I am from Colorado Springs and have been listening to Dobson for a long time. I just think he is opportunistic and unjustifiably egotistical.
Care to elaborate on what you mean by politically tone deaf?
Sure if you say "who cares about what he thinks" then you must not understand the power he could yeild politically at any time. If he wanted to run for any office most likely he would be elected. His program is listened to by millions on a daily basis. They send 10's of millions peices of mail out every year. Even if you do not agree with him, You must respect the power he holds politically. He also rarely uses the political power he holds to the extent he could. Why do you think the whitehouse lobbied him for his support of Meir's before her announcement? You get dobsons stamp of approval you got 26 million or more people in your camp.
Dobson is rarely attacked in public by the media because it will cost them their shows because Dobson is viewed as a saint. Any attack on Dobson is met with a avalanche of bad press.
So regardless if you agree with dobson, or think him egotistical ( I would say he is confident rather than egotistical) you are politically tone deaf if you do not recognize the power and POTIENTIAL power he has.