Editing Mo Udall (section)

==Personality and philosophy==
Udall was a tall (6'5"), [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincolnesque]] figure with a self-deprecating wit and easy manner. Because of his wit, columnist [[James J. Kilpatrick]] deemed him "too funny to be president", which also ended up being the title of his autobiography in the 1980s.<ref name="will_rogers_1974_12_new_york_magazine" /><ref name="this_fella_from_arizona_1981_11_audubon" /><ref name="obit_1998_12_14_washington_post" />

He once said that his physical stature and one eye kept him from ever having a date in high school, and led to his use of self-deprecating humor to survive.<ref name="obit_1998_12_14_washington_post" />

Known for his humor, his irreverent and casual style (particularly his colorful western wear and cowboy boots), and his ethics, Udall was summarized by leading political journalist [[James M. Perry]] as "funny, smart, down-to-earth, honest, sassy, patient."<ref name="this_fella_from_arizona_1981_11_audubon" />

Despite being raised [[Mormon]], his spiritual views changed during his later years. He ceased being active in church by the time he returned from military service. While in college, as he read philosophy and history, Udall abandoned his Mormon faith. In particular, he rejected the cultural view among some Church members of the time that black people were "cursed."<ref name="this_fella_from_arizona_1981_11_audubon" /><ref name="will_rogers_1974_12_new_york_magazine" />{{dead links|date=December 2024}}