Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dobson Warns GOP Senators on Specter
Human Events Online ^ | November 15, 2004 | Robert B. Bluey

Posted on 11/15/2004 1:04:53 PM PST by hinterlander

Republican senators who support Sen. Arlen Specter's bid to chair the Judiciary Committee could face retribution from disgruntled conservative and Christian voters, warned Dr. James Dobson in an interview Monday with HUMAN EVENTS.

Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family Action, a political group he organized to help re-elect President Bush, said Specter is frantically trying to save his spot atop the Judiciary Committee after suggesting Bush shouldn't bother nominating pro-life judges.

Specter has since distanced himself from his November 3 comments, but the protests against him haven't diminished. For the second straight weekend, he appeared on Sunday morning news programs trying to allay fears voiced by activists like Dobson.

"It may not be possible to derail Senator Specter," Dobson conceded to HUMAN EVENTS, "but if they [Republican senators] don't do that, I think it ought to be very clear that when the senator reneges on his promise to do the right thing, it's going to be remembered."

Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee are expected to meet with Specter this week, which will be followed by a secret vote taken in January to elect a chairman. Their offices have been inundated with phone calls protesting Specter's possible promotion.

GOP-imposed term limits are forcing Sen. Orrin Hatch (R.-Utah) to step down as the committee's chairman. Next in line is Sen. Chuck Grassley (R.-Iowa), who would rather lead the Finance Committee than Judiciary, leaving Specter with the most seniority.

"He's been out there for the last week on every show that would invite him," Dobson said of the Pennsylvania senator. "He's been trying to save his chairmanship by bobbing and weaving and telling us that he didn't mean what he said when he said what he meant."

Dobson has used his radio program, which reaches 7 million listeners per week, to rail against Specter's possible ascension. Other conservative and Christian interest groups are protesting as well, including a scheduled demonstration Tuesday at the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R.-Tenn.).

"We're certainly going to do everything we can to let people know that Senator Specter not only threatens the court, but he is also the champion of stem-cell research and he is opposed to protection of marriage within the Constitution," Dobson said. "This man is going to be in an extremely powerful position to oppose most of what President Bush was elected to do. That is irritating a large number of people."

Dobson said Specter owes his victory to Bush, who chose to campaign with him instead of his more conservative Republican primary opponent, Rep. Pat Toomey. Specter narrowly beat Toomey by a little more than 17,000 votes in the April primary.

"He was very clear about what his intentions are," Dobson said in reference to Specter's November 3 remarks. "It's not only the court, he stands in opposition to just about everything the President ran on in terms of the moral and social agenda. How arrogant is that?"

Robert B. Bluey is Assistant Editor for HUMAN EVENTS


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: arlen; committee; conservative; conservatives; dobson; evangelicals; gop; judges; judiciary; liberal; nominations; nominees; republican; santorum; shutup; specter
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 281-287 next last
To: NCPAC
...Dobson needs to get over himself.

Unlike you, of course...

61 posted on 11/15/2004 1:37:40 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance
Doesn't necessarily mean anyone is going to listen.

I'm glad you recognize that point.

I think the uprising against Specter, who has a long history of hostility to the core values of our Party, is on its way to dwarfing anything Washington has ever seen.

Oh, good grief; it is not.

I would imagine it's a done deal and has been for over a week; they're just walking the walk.

It's going to be Specter.

62 posted on 11/15/2004 1:38:46 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
Remember, this all began with Specter's warning. Which was much of a "threat" as anything we're hearing from the "religious right".

And we all know how hard Specter worked to get out the Bush vote in PA.


63 posted on 11/15/2004 1:39:52 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: WhistlingPastTheGraveyard

Isn't that the truth.

Specter certainly bite the hand that tried to feed him.

(BTW, where did those signs come from?)


64 posted on 11/15/2004 1:41:42 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Joe Brower
Then we finally get a Christian leader who does exactly that and then there's all this pissing and moaning. It's incredible.

Consider the source of that whining, and remember that they are as marginal in our Party as Specter is.

Pro-abortion 'Republicans' have their meetings in a phone booth.

The vast bulk of the GOP rank and file across the land share our outrage at the thought of Specter at the helm of Judiciary at such a critical time as this.

Judicial nominations are the big prize, the prize that millions of conservatives have given time, energy and treasure for years to procure.

Mark those who stand in the way well.

65 posted on 11/15/2004 1:43:11 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Tom Paine

> Russell D. Feingold WISCONSIN

(*grump*) There's not much point in writing Feingold again; he always answers with a letter saying, in essence, "Thanks for writing! I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that I'm [going to do exactly the opposite of what you want]!"


66 posted on 11/15/2004 1:43:35 PM PST by paladinan (Rule #1: There is a God. Rule #2: It isn't you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
(BTW, where did those signs come from?)

Specter's former campaign manager.

67 posted on 11/15/2004 1:44:04 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

Nothing new about it - the "evangelicals don't matter" BS has been relegated to history's dustbin, but some people will never get it.

Go Dr. Dobson! Keeping speaking the truth.


68 posted on 11/15/2004 1:44:23 PM PST by Kryptonite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

But, of course...

How's tricks, EV?

It's the manner in which Dobson lays it out there - the threat - much more so than the message. You attack best when you merely tell the truth. Just ask the Swifties.
No threats needs be delivered - especially in reference to reneging on promisies that don't appear to have ever been made.


69 posted on 11/15/2004 1:44:36 PM PST by NCPAC (Social Darwinists Unite!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

The pic came from the Philly Inquirer. I'm not entirely sure who was behind the signs... I think it was Specter's former campaign manager working on his behalf (with a degree of separation for plausible deniability purposes, possibly).


70 posted on 11/15/2004 1:47:16 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Sir Gawain
They're ashamed that evangelicals have an opinion. "Yeah you pretty much got Bush elected now shut up." Typical.

Right On! As if we didn't mention to GW to purge those Bubba appointees. He didn't & they took him for a ride. (Although we mention Gw as the final arbitrator in Wash thatis not true. He answers to the elites just as ALL of them do or otherwise they would not get the position)

71 posted on 11/15/2004 1:47:53 PM PST by Digger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: NCPAC
Did you actually watch this interview? I did.

The good Doctor simply stated the facts about what the outcome would be of a sellout of the pro-life community.

He's one of the most humble of men, and doesn't make threats.

72 posted on 11/15/2004 1:48:06 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Sir Gawain
Your disdain of evangelicals is seeping through.

Snore.

73 posted on 11/15/2004 1:48:17 PM PST by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: NCPAC
Did any GOP Senator ever "promise" to vote against Specter (with that course of action being the "right thing")?

No, they did not.

And this is NOT news; we've known for a long time it was going to be Specter.

74 posted on 11/15/2004 1:48:56 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: WhistlingPastTheGraveyard

That is my understanding of where the signs came from as well.


75 posted on 11/15/2004 1:49:24 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance
Consider the source of that whining, and remember that they are as marginal in our Party as Specter is. Pro-abortion 'Republicans' have their meetings in a phone booth.

I certainly hope you don't mean those of us on this thread who disagree with Dobson threatening the senators when you say that.

76 posted on 11/15/2004 1:50:13 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: WhistlingPastTheGraveyard

I was just hoping he wasn't dumb enough to give them out in HIS offices.....LOL.

But who knows with this guy; political tact doesn't seem to be his forte.


77 posted on 11/15/2004 1:51:37 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Howlin

I was referring to pro-aborts like Specter. Did it sound to you like I was talking to you?

And you aren't telling the truth when you say that Dobson 'threatened' anybody.

He simply stated the facts.


78 posted on 11/15/2004 1:51:49 PM PST by EternalVigilance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Digger
As if we didn't mention to GW to purge those Bubba appointees.

You cannot PURGE civil servants.

79 posted on 11/15/2004 1:52:25 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: EternalVigilance

It's my experience that people actually making threats never will cop to them; it's completely disengenuous.


80 posted on 11/15/2004 1:53:28 PM PST by Howlin (I love the smell of mandate in the morning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 281-287 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson