Posted on 09/19/2007 7:14:10 PM PDT by pissant
DENVER (AP) — James Dobson, one of the nation's most politically influential evangelical Christians, made it clear in a message to friends this week he will not support Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson.
In a private e-mail obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, Dobson accuses the former Tennessee senator and actor of being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on issues dear to social conservatives.
"Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won't talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?" Dobson wrote.
"He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent 'want to.' And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!"
The founder and chairman of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, Dobson draws a radio audience in the millions, many of whom who first came to trust the child psychologist for his conservative Christian advice on child-rearing.
Gary Schneeberger, a Focus on the Family spokesman, confirmed that Dobson wrote the e-mail. Schneeberger declined to comment further, saying it would be inappropriate because Dobson's comments about presidential candidates are made as an individual and not as a representative of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit organization restricted from partisan politics.
Dobson's strong words about Thompson underscore the frustration and lack of unity among Christian conservatives about the GOP field. Some Christian right leaders have pinned their hopes on Thompson, describing him as a Southern-fried Ronald Reagan. But others have voiced doubts in recent weeks about some of the same issues Dobson highlighted: his position on gay marriage and support for the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation.
Dobson and other Christian conservatives support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would bar gay marriage nationally. Thompson has said he would support a constitutional amendment that would prohibit states from imposing their gay marriage laws on other states, which falls well short of that.
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the Thompson campaign, said Wednesday in response to the Dobson e-mail: "Fred Thompson has a 100 percent pro-life voting record. He believes strongly in returning authority to the levels of government closest to families and communities, protecting states from intrusion by the federal government and activist judges.
"We're confident as voters get to know Fred, they'll appreciate his conservative principles, and he is the one conservative in this race who can win the nomination and can go on to defeat the Democratic nominee."
In his e-mail addressed "Dear friends," Dobson includes the text of a recent news story highlighting Thompson's statement that while he was baptized in the Church of Christ, he does not attend church regularly and won't speak about his faith on the stump.
U.S. News and World Report quoted Dobson earlier this year as questioning Thompson's commitment to the Christian faith — comments Dobson contended were not put in proper context. Dobson in this week's e-mail writes that suppositions "about the former senator's never having professed to be a Christian are turning out to be accurate in substance."
Earlier this year, Dobson said he wouldn't back John McCain because of the Arizona senator's opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Later, 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.
Last week, Dobson announced on his radio show that the IRS had cleared him of accusations that he had endangered his organization's nonprofit status by endorsing Republican candidates in 2004. The IRS said Dobson, who endorsed President Bush's re-election bid, was acting as an individual and not on behalf of the nonprofit group.
“Maybe we made a mistake in 1920.”
If it wasn’t for 1920 this would be a whole different country with a different future, instead of being the most conservative candidates, Fred and Duncan would be looked at as liberals compared to what else would be in the running .
“I’ve always liked Dobson but he bombed on this one.”
To each his own. Dobson confirmed my beliefs. Thompson? No way!
It did not kill thompson’s nomination. Dobson will not support Rudy Giuliani, John McCain or Fred Thompson.
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Afterward Dobson came out with his anti Guiliani position...Guiliani’s people got together with social conservatives and hammered out a to do list that Guiliani agreed to on the appointment of strict constructionalist judges. that mollified social conservatives. McCain’s border policies have made him toxic.
Don’t underestimate Dobson’s influence among social conservatives. And don’t underestimate social conservatives ability to influence the nomination. Just as faggots are the soul & conscience of the democratic party social conservatives are the soul and conscience of the republican party.
Don’t whistle past the graveyard, people. Look at what Dobson said and read it carefully. It’s not 100% about position. He is saying Thompson is not up to the job in terms of executive competence. We’re hearing rather a lot of this lately and it is starting to sound familiar and crushing.
Doing that job is about MORE than mouthing words that you want to hear. Decisions have to be made and organization has to be put in place and managed. If Ronald Reagan had not been Governor of California, he would not have been effective as president. It would not have mattered how conservative he was or what his ideals were or how well he gave speeches. He would not have known how to run his staff or manage to get things done with Congress.
Dobson is opposing Thompson because Dobson is an American and wants that job filled with someone he thinks can do it, as well as someone who shares his views.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.."
Just want your opinion no mean spirit intended.
nuts
Good question. Why doesn’t Dobson say who he’s supporting? Mr. & Mrs. Dobson probably can’t agree. Ha!
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
It wasn't quite an endorsement, but Mitt Romney must see promise in comments conservative icon James Dobson made about him yesterday.
Dobson, the influential leader of the Christian organization Focus on the Family, praised Romney on a radio program and said he may end up supporting him.
"I mean he's very presidential and he's got the right answers to many, many things," Dobson told conservative commenator Laura Ingraham on her show. Dobson said he hasn't decided whom to back, but that Romney "is still on the list."
Dobson, whose voice carries tremendous weight among Christian conservatives, said this week that he could never support former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani. And he has said before that he won't back the other leading Republican, Arizona Senator John McCain. That leaves Romney as the only top-tier presidential candidate who could land Dobson's endorsement -- a potentially huge boost for him as he tries to win primary voters.
Last fall, Dobson said he doubted that Romney, a Mormon, would appeal to a lot of Christian voters because of his religion. Earlier this year, Romney met privately with Dobson for nearly two hours at Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs .
So if they’re not Egyptian tablets, what are they? And who else has translated them?
You can’t answer that, because it would betray the falsity of your religion.
****
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
Ezekiel 37
15 ¶ The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
18 ¶ And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
They are the Stick of Joseph called reformed Egyptians you do remember Joseph who had a high position in King Nebuchadnezzar
Special blessings and prophecies on the head of Joseph and his posterity are found in Gen. 48: 1-22; Gen. 49: 1, 22-26; and Deut. 33: 13-17. When Joseph died in Egypt at age 110, he was embalmed; but, in keeping with his own previous request, he was kept from burial until Moses and the children of Israel took his bones to Canaan, to be buried near his father and other ancestors (Gen. 50: 22-26; Ex. 13: 19; Josh. 24: 32).
Latter-day revelation confirms many of the biblical details about Joseph and adds other important facts (see 2 Ne. 3: 4-22; 2 Ne. 4: 2; Alma 10: 3; Alma 46: 23-27; JST Gen. 50). It is through latter-day revelation that the larger mission of the family of Joseph in the last days is illustrated.
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s children, were among the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and thus among the “lost tribes.” Also, one portion of Joseph’s descendants came to America about 600 B.C. and established two great peoples.
The record of their doings is called the Book of Mormon. It has also been primarily Joseph’s descendants whom the Lord has called upon first in these last days to carry the gospel to the nations of the earth, in compliance with the covenant God made with Abraham.
I’m a sinner saved by grace. Christ said: I quote, “by the love they have to one another......you don’t seem to have that love young man. I’m saying a prayer for you right now.
I believe you are right. I've thought about the electoral votes, and I just don't see Guiliani or Thompson winning. I mean Thompson would win huge in southern rural states, but that only is 25% of the electoral college. Romney on the other hand I believe is just conservative enough and willing to give guaruntees on social issues that he can win the south too, yet also win many states outside.
Good night and sweet dreams
God Bless
I suppose you think YOUR comment was “loving”?
“not true. this just killed thompson’s nomination. he’s now a dead man walking. a zombie. sad but true.”
“dead man walking is the same as your post...a dumb man talking”
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good thing you won’t remember any of this come election time. and it won’t matter anyway.
For once I agree with you Bills...miracles never cease.
Did any money change hands - or what does Romney know about Dobson that we don't know???????????
Romney’s ~NOT~ gonna win Dobson’s vote, either. My prediction.
I think you’re wrong AND you’re nuts if you don’t think Fred will take the Bible belt by a huge margin.
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