Author Topic: Rand Paul Gets James Dobson's (Focus on the Family) Endorsement (Read 2855 times)

roo_ster · « **on:** May 03, 2010, 02:49:36 PM »

Not only that, Dobson pulled his endorsement of Paul's opponent after he determined the GOP's leaders lied to him about Paul's position on abortion.

Ouch!

Quote from: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/campaign-blogs-roundup/95567-top-of-the-ballot-expectations-rise-for-gop-in-specials-dobson-switches-endorsement-in-kentucky

Dobson pulls Grayson endorsement, backs Paul

Just a week after backing Trey Grayson in the Kentucky Senate race, evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson pulled the endorsement, backed Rand Paul and blamed GOP leaders for providing him misleading information about Paul’s record.

"Senior members of the GOP told me Dr. Paul is pro-choice and that he opposes many conservative perspectives, so I endorsed his opponent,” Dobson said. “But now I've received further information from OB/GYNs in Kentucky whom I trust, and from interviewing the candidate himself.”

Paul’s news will likely trump Grayson’s not-so-insignificant endorsement from Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), who represents a strongly conservative district and is well-regarded by his district’s voters.

A pulled endorsement – especially within a week’s time period – doesn’t happen often. And the fact that Dobson blamed GOP leaders only bolsters Paul’s outsider cred.

Quote from: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100503005889&newsLang=en

Dr. James Dobson: "Have you ever made an embarrassing mistake? I did just that last week. I was given misleading information about the candidacy of Dr. Rand Paul, who is running in the Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate. Senior members of the GOP told me Dr. Paul is pro-choice and that he opposes many conservative perspectives, so I endorsed his opponent.

“But now I've received further information from OB/GYN's in Kentucky whom I trust, and from interviewing the candidate himself.

“I now know that he is avidly pro life. He believes that life begins at conception.

“He opposes earmarking and supports Israel. He identifies with the Tea Party movement and believes in home schooling. Sounds like my kind of man.

“If I lived in Kentucky, I would vote for Dr. Rand Paul. Would you consider sending him to the U.S. Senate to shake things up in Washington?"

Audio:
http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.randpaul2010.com%2Fvideo%2FDr_Dobson_Rand_Paul.mp3&esheet=6273613&lan=en_US&anchor=here&index=1&md5=4805fcb66295be438ea2cddd10da43b8

Quote from: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/james_dobson_endorses_rand_pau.html

Dobson had been convinced, by a fairly successful whisper campaign, that Rand Paul's libertarian approach to the abortion issue was more or less pro-choice. That's not what Paul has ever said, though; like his father he's anti-abortion rights but wants the issue decided in the states. And over the course of a week, the Paul campaign convinced Dobson on this point.

I find it very interesting that a prominent social conservative would get on-board with the "it is a state issue, get the fed.gov out of it" position. It does make the most sense, given that if it is a fed.gov issue, it will eventually be subsidized (Obamacare) and that the best chance to reduce abortions is to keep it a patchwork at the state level. I just never thought a top-tier social conservative would acknowledge the legitimately pro-life nature of that position & argument.

Also, this is a sign that social conservatives are not necessarily joined at the hip with the GOP leadership, especially after that leadership lies to them and treats them like a dime whore. Maybe the RNC can expense a few more thousand dollar trips to strip clubs at donor expense to knock this leadership failure off the news ticker.

Tallpine · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2010, 03:03:43 PM »

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the GOP's leaders lied to him about Paul's position on abortion

What a surprise!

mtnbkr · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2010, 03:27:07 PM »

We should still support the GOP since they're more closely aligned with our freedoms.

Sorry, I tried.

Chris

Balog · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2010, 03:43:28 PM »

That's a pretty heavy blow to that tool Grayson. Lot of us evil fundie types pay attention to Dr Dobson, and I think "evil fundie" is a pretty big demographic in KY. Between the pro-lifers, evangelicals, Tea Partiers, and wookie suiters Rand has a pretty darn good shot methinks.

lee n. field · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:03:33 PM »

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Rand Paul Gets James Dobson's (Focus on the Family) Endorsement

I don't think Dobson's with Focus on the Family anymore. Retired, then spun off another org so he could be more political.

I've been studiously ignoring him for decades. He pissed me off with something you-all'd probably think was minor, in the late 80s. More of a "withdrawal of sanction" thing than anything else. I'm more than a little tired of pronouncements by "evangelical leaders" who don't speak for me.

And I suspect this is far from the first time Dobson's been lied to by the Stupid Party.

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Rand Paul

That's Ron's boy, isn't it? Sorry, if I wasn't paying much attention to politics.

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and I think "evil fundie" is a pretty big demographic in KY

love it.

Balog · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:08:46 PM »

One of my good friends is an Anglican priest in KY, have to ask him what the feel on the ground is amongst the evangelical types.

Lee: I don't know anything about Dobson or FotF other than they're pretty hardline pro-life. Never paid any attention to 'em myself. What vexed you about him? I do agree that most "evangelical" leaders are steaming piles of stupid though.

lee n. field · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:22:04 PM »

Quote from: Balog on May 03, 2010, 04:08:46 PM

Lee: I don't know anything about Dobson or FotF other than they're pretty hardline pro-life. Never paid any attention to 'em myself. What vexed you about him? I do agree that most "evangelical" leaders are steaming piles of stupid though.

He talked mostly about women's and moms' issues, playing to his primary audience. He did a lot of what I perceived as "man bashing". He must have taken some criticism about that, because he addressed it by.....having 4 women on who spent the show complaining about men. "Forget this" said I, and never looked back.

Balog · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:32:32 PM »

Huh, interesting. I agree lots o' men in evangelical circles aren't doing well, but depending on the type of criticism laid on 'em I could see that stance.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2010, 08:29:17 PM »

Dobson's flaws notwithstanding, this is a huge get for Rand Paul.

Quote from: lee n. field on May 03, 2010, 04:22:04 PM

He talked mostly about women's and moms' issues, playing to his primary audience. He did a lot of what I perceived as "man bashing". He must have taken some criticism about that, because he addressed it by.....having 4 women on who spent the show complaining about men. "Forget this" said I, and never looked back.

Dobson has never been one of my heroes either, but...

I guess you might expect that sort of thing from a pediatric psychologist. Besides, was it man-bashing, or just pointing out that a lot of kids problems stem from absentee fathers who deserve a good bashing?

But generally, Dobson's old show did kind of annoy me, just as the tone of most Christian talk radio annoys me. Too milquetoast, too comfortably middle-class. I swear one radio ad I heard was about a woman just distraught over the idea that her children might encounter other kids who don't share their family's values!!

Tallpine · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2010, 09:21:29 PM »

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I swear one radio ad I heard was about a woman just distraught over the idea that her children might encounter other kids who don't share their family's values!!

Oh yeah, the old "Us versus Them" thing

Which is one reason that I switched sides and became a "Them"

Stetson · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2010, 11:23:43 PM »

Having lived in Colo Spgs, where FotF is located, the Dobson Family are a bunch of entitlement weenies. Because of their name they think they are entitled to special treatment. That is one reason "Focus on your own D***ed Family stickers are so prevalent there....

MicroBalrog · « **Reply #11 on:** May 03, 2010, 11:25:38 PM »

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Dobson's flaws notwithstanding, this is a huge get for Rand Paul.

Yes. Quite like the previous Palin endorsement, CWA endorsement, Steve Forbes and Jim Bunning endorsements. :)

red headed stranger · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2010, 11:44:31 AM »

Some of the people that are Dobson followers are pretty scary.

When my wife was still teaching at a Private Lutheran school, there were a number of parents that used Dobson as their shopping guide for movies, TV, and even grocery items. They could tell you exactly what the Dobson site had to say about all the moves that were opening on any given weekend. I can understand using a resource like the Dobson/FotF site for gathering information, but a lot of these people had simply ceded their decision making to a third party.

Dobson wields a lot of power and influence with a certain segment of the population, which will probably be a boon for Paul.

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #13 on:** May 04, 2010, 11:55:01 AM »

Some of the people that are Dobson followers are pretty scary.

too true his followers are a lil off seen that with other folks who gather intense disciples who feel they now know "the one true path" their weirdness often overshadows the good points their messiah has