Posted on 10/04/2007 5:25:13 AM PDT by Neville72
It hasn't gotten much comment yet, but in his interview on Fox last night, Fred Thompson rather emphatically told Focus on the Family chief James Dobson to take a hike. Host Sean Hannity asked Thompson about Dobson, who has attacked Thompson and made it clear he would not support a Thompson candidacy. "Don't read too much into the Dobson thing," Thompson told Hannity, continuing:
A gentleman who has never met me, who has never talked to me, I've never talked to him on the phone. I did have one of his aides call me up and kind of apologize, the first time he attacked me and said I wasn't a Christian…
I don't know the gentleman. I do know that I have a lot of people who are of strong faith and are involved in the same organizations that he is in, that I've met with, Jeri and I both have met with, and I like to think that we have some strong friendships and support there…
Hannity then asked: "Would you want to have a conversation with Dr. Dobson? Do you think that might help?"
I have no idea. I don't particularly care to have a conversation with him. If he wants to call up and apologize again, that's ok with me. But I'm not going to dance to anybody's tune.
Not at all.
I’m against abortion, because it’s life, but beyond that, I think government should stay out of pubs and bedrooms.
There are a lot of posters at Free Republic trying to peel off the “Social Justice” Christians too.
I'd love to...but he just won't win in this environment. Principle does us no good once we're burning at the stake.
Lack of principle is the reason we’ll be burning at that stake!
OK, now you bring up a good point.
I have never, not once, said the GOP needs to “write off” the Christian Right. I realize you haven’t said that, but other posters on this thread have suggested that I have said such a thing.
What I said was a candidate with his lip totally, 100% pressed against the butts of the Dobson types turns off the other 80% of the GOP electorate that isn’t quite so strongly in that camp.
The right candidate needs to be able to balance himself. He (or she) must have a background of basic, American-values social conservatism that’s strong enough for evangelicals to accept but not coming across as a bible-thumper, so as not to turn off the libertarian wing...a strong, patriotic pro-American stance, and a fiscal and economic platform that is low-tax and pro-business, but still shows respect for the “little guy” at the same time. As much as a certain segment of the conservative movement hates to hear this, you are NOT going to win on a platform of banning contraceptives, censoring the Internet, or even legislating things like whether or not you can buy a Playboy at a truck stop.
Of anyone on the radar now, Fred Thompson fits that description better than anyone.
Good for Thompson. I respect Dobson, but he is way off base here and he sounds like nothing more than the “all or nothing conservatives” that are destined to give the Democrats reign of the government in 2009 and beyond.
It is this type of thinking that needs to stop and stop now.
I wish someone would create a curriculum based on the 50+yrs of the National Review, Goldwater and Kirk and hand it to every would be Republican politician.
“Lack of principle is the reason we’ll be burning at that stake!”
Sadly, you are correct.
Well said.
Fusionist. Haven’t heard that phrase.
Enjoy your principles with Hillary in Oval Office.
A 80% friend is a lot better than a 80% enemy.
In the political arena, primaries are the time for 100% principles. In the general, 100% principles will get you 5% in office.
Thanks!
Christians didn’t vote before Falwell????? Hellooooooooo.
excellent summation.
Thanks! :)
i think that distinction is extremely important.
IOW, the Oznog ticket? Kewl.
"The success of the effort is by no means ensured; in March, Focus on the Family's James Dobson told U.S. News that he doubted Thompson was really a Christian. But Dobson and Thompson have since talked, with Dobson rumored to be reassessing Thompson. And prominent social conservative Paul Weyrich, who met recently with Thompson and evangelical activists, said the former senator "was in agreement with us on almost everything." source
Is this true or was Fred a liar last night?
I’m not necessarily supporting Thompson, but in this, Mr Dobson needs to remember that he’s not Christ and therefore does not make the decision on who and who is not a Christian.
I agree. I said almost the exact same thing about Dobson on another thread.
"bend our way....compromise your principles...look the other way...choose the lesser of two evils...
..or you will get Hillary".
IT's getting old!
I don't go around demonizing Thompson....he seems nice enough...and I've got a 'wait & see' attitude.
..but I'm getting tired of the strong-armed guilt trips!
Fred did say that someone from Dobsons office called to apologize about that flack in March...this article is from
July. (in another post it was stated that Fred sent an email to Dobson back in March.)Since then the supposed leaked email came out. And if you heard Fred ...he said that Dobson could apologize again. But neither has “spoken” to the other.
so sorry no lie.
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