I think, actually, if you look at the polling, there's an opinion dynamics poll out I believe this week that shows that the overwhelming plurality of people don't have an issue with voting somewhat of a different faith or religion or denomination in them.

HARRIS: Is it specifically the issues that we've seen? Is it specifically then with the idea of being a Mormon and the lack of real understanding of what it is to be a Mormon?

REED: I think this. I think any time you have a first, the first woman, the first African-American, the first Hispanic, in this case the first Mormon, E.J. is right, his father did run, but his campaign ended very early. He didn't seriously contend for that nomination. So because Romney represents that first, if you will, of a faith group, he needs to address it.

But let me say this, I feel very strongly that we should not subject candidates to doctrinal tests. They're not applying for the presidency of a seminary. They're not running for pastor-in-chief. John F. Kennedy said 47 years ago, he said, "The issue in this campaign should not be what kind of church I believe in, for that should matter only to me. It should be what kind of America I believe in." And the America that conservative people of faith who have poured into the Republican Party in recent years believe in is that America that is on offense, not defense on the war on terror, an America with a strong economy with affordable health care for everyone with an absence of government bureaucracy, and an America in which the family is strengthened, marriage is honored, and innocent human life is protected. That's a mainstream vision, and those are the issues that they want the candidates addressing. They're not going to vote against someone because they were baptized in a different tradition than they were.

HARRIS: Sure. E.J., let me let you in here. You have said there seems to be a real opportunity here in this moment for Mitt Romney. Are there any risks?

DIONNE: I think it's very risky because he has said himself consistently that he didn't want to give this speech, because he didn't think his Mormonism should be a central issue. He is now elevated the importance of this issue.

It could also be a great opportunity, because we are sitting here talking about him. We're sitting here covering this speech. It's probably the most attention he has gotten in a concentrated way in this campaign. And so a great deal will depend on what he does with this speech. I suspect he's not going to talk about church doctrine very much, but it's going to be interesting to see, can he break through, a, to those who may have doubts about his religion, even if we might agree that religion should not be an issue, and, b, what are other people going to think of him at the end of this speech.

HARRIS: And, Ralph, let me give you a final opportunity to have the final word on this, as we see President Bush, George Bush and Mitt Romney. We'll take a little bit of that in just a moment. But let me give you the final word on what you think comes out of this? What has to come out of this speech for it to be viewed as a success for Mitt Romney.

I think what it has to be viewed as a success is he needs to assert two things. No. 1, our founders ensured in Article VI of the Constitution there is no religious test to serve in public office in America. He needs to assert that. That is part of what made America great. The second is he needs to assert that faith in God isn't what's wrong with America. It's what's right with America, and we should welcome that voice of faith in our public square without applying a religious test to anyone. If he does that, I think this speech will succeed. And by the way not just for his campaign. This speech is more about us than it is about him and it's more about our country than it is about his campaign.

HARRIS: E.J., thank you. Ralph, great to see you. Thank you as well. And Mitt Romney in just moments will deliver his speech on faith and religious freedom.

Let's take you now to the George Bush Presidential Library, College Station, Texas.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FMR. PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: ... what it means to be a point of light.

And when Mitt was here earlier this year explaining to him then as I did to John McCain and Rudy Giuliani when they came to speak that I was not endorsing anyone for president. I simply have too much respect for many of the candidates, consider them friends. Certainly I consider Mitt and Ann Romney very good friends.

By the way, we're expecting several more candidates to visit, including some on the other side of the political aisle, and we want to hear what's on their minds as well.

I'm deeply honored that Governor Romney chose to return here to talk about faith in America.

So without further ado, I am pleased to welcome this good man, our friend from Massachusetts, Governor Mitt Romney.

FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY, R-MASS.: Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind introduction. It is an honor to be here again today.

This is an inspiring place because of you and the first lady and because of the film that's exhibited across the way in the presidential library.

For those who haven't seen it, it shows the president as a young pilot, shot down during the Second World War, being rescued from his life raft by the crew of an American submarine.

It's a moving reminder that when America has faced challenges and peril, Americans rise to the occasion, willing to risk their very lives to defend freedom and preserve our nation.

We're in your debt, Mr. President. Thank you very, very much.

(APPLAUSE)

Mr. President, your generation rose to the occasion first to defeat fascism and then to vanquish the Soviet Union. You left us, your children, a free and strong America. It's why we call yours the greatest generation.

It's now my generation's turn. How we respond to today's challenges will define our generation, and it will determine what kind of America we will leave our children and theirs.

America faces a new generation of challenges. Radical violent Islam seeks to destroy us. An emerging China endeavors to surpass our economic leadership. And we're troubled at home by government overspending, overuse of foreign oil and the breakdown of the family.

Over the last year, we've embarked on a national debate on how best to preserve American leadership.

Today I wish to address a topic which I believe is fundamental to America's greatness: our religious liberty. I'll also offer perspectives on how my own faith would inform my presidency if I were elected.

There's some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they're at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator; and further they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom.

In John Adams' words, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution," he said, "was made for a moral and religious people."

"Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together or perish alone."

Given our grand tradition of religious tolerance and liberty, some wonder whether there are any questions regarding an aspiring candidate's religion that are appropriate. I believe there are. And I'll answer them today.

Almost 50 years ago, another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for president, not a Catholic running for president. Like him, I am an American running for president. I do not define my candidacy by my religion.

A person should not be elected because of his faith, nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

As governor, I tried to do the right, as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution. And, of course, I would not do so as president.

I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

As a young man, Lincoln described what he called America's political religion: the commitment to defend the rule of law and the Constitution. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God.

If I'm fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.

(APPLAUSE) There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it's more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts.

That I will not do.

I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers. I will be true to them and to my beliefs.

Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they're right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people.

Americans do not respect respecters -- excuse me -- believers of convenience. Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs even to gain the world.

There is one fundamental question which I'm often asked: What do I believe about Jesus Christ?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.

My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history.

These are not bases for criticism, but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle, indeed, if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.

There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith, for if he becomes president, he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.

(APPLAUSE)

I believe that every faith I've encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I've come to know, there are features I wish were in my own. I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I'm always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples all pointing to Heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings.

It's important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions, and where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the later -- on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course.

Whether it was the cause of abolition or civil rights or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in American that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.

We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason: No religion should dictate to the state, nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion.

But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been take by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgement of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life.

It's as if they're intent on establishing a new religion in America: the religion of secularism.

They're wrong.

(APPLAUSE)

The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square.

We are a nation under God. And in God, we do, indeed, trust. We should acknowledge the Creator, as did the founders, in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our Pledge, in the teaching of our history. And during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places.

(APPLAUSE)

Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our Constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from the god who gave us liberty.

(APPLAUSE)

Nor would I separate us from our religious heritage.

Perhaps the most important question to ask a person of faith who seeks a political office is this: Does he share these American values, the equality of humankind, the obligation to serve one another and a steadfast commitment to liberty?

They're not unique to any one denomination. They belong to the great moral inheritance we hold in common. They're the firm ground on which Americans of different faiths meet and stand as a nation united.

We believe that every single human being is a child of God. We're all part of the human family. The conviction of the inherent and inalienable worth of every life is still the most revolutionary political proposition ever advanced.

John Adams put it that, "We are thrown to the world, all equal and alike. The consequence of our common humanity is our responsibility to one another; to our fellow Americans, foremost, but also to every child of God."

It's an obligation which is fulfilled by Americans every day here and across the globe, without regard to creed or race or nationality.

Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government. No people in the...

(APPLAUSE)

No people in the history of the world have sacrificed as much for liberty. The lives of hundreds of thousands of America's sons and daughters were laid down during the last century to preserve freedom for us and for freedom-loving people throughout the world.

America took nothing from that century's terrible wars: no land from Germany or Japan or Korea, no treasure, no oath of fealty.

America's resolve in the defense of liberty has been tested time and again. It has not been found wanting, nor must it ever be.

America must never falter in holding high the banner of freedom.

(APPLAUSE)

These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours.

I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others in personal ways to people nearby and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements.

I'm moved by the Lord's words, "For I enhungered and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me."

My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family.

We're a long way from perfect, and we surely stumble along the way. But our aspirations, our values are the self-same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation and these convictions will, indeed, inform my presidency.

(APPLAUSE)

Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forbearers took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion, but upon finding it for themselves they at first denied it to others.

Because of their diverse beliefs, Anne Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, Roger Williams founded Rhode Island and two centuries later Brigham Young set out for the West.

Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this they were very much like those of the European nations they had left.

It was in Philadelphia that our founding fathers defined a revolutionary vision of liberty grounded on self-evident truths about the equality of all and the inalienable rights with which each is endowed by his creator.

We cherish these sacred rights and secure them in our constitutional order. Foremost do we protect religious liberty, not as a matter of policy, but as a matter of right. There will be no established church, and we are guaranteed the free exercise of our religion.

I'm not sure that we fully appreciate the profound implications of our tradition of religious liberty.

I visited many of the magnificent cathedrals in Europe. They're so inspired, so grand, and so empty. Raised up over generations long ago, so many of the cathedrals now stand as the postcard backdrops of societies just too busy or too enlightened to venture inside and kneel in prayer.

The establishment of state religions in Europe did no favor to Europe's churches. And though you will find many people of strong faith there, the churches themselves seem to be withering away.

Infinitely worse is the other extreme, the creed of conversion by conquest, violent jihad, murder as martyrdom, killing Christians, Jews and Muslims with equal indifference.

These radical Islamists do their preaching not by reason or example but in the coercion of minds and the shedding of blood.

We face no greater danger today than theocratic tyranny and the boundless suffering these states and groups could inflict if given the chance.

The diversity of our cultural expression and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations, even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed.

In such a world, we can deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty joined against the evils and dangers of the day.

And you can be...

(APPLAUSE)

You can be certain of this: Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me, and so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen.

We do not insist on a single strain of religion. Rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith.

(APPLAUSE)

Recall the early days of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

During the fall of 1774, with Boston occupied by British troops, there were rumors of imminent hostilities and fears of an impending war. In this time of peril, someone suggested that they pray, but there were objections. They were too divided in religious sentiments, what with Episcopalians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Catholics.

Then Sam Adams rose and said he would hear a prayer from anyone of piety and good character as long as they were a patriot.

And so together they prayed, and together they fought, and together, by the grace of God, they founded this great nation.

(APPLAUSE)

And in that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine author of liberty, and together let us pray that this land will always be blessed with freedom's holy light.

God bless this great land, the United States of America.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

COLLINS: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaking to us from the Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, addressing a crowd of about 300 people or so, which is a combination of friends and family and some leaders of the religious and conservative party. Very interesting speech.

A lot of quotes to go over here. We want to do that with several different people. First, beginning with some of our correspondents, and whether or not this speech may have actually won over Christian conservatives, how it might affect the presidential race.

Our chief national correspondent John King is with us again from Boston, and Dana Bash is in College Station, Texas, where the speech took place.

John, I want to begin with you. How presidential did he sound? JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, he certainly hopes he sounds presidential, and I think it was very interesting. He only mentioned his faith, Mormonism, by name once, and he so to make a very critical point. He said that some would like him to distance himself from some of the doctrines or the precepts of the Mormon faith that they might consider out of bounds and out of line, and he said he would not do that. He said he would not be bound by any religion, he would not take orders from any religion, but he also would not walk away or distance himself from his religion, and if that hurt his candidacy, sink his candidacy is the way he put it, so be it.

Mitt Romney is often cast as the perfect candidate, if you will. His hair never moves. Is he too polished? Is he too calculated. This was a chance for him, and he obviously thought it was important for him, to say, this is a part of me I will not walk away from. You might think it's controversial, but it is who I am. It defines my life. Almost take it or leave it, but he said it in a much more gentle way than that.

COLLINS: All right, CNN's national correspondent John King. John, thank you.

HARRIS: And Dana Bash in College Station.

Dana, let me pick up on that point. "Let me assure you," Mitt Romney said in his speech, "that no authorities in my church or of any other church, for that matter, will ever expert influence on presidential decisions." My faith is my faith. Take it or leave it. Take me as I am, and if this disqualified me, so be it.

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, and, you know, just picking up on what John was saying about sort of the rap on Mitt Romney, what I took from that, just in terms of looking at what his opponents have said about him, is he is somebody who does change with the political winds when it comes to issues like abortion, and same- sex marriage and even immigration, but he tried to really defy that narrative about him on this issue of religion, saying I'm knot going to back away from it.

But the other thing I thought was fascinating about this speech, Tony, is that the thread without the entire speech was an attempt to reach out to Christian conservatives, to evangelicals, and to any kind of voters out there in the Republican electorate, who think of values and faith as a very important issue to them, particularly when it comes to what many people think as a threat to "faith in the public square," as Mitt Romney put it. That was the theme that he said over and over again, that although he is not going to let God or any god dictate public policy, he also said it is very important for him to keep God, to keep faith in the government, if you will, and in the public discourse. That is something that is going to resonate bigtime with evangelicals in important early states like Iowa and South Carolina, and that is precisely why he talked about it.

HARRIS: And Dana Bash in College Station for us. Dana, great to see you. Thank you. Let's take a look at the most recent polling on this question. A year ago only a third of Americans believed -- well, let's ask the question -- is there a shift in attitudes towards Mormons? Here is the latest from our CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. A year ago only a third of Americans believed Mormons belonged to a Christian religion. Another third, unsure. Now half believe Mormons are Christians, and just 10 percent are unsure. Only one in five say they are less likely to vote for a Mormon for president. Seventy-seven percent say it would not matter.

COLLINS: He said it's about moral convictions, not his Mormon beliefs. Mitt Romney speaking out on faith and politics. Well, did he win any converts to his presidential campaign? Want to get some insight now from some experts today.

Roland Martin is a CNN contributor and a commentator for TV One. And a commentator for TV One He's with us from Chicago. Hi there, Rowland.

ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: How are you doing?

COLLINS: And Bill Bennett is a CNN contributor and host of Bill Bennett's "Morning in America." He is here with us from Washington.

Hi, Bill.

BILL BENNETT, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hi.

COLLINS: And welcome to both of you. Guys, I want to start with some sound that we heard from Mitt Romney in this speech today, some pretty strong words. Let's listen to this first one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: In recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgement of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It's as if they're intent on establishing a new religion in America -- the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: You know, I think that there are going to be some people out there who heard some of this speech, particularly that sound right there, who say, you know what, it's about time. It's time to bring God and religion back into the public domain. Then there will be the others who will freak out, if you will, and say, what about the separation of church and state?

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