Dobson endorsed Gingrich about a week after the Texas conference and two days before the South Carolina primary.
I was aware of the endorsement by the leaders of the Family Research Council, which is closely related to Dobson, but somehow I missed Dobson’s official endorsement, which is reported here:
Also, while the endorsement wasn't made official in Texas, NGat is right that Dobson was supporting Santorum and criticizing Gingrich then.
I'm not posting the Politico link since 1) it could easily be interpreted as “bashing” of Gingrich, which I do not want to do, and 2) Politico could not get Dobson to confirm on-the-record the reports of what he had said in the closed meeting. Dobson may have subsequently gone on-the-record with the comments quoted by Politico, but I would need to research that, and I've been a reporter long enough not to put too much trust in unconfirmed reports of what somebody has said off-the-record.
Anyway, NGat, you're right (on the important parts), I'm wrong, and I need to thank you for the correction.
I too listen to Focus on the Family and applaud their Christian mission, but what The_Media_never_lies posted is not wrong. Dobson does have a tin ear for politics, and if his endorsement isn’t a liability, his condemnation of a candidate seems to be pretty effective. Dobson was behind sure loser Huckabee way before he formally endorsed him, and Dobson torpedoed Fred Thompson among evangelicals way early when their support could have helped. Why? Same issue; divorce, then taking up with a younger woman.
Dobson’s playing secular politics based on his moral judgements of candidates is not a positive thing.