California Mormons help Mitt fulfill his "destiny"

According to the official church website, there are 750,000+ Mormons in California, a fair number of whom are voters. Of those Mormon voters, the vast majority will be voting for and canvassing for Mitt Romney. So don't be surprised when Mitt carries California at the end of the day. It's all part of his Destiny (from a Mormon point of view).

Ever since Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith began campaigning in the 1844 presidential election, Mormons have been eagerly awaiting having "one of their own" take the reigns of government. Although pundits and pollsters are predicting that McCain will be the Republican nominee, there are enough voting Mormons in California to help Mitt capture that state's numerous delegates and remain a contender for his party's nomination.

It helps to understand that Mormons believe that the U.S. Constitution was divinely established (per Mormon scripture, The Doctrine & Covenants, section 101, verses 77 & 80). More germane, perhaps, is the still widespread belief among Mormons in an uncanonized prophecy attributed to Joseph Smith, called "The White Horse Prophecy," in which Smith purportedly told his followers: "You will see the Constitution of the United States almost destroyed. It will hang like a thread as fine as a silk fiber."

Per this prophecy, a "white horse" will ultimately preserve the U.S. Constitution. Although the "white horse" in the text itself metaphorically refers to the Mormon people as a whole, a much more popular interpretation of this prophecy has the Constitution being saved by a single "elder." (Hm. Guess who.)

I totally grant that given what the Republican party has done to the Constitution over the past 7+ years, having Romney ride in on a white horse (as it were) to "save" it requires an astonishing leap of faith for anyone who has had eyes to see the debacle. (Unfortunately, it does not seem that enough GOPers, Mormon or otherwise, acknowledge the damage and the danger to our civil liberties.)

Nor do I insist that all Mormons voting for Mitt will be doing so with the White Horse Prophecy in mind. But given the power of myth, and given group cohesiveness, it should come as no surprise to anyone that 90-95% of voting active (i.e., participating) California Mormons are going to vote for Mitt. And given Mormons' organizational experience and enthusiasm for their cause, many Mormon volunteers will be out canvassing and staffing the phone banks for Mitt.

Bottom line: Don't be surprised when Mitt takes California today. There are tens of thousands of people who seriously believe that a victory in California is part and parcel of his divine destiny. (Go ahead and feel uneasy, but don't be surprised.)