Posted on 01/17/2012 2:50:57 PM PST by VinL
At the now-controversial meeting of evangelicals at a Texas ranch, influential evangelical leader James Dobson made a strong pitch for Rick Santorum's wife and noted that Callista Gingrich was her husband's "mistress for eight years," questioning whether that's what people want in a first lady, three sources told POLITICO.
The moment left several attendees at the confab at the Pressler ranch stunned, according to the sources.
It came on Saturday, before the group of about 150 conservatives voted on a candidate they wanted to back. On the third round of balloting, the vote went to Santorum, but Gingrich backers and other attendees have argued that the voting was done unfairly, and in a way that seemed to benefit the former Pennsylvania senator.
The meeting was initially described as an event to try to unite behind a single candidate to thwart Mitt Romney, but his representatives also ended up speaking there, and despite the third round of balloting which took place after some Gingrich backers left, thinking the meeting had ended broad consensus was never reached, according to multiple attendees.
"Dobson first talked about how great Santorum is," recalled one source, who had first-hand knowledge of Dobson's comment. "[He said,] 'I want to tell you that I've gotten to know Karen [Santorum] and she is just lovely. She set aside two professional careers to raise these seven children. She would make a fabulous first lady role model. And Newt Gingrich's wife, she was a mistress for eight years."
Another source confirmed the account, and said Dobson concluded the sentiment about Callista Gingrich with, "Who do you want as your first lady?"
"It was like a chill [set into] the room," said one source. Several people were offended by the comment, said another source, adding that it was noted among some participants that Callista Gingrich had only been married once.
Where are those Marines at? I thing Dobson needs a golden shower....
...some folks just like the money...never mind Jesus’ teachings.
just goes to show ya that all the scoundrels aren’t Afghans.
I’m not exactly a Newt fan, but Dobson needs to apologize.
I'll take an imperfect Christian over an intentional CULT LEADER anyday.
Dobson sounds like a judgmental old bastard who has forgotten about forgiveness.
Newt confessed his sins and received absolution, so who is he to judge.
Dobson = Judge ye
Newt does good in the debate and now Politico begins swinging the hatchet. This crap is getting old.
Dobson is really starting to irk me and has said several things which show him to be highly judgmental and hypocritical. We need to get on his website and flame him.
We are eating ourselves. And Obama will laugh all the way to his next inauguration.
Typical knee-jerk responses here.
We have liberal mudslinging and BAM!
Idiot FReepers are swallowing it whole and slamming a good Christian conservative.
Typical. But sad.
Dobson, “He is just one of those self-righteous haters who assumes he speaks for God.”
You are correct.
AMEN to that!
Are you saying that he did not say what the article says he said.
Hey, Politico...”You got a name?”
Reckon this will catch up to Dobson soon - and then I expect he will apologize to Callista (or NOT).
Not even applicable. It’s the truth.
what a perennial jackass
only thing he ever said made sense was not to hit kids with your hand but rather a paddle etc
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