Like Father, Like Son

But equally, he said, he would not abandon his faith in the quest for office -- an important rebuttal to those who think he has been all too willing to shift his position on abortion and other social issues.

Whether Romney has been able to diffuse the suspicion of his Mormonism among the fairly large number of Americans who apparently regard it as a cult that is alien to their own religious background is beyond my capacity to judge.

For me, with a lifetime of nothing but very positive relationships with Mormons, Romney's religion is as much of an asset as his family heritage. He was raised right by a couple I greatly admired, and the values they gave him are exactly those I would hope a leader would have.

The way Romney has used his talents -- and the choices he has made as a politician -- are things I have sometimes questioned. But his religion is not an issue. And the Constitution means what it says: No religious test for public office.

davidbroder@washpost.com