Romney Vs. Anti-Mormon Heckler

In an incident that indicates just how composed, confident and steadfast he is, Governor Mitt Romney took head-on the heckles from an anti-Mormon bigot in the audience at a speaking event in Florida.

Before former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney could tout his conservative credentials Friday in this tri-county hotbed of Republicanism, he first had to defend his religious background as he begins the long road toward the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.

About 800 people packed Lake Miona Regional Recreation Center in this retirement community of 65,000. It was standing-room only.

But what got the crowd roaring wasn’t a pitch for safe offshore oil drilling or health care. It was his religion. If he were to win the White House, Romney would become America’s first Mormon president.

A man stood amid the crowd and called Romney “a pretender” who doesn’t know “the Lord.”

The crowd booed the man from the room, and Romney responded: “First of all, I believe in God.”

Mitt Romney’s response is perfect.

“Let me offer just a thought, and that is one of the great things about this great land is we have people of different faiths and different persuasions. And I’m convince that the nation does need to have people of different faiths but we need to have a person of faith lead the country.”

A standing ovation followed.

Aaron Margolis is a life long resident of the Bay State, and works at an architectural firm north of Boston. Aaron has a Master of Architecture Degree from Boston Architectural College and is currently in the process of becoming of a Registered Architect.