'More Comfortable with McCain'
Why evangelical leader Dobson is warming to the GOP candidate
Dr. James Dobson, founder of the influential conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, once said he would not vote for Senator John McCain "under any circumstances." McCain, he has said, is too liberal the issues Dobson cares most about, such as embryonic stem cell research and gay marriage. Now Dobson appears to be changing his mind. "I never thought I would hear myself saying this," he announced on his radio broadcast on Monday. "While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might." While Dobson was not available for comment, Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family Action, the group's lobbying organization, was. He spoke with Lisa Miller. Excerpts:
Why do you think Dr. Dobson changed his mind?
He hasn't supported John McCain outright, but over the last couple of weeks, really starting with a review of Senator Obama's 2006 speech [on faith and politics] and taking a hard look at that and reviewing some of those issues that are core to Dr. Dobson's heart—based on that, he made his statements on Monday. Senator Obama is pretty radical from where we stand. Dr. Dobson is saying he would change from the lesser of two evils to the better of two choices. He's saying that, given what's at stake and a closer review of the record, I'm more comfortable with Senator McCain at this point.
That 2006 speech can't have come as a surprise; it's been out there.
We didn't know about it, though. That was the first anyone in upper management at Focus caught wind of it.
McCain has not changed his position on any of the things that Dr. Dobson has said matters: stem cells, the gay-marriage amendment, campaign finance. Is he letting McCain off the hook?
McCain seems to be the better of two choices, from where Dr. Dobson is sitting as a Christian conservative. I wouldn't say he's letting McCain off the hook, especially around embryonic stem cell research and the vice presidential candidate. I think that's why he's not saying he's endorsing.
Do you have any idea how many votes Focus on the Family influences?
[Laughs] No. The media narrative, that Dr. Dobson is 72 years old and moving into the irrelevant camp, it isn't true. His comments, they carry some weight. There's some influence there.
Do stories of McCain's temper concern you?
We've never met, and I don't think Dr. Dobson has met McCain personally. That's what [we read] in the media, and what some of our friends in the Senate tell us.
Do you think that, as Dr. Dobson has said, voting is a God-given right and everyone should do it?
In America, we certainly have been blessed with an amazing form of government, that we all have the ability to vote. . . . I think that's patriotism there, I don't think it's Scripture. We have a responsibility to participate. I think that's what he's saying.
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Member Comments
Posted By: Dorothy Loretz @ 10/01/2008 7:49:47 PM
Comment: The man of one wife. What God has joined, let no man put asunder. Adultry, Lying, and the list goes on-and-on for McCain. Now, what doe you respect in a preacher who apparently disagrees with God's ordinance and support all those things which God said Thou Shall Not.
Posted By: Dorothy Loretz @ 10/01/2008 7:49:44 PM
Comment: The man of one wife. What God has joined, let no man put asunder. Adultry, Lying, and the list goes on-and-on for McCain. Now, what doe you respect in a preacher who apparently disagrees with God's ordinance and support all those things which God said Thou Shall Not.
Posted By: Chris1110022 @ 08/12/2008 7:18:43 PM
Comment: Well, one grouchy septuagenarian is thinking about endorsing another, big surprise? Dr. Dobson's power jones was far too strong to sit this one out. You'd think if we could send this guy to rehab maybe he'd get over his addiction to access to power. I wonder if Rudy had the GOP nomination if he'd still find a way to flip-flop for access. It would appear that the authoritarian contingent is coming to power, maybe Mccain promised Cindy to Dobson for one of his favorite spankings, after all he promised her to the McBuffalo chips pageant, ya know the one where the women take their clothes off. Sounds moral to me. Yeesh, Republicans are GROUCHY this election season, it must be buyers remorse over their terrible candidate from a mediocre field. While this being America meaning anyone willing to prostitute their beliefs and become vile smear merchants have a chance, it would be best if conservative sit this one out. McCain is doubtlessly endulging in heaping helpings of perception management and has been coercing Republicans who once correctly called him unbalanced to support him, or maybe they really are authoritarians afraid to upset daddy, since McCain is old enough to be the moons daddy, he can be the one they try to please. Nuff said here, if this isnt a walk away victory for Obama its going to be because enough cognitively lacking people bought into the dumb smear attacks: "He's a muslim" "He's anti-American" (that one kills me, Obama being where he is demonstrates both his belief in and the abject greatness of America when it progresses). As for the GOPers out there, name me one issue the Republicans have to run on that isn't manufactured or cheap politics at work and I'll buy you a white haired wig to wear for your aging party with its near-extinct ideas. One last issue, those who reject Evolution do in fact demonstrate its existence, evolved minds accept reality when they see enough proof behind it, relics from a previous era stick with fanatical devotion to a story with a talking snake and woman being fashioned from a rib. It's cool to believe in god, I do, but sometimes stories that you bought as a child need re-examination. Obama in '08