DALLAS - James Dobson, the influential founder of the conservative, evangelical advocacy group Focus on the Family, has delivered a blow to John McCain — by saying he won’t vote for him if he’s the Republican presidential nominee.
“I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are … I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life,” he said.
Dobson said he was just expressing his views as a private citizen — but many of his millions of followers in the evangelical community, who listen to his radio show and read his books, will take it as a signal to do the same.
Dobson previously had said he would do the same if former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani became the Republican nominee. There was even talk among conservatives inside Dobson’s inner circle of supporting a third party candidate if Giuliani, who has since dropped out, carried the Republican crown.
Giuliani’s support for abortion and gay rights made him anathema in the eyes of conservative Christians, a key Republican base.
McCain has long opposed abortion rights. But Dobson said McCain’s failure to support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and his support for embryonic stem-cell research among other things were beyond the Christian conservative pale.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Jim Young
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[...] Lastly, it warms the cockles of my dark heart to see the Republican party crash against the rocks this election cycle. To hear that they are fractured, and to hear the lambasting that Republican pundits are already heaping on McCain gives me great shadenfreude-like pleasure. He’s even managed to get at least one fundamentalist whackjob to crawl out from under his rock to denounce him. [...]
- Posted by Mardi GraSuper Tuesday « Jyunri Kankei[...] Will Dobson Keep His Word on McCain ? Two months ago, Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family said he: ” cannot and will not vote for Senator John McCain, as a matter of conscience.” [...]
- Posted by Will Dobson Keep His Word on McCain ? « Riley Dad’s Weblog[...] political experience. Straight Talk Expressman John McCain tried to curry favor with evangelicals - many of whom detest him - by officially switching religious alliances from the Episcopals to the Baptists. Clearly, the [...]
- Posted by Bring It On! Religion and Society » Maybe Obama Made the Wrong Speech[...] I can elminate this issue. I was reading an article yesterday about Dr. Dobson’s opinion. Dobson’s statement is that he may not vote in the election if there is no pro-family candidate. He is very [...]
- Posted by (in)Decision 08. « Living the questions…McCain is the ONLY candidate that has been 100% pro life in his votes and his life… So if that’s the case, both pediphile Dobson and drug addict Limbaugh need to get back on track and play like the conservatives they claim to be.
- Posted by JLMEALIt is insane for someone like Dobson or Limbaugh to take such a stance. McCain is the only government employee that is willing to put himself ont heline to do the right thing. Sometimes, voting against One’s party on important issues is the right thing to do. Finance Reform was a MUST as the severe religious right and large corps were buying candidates by paying for their campaigns. Just like Islam is buying Obama’s campaign and Clinton is being paid for by the Dubai groups. McCain is the only candidate to take us through these very troubled times. Both Dobson and Limbaugh are pediphiles and need to targeted by the only real and true conservative of this modern era, Erik Rudolph. Sure he was a “bit off the deep-end”, but a true conservative that was also refused backing by Limbaugh and Dobson.
- Posted by JLMEALNo, I don’t support Rudolph or any murderer, but I do support McCain all the way.
I appalled at James Dobson, a Christian and leader of the religious right, who supported the vicious and un-Christian attacks on Hilary Clinton. She, too, is a human being. He and his followers who have supported the demeaning dolls made of Senator Clinton are sexist to women of all ages and all beliefs. It proves gender bias in the evangelic movement and supports the world’s misunderstanding of us. His attach on women is proof positive that there still are two kinds of people in this world: Human beings and women. I am a Christian who believes that God intended for Christians to lead this world, not fall into the immoral behavior of a Hollywood-type response to a woman running for president.
- Posted by Darlene SchenckAs a Christian, I cannot condone the destruction of the unborn out of convenience. I am glad that there are some who are willing to present the “inconvenient truth” that millions of the most innocent have been aborted. I appreciate Dr. Dobson’s willingness to voice these concerns.
- Posted by PIRSquaredI’m thrilled with the choices this year. For the first time in my life there will be two good choices for president. I’ll vote democrat as usual, but if libral McCain gets elected…I’ll be ok with that too. The religious right can believe however they want…but I want the same freedom.
- Posted by LoriFrom that same article endorsing Huckabee:
“Dobson emphasizes that when he endorses candidates, he is doing so as a private citizen and not as a representative of Focus on the Family, a tax-exempt organization he founded. His endorsement of Huckabee was to be e-mailed to 110,000 people through Focus on the Family Action, a separate entity that is allowed to be more politically active, Schneeberger said.”
Dr. Dobson is too smart an individual to not know the impact of his endorsement and the fact that it was e-mailed by his support organization belies his disclaimer.
Appears duplicitous to me. For those who posted thoughtful comments but whose primary language is not English, that means “talking out of both sides of his mouth.”
- Posted by Frank“James Dobson, one of the nation’s most prominent evangelical Christian leaders, is about to endorse former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee”.
Why am I not surprised that he would support a divisive split in the Republican Party, the only party that comes even close to supporting his views, rather than rally behind McCain?
Tell me this Dr Dobson, if the Democrats nominated Satan would you still take the position you do, split the opposition and allow Satan to be elected?
I dare say I think you would.
- Posted by FrankIn all seriousness, I wonder if James Dobson will support Ron Paul.
- Posted by DamianSince the Democratic party’s formation, a recurring theme has arisen when vindicating laws in place. For slavery, it was John C. Calhoun (D) who reaffirmed that slaves were not fully human, and therefore were not U.S. citizens, but the property of U.S. citizens. This was clearly seen in Dred Scott vs. Sanford, 1856. The modern Democrat’s justification for abortion is nearly identical, that the child is not human, and thus the property of the mother (solely). That laws like abortion are in place doesn’t mean they should be ignored and that “progression” onto issues such as the economy and health care are of the only pertinent interests. If one believes abortion to be wrong (and I believe abortion is reprehensible), one will keep working towards change. If activists like William Lloyd Garrison did nothing regarding the horrid institution of slavery but said with complacency “it’s just the law, regardless of whether or not it’s moral,” we would have a very different history of America: a nation that practiced slavery for far too long.
- Posted by DavidMost people say that the two most important issues facing America today are the economy and the war. I fear that, unless we DO elect a candidate who will head us back toward Biblical principles, we will see an ever-worsening economy and even more war. God does not bring judgements, we bring them on ourselves when we disobey His laws. You can`t blame the stop sign if you run it and get broadsided.
- Posted by Linda Stell* * * AP Breaking News Alert * * *
Evangelical leader James Dobson to endorse Mike Huckabee for GOP presidential nod.
James Dobson, one of the nation’s most prominent evangelical Christian leaders, is about to endorse former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee,the Associated Press has learned. Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Focus on the Family, talked to the GOP presidential hopeful Thursday and later was to release a statement explaining his choice, said Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Dobson.
Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, holds perhaps more influence over rank-and-file Christians than any other evangelical leader in the country. He has stated that he won’t support John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson, leaving just Huckabee and Mitt Romney.
And now with Mitt Romney dropping out of the race, the decision becomes very clear that Mike Huckabee is the conservative choice.
His backing carries enormous weight, because of the number of voters he reaches via his organization, radio show and is symbolic.
This represent a major validation of Huckabee’s presidential candidacy.
- Posted by TonyI am a somewhat conservative voter and I will vote for John McCain. James Dobson’s statement about McCain is completely irresponsible and I have a decreased respect for him. Vote McCain in November!!!
- Posted by DThese past 8 years of “family focused” christian neo-conservatism have been so great, haven’t they? it’s so sad there’s terms limits. now we actually have to elect a reasonable person (mccain, obama, or clinton) to begin to repair the ridiculous wreckage of bush/cheney. there are no “angels” in evangelical. you nutjob hatemongers have screwed this country and left us with a 100-year war, trillion $ deficit, and a country scorned by the rest of the world. well done.
- Posted by tom[...] James Dobson quote is from a Reuters Article: “I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to [...]
- Posted by the various thoughts, reflections & perspectives of michael tangen