There has been heated speculation about what it will mean to have a Mormon in the White House. Because Mormons believe their “president” — the head of their Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — is God’s prophet on earth, will a Mormon president of the United States be bound to obey whatever this man says? Again, Americans do not seem much astir about such things. Even so, with these concerns laid aside, many voters might not recognize an often undervalued feature of the faith: How it might help a Mormon lead in the Oval Office. This possibility arises from the emphasis the faith places upon patriotism, civic duty and morality in government — American government in particular.
