James Dobson, one of the nation’s most prominent evangelical Christian leaders, is about to endorse former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, The Associated Press has learned. Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Focus on the Family, talked to the GOP presidential hopeful Thursday and later was to release a statement explaining his choice, said Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Dobson.
Huckabee had long sought Dobson’s endorsement, believing he is the best fit to advance Dobson’s conservative, moral worldview. Until now, Dobson had never endorsed a GOP presidential hopeful during the primary campaign. But he ruled out front-runner John McCain in a blistering commentary on Super Tuesday, and on Thursday the fight for the GOP nomination narrowed to a two-man race between McCain and Huckabee, who is far behind in the delegate count but pledged to fight on. Mitt Romney, a third hopeful trying to claim the conservative label, dropped out of the race Thursday.
Dobson released a statement Tuesday that criticized McCain for his support of embryonic stem cell research, his opposition to a federal anti-gay marriage amendment and for his temper and use of foul language. He said if McCain were the nominee, he would not cast a ballot for president for the first time in his life. Dobson had left open the possibility that he would vote for either Romney or Huckabee, but endorsed neither. Throughout the unsettled GOP race, Dobson picked his spots to signal that some candidates simply didn’t meet his standards. Dobson wrote on a conservative news Web site that he wouldn’t support former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani should he win the Republican nomination. Dobson called Giuliani an "unapologetic supporter of abortion on demand" and criticized him for signing a bill in 1997 creating domestic-partnership benefits in New York City.
…
Dobson emphasizes that when he endorses candidates, he is doing so as a private citizen and not as a representative of Focus on the Family, a tax-exempt organization.
Mike Huckabee seems like a decent sort of guy. He’s obviously trying to parlay his religiosity into a political asset. It’s a pity that he’s doing that by courting and now receiving James Dobson’s endorsement. James Dobson does not seem like a decent sort of guy to me. He grew up in an oppressively religious home – his father abruptly moved the family when Dobson announced he was going to a school dance. Dobson trained as a Psychologist and practiced in some reasonable places. When he wrote a book as a Psychologist advocating "spare the rod and spoil the child," he became the darling of the religious fundamentalists. From there, he started Focus on the Family. He dispenses advice to families, some of which makes those of us who are in Psychology and Psychiatry shudder – mostly stuff that he sort of makes up as he goes. My favorite is his pseudo-Freudian advice for fathers to shower with their sons so the kids will want to grow up and have a big penis like dad and not be gay. Sigmund Freud would turn over in his grave if he heard such nonsense. But his silliness goes further. Dobson is a hateful homophobe, and ignores anything that’s not on his anti-Abortion, anti-Islamic, anti-Gay, anti-Stem-Cel-Research agenda. His moniker is "one of the nation’s most prominent evangelical Christian leaders" without credentials. He’s a dangerous man because he believes what he thinks, and he’s sure he’s right.
I can think about a couple of good things about his endorsing Huckabee. First, Dobson will go ballistic if Huckabee is McCain’s running mate. Dobson will throw more gasoline on the fire Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter are lighting that McCain isn’t a card carrying Conservative. Mostly, I think that Dobson’s support for Huckabee may ultimately be a force to marginalize Dobson himself – and that would be fine with me. Dobson has done enough damage already. But perish the thought that he gets Huckabee enough support for the nomination.
I’m really reacting mainly because of this statement, "Dobson emphasizes that when he endorses candidates, he is doing so as a private citizen and not as a representative of Focus on the Family, a tax-exempt organization." What a joke! James Dobson stands as the best example of abuse of tax-exemptness ever. If you look at a roster of the Focus on the Family broadcasts, there’s nothing close to "tax-exemptness" on the list. My favorite was Ann Coulter herself’s appearance. Now there’s a family gal for you. James Dobson is just a political idealogue calling himself a religious leader. He’s a drop-out-psychologist, right-wing, self-righteous, hate-monger in sheep’s clothing and his "tax-exemptness" should have been denied the day he applied. If Huckabee had any integrity, he’d say "no thanks"…
I know there is a delicate balance when you are running for office. You don’t want to alienate anyone. However, by not politely refusing Dobson’s support Huckabee is basically alienating everyone, but a small group of right wing nutjobs. But then I’m looking at it from “the other side”.
“other side” is a great place to be…