Posted on 05/17/2007 2:32:49 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Family advocate James Dobson, widely considered an important GOP rainmaker, says he will not vote for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani under any circumstance in the upcoming presidential elections because of his positions on abortion, domestic partnerships for homosexual couples and other moral issues.
Dobson says today in an exclusive WND column, speaking strictly as a private citizen, "I cannot, and will not, vote for Rudy Giuliani in 2008."
"It is an irrevocable decision," says the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family. "If given a Hobson's – Dobson's? – choice between him and Sens. Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, I will either cast my ballot for an also-ran – or if worse comes to worst – not vote for the first time in my adult life."
Dobson says, "My conscience and my moral convictions will allow me to do nothing else."
"How could Giuliani say with a straight face that he 'hates abortion,' while also seeking public funding for it?" Dobson asks in his commentary. "How can he hate abortion and contribute to Planned Parenthood in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999? And how was he able for many years to defend the horrible procedure by which the brains are sucked from the heads of a viable, late-term, un-anesthetized babies? Those beliefs are philosophically and morally incompatible. What kind of man would even try to reconcile them?"
While Dobson does not endorse candidates in his role with Focus on the Family, he told a talk radio host in January he would not back Arizona Sen. John McCain for the Republican nomination.
"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances," he said.
In March, Dobson drew criticism after a U.S. News and World Report story said Dobson "appeared to throw cold water on a possible presidential bid by former Sen. Fred Thompson while praising former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also weighing a presidential run. …"
Dobson claims the magazine mischaracterized his remarks reported as disparaging of Thompson and the potential presidential candidate's Christian faith.
Reporter Dan Gilgoff quoted Dobson saying of Thompson, "Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for, [but] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression."
A statement by Focus on the Family said Dobson did not mean to disparage Thompson.
"His words weren't intended to represent either an endorsement of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich or a disparagement of former Sen. Fred Thompson," the statement said.
"Dr. Dobson appreciates Sen. Thompson's solid, pro-family voting record and his position that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided."
Dobson, according to Focus on the Family, was "attempting to highlight that to the best of his knowledge, Sen. Thompson hadn't clearly communicated his religious faith, and many evangelical Christians might find this a barrier to supporting him."
Dobson told Gilgoff he had never met Thompson and wasn't certain that his understanding of the former senator's religious convictions was accurate.
"Unfortunately, these qualifiers weren't reported by Mr. Gilgoff," the group's statement said. "We were, however, pleased to learn from his spokesperson that Sen. Thompson professes to be a believer."
Focus on the Family also clarified that Dobson did not excuse Gingrich's "past moral failures," including an affair that ended his second marriage. Gingrich spoke to Dobson of his family life in an interview on the group's daily radio show.
I would be more than happy to support Fred, but Fred is going to have to get off his butt and run.
I will support any Republican, with the exception of Ron Paul, over any Democrat. I think even Fred would agree to that.
I won’t vote for Rudy and no one else I know will either! If Fred decides to run he is the only one I will vote for.
If Fred doesn’t get in I will likely vote for Mike Huckabee for the primary candidate, but just because out of all of the candidates he is the only one I know who I like the most, and that isn’t saying much,
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That may be what I do as well. It depends on whether Thompson runs and gains the nomination. My dream team is Hunter/Thompson, but I'd gladly take Thompson/Hunter.
That’s what they are counting on.
Certainly on national security, taxes, and crime, Giuliani would be preferable to Hilary.that's just a fact. You may not want Rudy and you may not vote, but we will be worse off with Hilary.
I'd be happy to see Romney, Thompson, etc get the nomination. But I will vote against Hilary or Obama or Gore no matter what.
There’s always a “worse” of two evils. And if we’re talking Hillary or Rudy, I don’t think I need to mention which is the worst.
“I cannot believe that you guys would put this country at risk by staying home.”
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Risk of what? The fact that its Hill or Rudy means the hammer has already come down on the thumb....all that is left is to scream obscenities to ease the pain.
Rudy is Hillary’s doppleganger....he looks better in a dress but other than that, there is no significant difference.
Bug off Rudy and let us at least have a choice this election, you are for choice aren’t you?
Baloney. He is for everything I do not believe in. Why should we vote for him? He is a liberal trying to run as a conservative.
Rather than wasting your time chastizing conservatives for their rightful rejection of Ghouliani, you’d be better served making sure that the Republican candidate is someone that conservatives are excited about and can support wholeheartedly.
Somewhere in this process, party hacks have forgotten that they work for us, and not the other way around.
I go to the polls to hire a president, not to elect someone as king over me and every last one of these people trying to get to DC had best remember that.
Here we go again. A lot of good it did our country the way they stayed home for the ‘06 election. Yeah, it really got the message across.
Because I know at least Rudy will fight the people who are trying to kill us. Is Rudy too socially liberal for my taste, yes.
Think about the Supreme Court. Who would you rather have making 3 to 4 appointments, Hillary or Rudy???
Rudy has made it clear that it’s “his way, or the highway”, and I will do a lot of walking, before I’ll vote for Rudy. I registered as a Republican, in St. John’s County, Florida, in 1963, when, and where, Republicans were as rare as Ivory Billed Woodpeckers. If I don’t know what “Republican” means, no one does. Rudy is anything but a Republican.
Rudy, how about my way, or the highway? You are applying for the job, not me!
So you’re not voting unless it’s Huckabee or Thompson? We have to choose Hilary over Romney, McCain, Gingrich and all the others?
I agree and that’s why I leaning towards Fred. But I want a candidate who can actually win.
RWR once said, “I can’t do a damn thing for you if I don’t get elected.”
If both choices "put this country at risk" what is one to do? There is no "lesser of two evils" situation here.
That said, I'd not stay home, but I'd probably have to vote 3rd party for the very first time.
Fortunately it won't come to that, RinoRudy will not be selected to face the other liberal demoncRAT.
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Neither one, Perdogg. Neither one.
On the other hand, there is the option of shifting loyalty to Michael Bloomberg.
And an ica cap is forming in Hades.
This news was brought by the flying pigs.
Give me a break.
It makes someone feel so powerful "I won't vote - so there".
As if their vote is anthing to anyone except themselves.
If you don't cherish your vote - don't use it - fine.
Fine - stay home.
Come on - find another way to voice your distress.
How about this: "If Rudy is elected - I will make sure everyone in our constituency holds him in line..
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