The New Romney Campaign Theme: Waaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

On Sunday,

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney was driving to his home in Massachusetts when he first heard that the LDS Church allowed black people to take the priesthood in 1978.

It was such a powerful moment that he pulled to the side of the road and wept.

Romney recalled the scenario on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning, his first-ever appearance on the Tim Russert-moderated political program.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints changed its policy and permitted persons of African descent to attain the priesthood in 1978. At the time, Romney says he felt the privilege was long overdue.

“I was anxious to see a change in my church,” he said. “I was driving home from… I think law school… I heard it on the radio and I pulled over and literally wept.”

Simply recalling the memory seemed to make the former Massachusetts governor misty-eyed on the nationally-televised program.

“Even to this day, it’s emotional,” he said. “I’m very proud of my faith. I love my faith.”

On Monday,

Mitt Romney’s eyes filled with tears Monday as the Republican presidential contender recalled watching the casket of a soldier killed in Iraq return to the United States and imagined if it were one of his five sons.

Adding a poignant twist to a story he often tells on the campaign, Romney recalled the scene at Boston’s Logan International Airport while he was Massachusetts governor to make the point that the country remains united despite its differences over the war or other national challenges.

It was a counterbalance to a moment earlier this year, when Romney told a woman in Iowa that his grown sons — none of whom has served in the military — were serving the country by helping with his campaign. Romney later apologized for the remark, saying it was wrong to equate military service with campaign involvement.

“The soldiers that I was with stood at attention and saluted,” Romney told employees at Insight Technology Inc., a company that makes infrared optical equipment for U.S. troops. “And I put my hand on my heart, and tears begin to well in your eyes, as you can imagine in a circumstance like that. I have five boys of my own. I imagined what it would be like to lose a son in a situation like that.”

Eyes misting as he finished the story, Romney recalled glancing up at the massive windows in the U.S. Airways terminal.

How many times is Mitt Romney going to cry in public? Moreover, why is he blubbering so much now? Did some focus group conclude that he needs to come across more like a girlish metrosexual? Is he having an emotional breakdown? Is the poor dear just too much of a sensitive soul to be President?

PS: Bonus question — will he cry again if he loses Iowa to Huckabee?

PS #2: Crying like a little girl in public ruined Ed Muskie’s campaign back in 1972. Now, Romney has gotten all emotional twice in as many days. Whimpering like a little wussy in public doesn’t exactly engender confidence that Romney has what it takes to be President of the United States.

PS #3: The fact that Romney got so upset over a question about his church is particularly disturbing because he is going to get those questions over and over again if he’s the nominee. So how many times would this guy end up crying his eyes out by the end of 2008?

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