It seems I only have time to blog lately when the lack of time and stress work together to knock me out. I am home sick today and was able to view Mitt Romney’s speech in Houston on religion. Anyone who includes John or Samuel Adams in a speech will make me sit up and take notice. For the past year I have read every book I can on John and Abigail Adams. To me, they are the Adam and Eve of our nation.

After viewing the speech, I have a new found respect for the good man, Mitt Romney. He delivered the speech brilliantly, sincerely and with grave respect. As I watched the speech I could picture Romney delivering it from the Oval Office. Romney has always seemed to have all the right qualities and stature to be the Republican nominee for 2008 but for some reason came off a little too slick. He doesn’t now.

The best neighbors our family ever had were Mormons. We are still in touch with this wonderful family and because of my upbringing and our experiences with this particular group of believers I have never made the judgment that I would not support a man (or woman) because they were members of the LDS Church.

Unlike the Democrats, who haven’t much of a choice in their slate of candidates, (either Hillary or Hillary lite) the Republicans have an embarrassment of riches in their lineup of candidates. We have Rudy Giuliani, the candidate of a strong national security, John McCain, another strong supporter of the war on terror, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee and the others.

I just haven’t, up to this time, made up my mind about which Republican I will support in the 2008 presidential election. I have wavered between Giuliani, Romney and McCain. Even though I am a native Arkansan, I am not inclined to support Mike Huckabee, the reason being, that he is not a center right conservative but in reality, a populist.

In a state as poor as Arkansas, Huckabee did leave us with a surplus but he didn’t fight hard enough against the Democrat majority. He favored giving instate tuition to children of illegals. He agreed to a tax increase for road improvements. Thanks to Huckabee, every student in Arkansas public schools now bring home report cards with a “fat index” on it.

Huckabee hasn’t been sufficiently strong on our national security which is the number one issue to me. Clarice Feldman has a detailed article about Huckabee’s deficiencies but the following quote sums up Huckabee’s weakness very succinctly.

These statements, to my mind, reflect that at heart Mr. Huckabee, likeable as he is, is a man too swayed by squishy sentiment and emotion to be determined wartime leader.

I do believe the former governor, Huckabee would fit better as a vice presidential candidate. He needs foreign policy seasoning.

But what has always bothered me about Huckabee is the fact that he is an ordained Southern Baptist minister. I am also a Southern Baptist. Usually, when pastors leave their churches, they take on a new form of ministry or become missionaries. Why did Mike Huckabee leave his ministry for politics?

Until today, I had a difficult time describing Mitt Romney. Did he take a strong stand on the war on terror, on American exceptionalism and for American values? In other words, is Mitt Romney a patriot in the best tradition of patriotism? Could he inherit the mantle of one of the greatest War Leaders America has ever seen?

With his speech today, Mitt Romney has answered my questions. Yes. He can and he does.

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.

In that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine ‘author of liberty.’ And together, let us pray that this land may always be blessed, ‘with freedom’s holy light.’

God bless the United States of America.

Welcome Hugh Hewitt readers!