Cory Booker -- Friendly to Mormons

Every day, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), best known for being a real life superhero as Mayor of Newark, posts an inspirational quote of some sort on his wall.  Monday's post was as follows:

Post by Cory Booker.

A friend of mine sent me the link and asked if it was Thomas S Monson, and asked if Senator Booker is Mormon

Turns out, this was a quote from Mormon Church President Thomas S Monson, from the June 2010 edition of the Ensign magazine.  However, quoting a Mormon President does not mean that you are Mormon any more than my quoting the Pope makes me Catholic.  However, I did find that Senator Booker has more of a connection to Mormonism than I expected -- one of his good friends from Oxford is the Grandson of former church President Ezra Taft Benson.  Senator Booker and Michael Benson were teammates on the Oxford Basketball team, and have remained close. In a CNN article from 2012 about their friendship with a rabbi, there is this fun bit:

The rabbi and Mormon say the mayor's humanity and heart inspire them. Booker says these two faithful men taught him to love and respect different religions, while helping him deepen his own beliefs and sense of awe. Likewise, both the mayor and Boteach say Benson changed how they and hundreds of others view Mormons.

Booker has been known to have his driver pull over when he spots young Mormon missionaries walking in pairs. He understands they’re often financially strapped, so he gives them some money for food and thanks them for being in his city.

“That’s something I never would have done if I hadn’t met Mike,” the mayor says.

 So, is Cory Booker a Mormon?  No.  But his coolness extends to Mormons, too.