Still more on Romney and Religion

My friend and colleague, and rising-star political scientist, David Campbell, has an op-ed in today's isssue of USA Today on the issue of Romney and Religion.  He writes:

Should Americans fear Mitt Romney because he is a Mormon? In spite of what some political pundits have recently argued, the answer is a resounding no.

Should Romney fear how some Americans will react to his religion? Unfortunately, recent polls say yes. But just like another Massachusetts politician who faced questions about his religion, namely John F. Kennedy, Romney can, and should, tackle uneasiness about his religion head-on — sooner rather than later. . . .

It is true that, like many religious groups, the LDS church occasionally makes policy pronouncements, as it did last June in support of a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. However, this kind of political activity has not served to constrain Mormon elected officials. Reid, at the time the Senate minority leader, led the opposition to the amendment. In response to a reporter's question about his open opposition to the LDS church's public position, his press secretary Sharyn Stein said that the church had asked members to express their opinions on the issue, so her boss was doing so "loudly and repeatedly on the Senate floor."

A President Romney would have the same autonomy to speak and act independently of his church. . . .

As I have suggested, my own view on this question is a little bit -- though not entirely -- different.  Instead of taking Prof. Campbell's suggestion, and following President Kennedy in assuring leery Americans that "my church does not speak for me," I'd rather Romney (a) defend his policy views on the merits, and (b) educate Americans about what he believes, precisely as a Mormon, is the relationship between a political leader's religious views and his or her policies.