Posted on 01/04/2008 12:24:09 PM PST by Tlaloc
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson said Friday that GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's victory in the Iowa caucuses shows that Christian conservatives still have considerable influence.
Huckabee easily defeated second-place finisher Mitt Romney in Iowa Thursday thanks to a wave of support from evangelical Christians.
"The results of the Iowa caucuses reveal that conservative Christians remain a powerful force in American politics. That had to be a great shock to those on the far left," Dobson said in a written release.
Dobson criticized what he called media elites, saying they had written off religious conservatives.
Huckabee's victory "was evidence of an energized and highly motivated conservative community," Dobson said. "Not bad for a supposed bunch of demoralized, depressed, disillusioned and disengaged Reaganites."
Dobson said he has not endorsed Huckabee and said the former Arkansas governor may not win the GOP nomination.
In the next test, the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Christian conservatives are expected to be less of a force than they were in Iowa.
I agree, for the most part. I just think Thompson is a lousy campaigner and he’s in Hunter’s way.
Thompson: “I Need to Come in Second”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1946065/posts
He has squandered a 30 point lead on Intrade, when he had enviable name recognition that Hunter does not have.
He is pro-life, but he tries to nuance the pro-life position with federalism. No one would nuance a baby-killing position with federalism. He worked for a pro-abortion group. His lack of support for the HLA, plus other quotes show that he attempts to nuance his position to appear centrist.
Posted on 04/11/2007 11:11:59 PM PDT by FairOpinion
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/1815999/posts
On Abortion: “Government should stay out of it... The ultimate decision must be made by the women... Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own.” — Fred Thompson, July 1994
Thompson said he opposes making early-term abortions a crime, as some Republicans would like to do with a constitutional amendment. “But I don’t think you should bolt on one issue. I’m still not convinced platforms are a good idea. We know what we believe in and I don’t think we need to write it all down in a document,” Thompson said. (AP, 8/6/96)
Furthermore, this from the American Spectator posted just a few days ago:
In the interview, Thompson was asked: “Some conservatives got flustered by your comments on abortion and Roe vs. Wade. Would you like to explain your position on abortion?”
Thompson answered: “Government should stay out of it. No public financing. The ultimate decision must be made by the woman. Government should treat its citizens as adults capable of making moral decisions on their own.”
Thompson is not an evangelical, having had some kind of fallout with Dobson & saying “I’m not going to dance to your tune”, also he seems to have a Laodicean “I’m OK/You’re OK” spiritual outlook.
Thompson: ‘I’m OK with the Lord, and the Lord is OK with me’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1934692/posts
On immigration, Hunter’s criticism of Thompson over this issue is well aimed. We need someone in the white house who isn’t a johnny-come-lately on this issue.
Road to Des Moines Conversions on Immigration (Hunter Press release)
News Which Cannot Lose ^ | 10/25/07 | Duncan Hunter/staff
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1916889/posts
Thompson is not as strong as Hunter on the WOT. Hunter’s background is military, having won a bronze star in Vietnam, and he’s the ranking member of the house committee on Defense. His name comes up a lot for Secretary of Defense or Homeland Security, but Thompson’s doesn’t.
Thompson supporters are asking Hunterites to care about polls when they obviously don’t care that much about polls, and they’re asking Hucksterites to care about conservatism when it’s obvious that isn’t high on the Huck followers’ radar. Thompson is asking for both camps to care about the things they don’t care about.
Thompson’s promise was that by this time in the race he’d be kicking tootyfruityrudy to the curb, but instead he’s whining about Huckabee and barely beats Ron Paul at Intrade. The bible says something about “to whom much is given, much is required” and the parable of the talents shows that bigger results are expected from those to whom more is given. Thompson was given name recognition and money and the result is dropping polls and losing 30 points at Intrade. Time to give those resources to someone who has been much more frugal with what’s been given to him: Hunter.
I will vote for Thompson if he gets the nomination, but Hunter would make a better president.
Check back here in 2009, you'll see them as often as you see the "George Allen for POTUS" and "Condi Rice for POTUS" crowd that overran this board in 2006 and 2005 (and will now deny tooth-and-nail that they were ever on that bandwagon).
And let's forget FR's darling from the 2000 election, Alan Keyes. He's less popular than Huckabee on FR today.
But the FDT supporters want to keep deluding themselves that a guy who votes nearly identical to "RINO traitor" John McCain is the second coming of Reagan, well... that's their problem.
Dobson is not a Christian leader.... Bashing Dobson does not equal bashing Christians and for all you know those guys are Christians.
***I disagree. There are leaders in any movement, and Dobson is one of the current leaders of the christian movement. Otherwise, why does the bible tell us to appoint leaders among ourselves?
Bashing someone who is a cultural icon of the socon movement is antichristian bashing. This is a socon website, not a GOP website. Keep that in mind when you bash a socon leader.
I note that your candidate is Fred. I’ve seen some invective aimed at Dobson and the christian evangelical right coming from Team Fred. Fred seems to not want the evangelical vote, preferring to “dance to his own tune”. That’s fine. Hunter wants it. Huckabee wants it. Let those 2 candidates position themselves for the evangelical vote.
Only if he screws us or goes off the reservation, which seems to be the problem with Hucks change of FR fortunes...
Look, a UFO. Believe what you want to believe.
Good post.
You’re a liar.
****
During the eight years that Thompson and McCain served together, they cast votes on 102 CQ-defined key votes and agreed on 83 of them - or 81.4 percent of the time. They disagreed 18.6% of the time, that’s pretty high considering that both are Republicans and both are considered relatively conservative. Just as an example from one year, among the instances in which Thompson and McCain differed were votes in 2002 to effectively extend a repeal of the estate tax beyond 2010, to authorize oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and to postpone tougher automobile fuel efficiency standards. Thompson voted “aye” and McCain voted “no” in all three cases.
****
Some key SenateMatch responses for Fred Thompson and John McCain:
“Abortion is a woman’s right”
Fred: Strongly Opposes (voted to ban partial-birth abortion)
McCain: Opposes (voted to allow partial-birth abortion)
“Sexual orientation protected by civil rights laws”
Fred: Strongly Opposes
McCain: Favors
“More federal funding for health coverage”
Fred: Opposes
McCain: Favors
“Replace coal & oil with alternatives”
Fred: Opposes (Voted to preserve budget for ANWR oil drilling)
McCain: Favors (Voted to kill budget for ANWR oil drilling
“Allow churches to provide welfare services”
Fred: Favors
McCain: Opposes
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Fred_Thompson.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_McCain_VoteMatch.htm
*
pro-WOT longtime freeper Governor
***Huckabee is a freeper? I know Hunter is, and so is Hunter’s son.
My question is that if we have a real small government, low taxes, end illegal immigration and secure the borders, fight the WOT and defeat our enemies and he's 100% pro life and endorsed by major pro life groups in Fred Thompson, why is Huckabee anywhere on the radar? Huck is for illegals getting in state college tuition in the state they are illegally in. He is for paying for illegals health care and education. He is for high taxes. He called those against the amnesty or many of them racist or driven by racism. He said another Christian, GWB, had a bunker mentality. Sounds like that could be harry Reid talking. He bad mouthed Bush saying he didn't read the National Intelligence estimate for four years.
I could go on and on. Its not Christian bashing its Huck bashing and he deserves it. If you could step back you would see Huck supporters are basically questioning everyone else's Christianity because they do not support him.
Unfortunately, it also shows that the Christian right is still prone to being rolled.
Help me out here. I'm a recovering Episcopalian, for crying out loud, and a small-government, not particularly religious, conservative to boot. So I really don't know the answer to the question I'm about to ask. I'm not trying to stir the pot - truly.
Is Mr. Dobson (a man, to be frank, I have never heard of) the Evangelical equivalent of Jesse Jackson? Genuflect before Him, kiss the Ring, write a large check and you're Right With The Lord? Or am I missing the point?
I would have to hold my nose to vote for Chucklebee.
I would enjoy spending an afternoon with him, but don't want him to be my president. He wears his Christianity on his sleeve in a way that makes me uncomfortable.
So you saw one?Sorry I deal in reality
Please, every president here on out is likely to be Reagan-like. Bush may well be the last uncharismatic president in our lifetimes. Reagan was exceedingly personable and an exception public speaker. But he is/was no more conservative than current president George “compasionate” Bush. In fact, Bush has been far more conservative in areas of great concern to me than Reagan ever was. I.e. judicial appointments.
Like it or not, elections are more a beauty/acting contest than a rational thought out selection process. Many voting Americans don’t spend time thinking about the future, but everyone of these people can tell you how they feel about another person based on their looks and a 20 second news clip of them speaking.
Charisma will win the day in the end. This is why the rat nominee needs to be Hillary.
Duncan Hunter = Steve Forbes = he’s too ugly to be president. Note, this will not stop me from casting my vote for Hunter, it’s just that as a conservative ALL my life, I have gotten used to nearly always being in the minority on anything.
I don’t know, but it seems that way from afar.
No really, Billyboy.
Tommyboy’s getting back in. He can’t bear disappointing you.
Here is where you accept the distinction between evangelical and christian, for yourself and your candidate.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1925179/replies?c=419
To: Petronski
well it’s not really judging. it’s more like “I know who he is but I’m going to raise all these doubts in people’s heads so that they won’t vote for him.”
On the other hand it is pretty safe to say that Fred is not an Evangelical and I don’t think Fred would have a problem with that as he never claimed to be one.
419 posted on 11/13/2007 4:26:19 PM PST by ari-freedom (I am for traditional moral values, a strong national defense, and free markets.)
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To: ari-freedom
I’m not an Evangelical either. I most certainly am a Christian.
421 posted on 11/13/2007 4:27:38 PM PST by Petronski (Congratulations C.C. Sabathia - A.L. Cy Young 2007)
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Nope.
Not all Christians are evangelical.
...and your candidate.
Where in that post do you think I did that?
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