From the Washington Post

In a highly visible rift in the anti-abortion movement, a coalition of evangelical Protestant and Roman Catholic groups is attacking a longtime ally, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

Using rhetoric that they have reserved in the past for abortion clinics, some of the coalition's leaders accuse Dobson and other national anti-abortion leaders of building an "industry" around relentless fundraising and misleading information.

At the center of the dispute is the Supreme Court's April 18 decision upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, a federal law barring late-term abortion that Congress passed in 2003.

Dobson and many other anti-abortion leaders hailed the 5 to 4 ruling as a victory; abortion-rights organizations saw it as a defeat.

But six weeks later, its consequences have been, in part, the reverse.

"The Supreme Court decision totally galvanized our supporters" by raising the prospect that the court could soon overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 opinion that established a woman's right to choose an abortion, said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

"Both our direct-mail and online giving got a serious bump," she said.

Among anti-abortion activists, meanwhile, the decision in Gonzales vs. Carhart has reopened an old split between those who support piecemeal restrictions on abortion and purists who seek a wholesale prohibition.

In an open letter to Dobson that was published as a full-page ad May 23 in The Gazette newspaper in Colorado Springs - where Focus is headquartered - and May 30 in the Washington Times, the heads of five small but vocal groups called the Carhart decision "wicked," and accused Dobson of misleading Christians by applauding it.

A Focus on the Family spokesman said that Dobson would not comment. But the organization's vice president, Tom Minnery, said that Dobson rejoiced over the ruling "because we, and most pro-lifers, are sophisticated enough to know we're not going to win a total victory all at once. We're going to win piece by piece."

Brian Rohrbough, president of Colorado Right to Life and a signer of the ads, disagreed.

"What happened in the abortion world is that groups like National Right to Life, they're really a wing of the Republican Party, and they're not geared to push for personhood for an unborn child - they're geared to getting Republicans elected," he said. "So we're seeing these ridiculous laws like the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban put forward, and then we're deceived about what they really do."

From Raw Story

President George W. Bush met privately with Focus on the Family Founder and Chairman James Dobson and approximately a dozen Christian right leaders last week to rally support for his policies on Iraq, Iran and the so-called "war on terror."

“I was invited to go to Washington DC to meet with President Bush in the White House along with 12 or 13 other leaders of the pro-family movement," Dobson disclosed on his radio program Monday. “And the topic of the discussion that day was Iraq, Iran and international terrorism. And we were together for 90 minutes and it was very enlightening and in some ways disturbing too."

Details of the meeting were disclosed by Dobson during Monday's edition of his Focus on the Family radio program.

Dobson described Bush as “upbeat and determined and convinced, adding, “I wish the American people could have sat in on that meeting we had.”

Dobson went on to enumerate a series of meetings convened by Christian right leaders in Washington to discuss the supposedly existential threat to the United States from a nuclear Iran.

“I heard about this danger [from Iran] not only at the White House but from other pro-family leaders that I met during that week in Washington," he said. “Many people in a position to know are talking about the possibility of losing a city to nuclear or biological or chemical attack. And if we can lose one we can lose ten.

"If we can lose ten we can lose a hundred," he added, “especially if North Korea and Russia and China pile on.”

Later in his broadcast, during a discussion about Iran with author and self-proclaimed “prophecy expert” Joel Rosenberg, Dobson drew a parallel between current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Adolf Hitler.

“The world looked at Hitler and just didn't believe him and tried to appease him the way we're hearing in Washington today,” Dobson remarked. “You know, the President seems to me does understand this, as I told you from that meeting I had with him the other day, but even there it feels like somebody ought to be standing up and saying, ‘We are being threatened and we are going to meet this with force -- whatever's necessary.’”

Dobson continued, “Some of our listeners might not like that but I tell you, if we didn't stand up to Hitler, we'd be speaking German today.”

You can listen to the broadcast here. [Fast forward to the 20 minute mark]

This week, Dobson is featuring a series on the "imminent" threat of Iran and Islam. Dobson's resident "prophetic" expert, Joel Rosenberg, is sounding the alarm that the apocalypse is near, if we fail to attack Iran immediately:

"To misunderstand the nature of evil is to risk being blindsided by it... [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad is telling people inside Iran that he believes that the end of the world is just two or three years away ... and he believes that the way to hasten the coming of the Islamic Messiah -- known as the Mahdi or as the Twelth Imam -- is to annihilate two countries: Israel ... and the United States."

And Dobson clearly believes the Iranian threat is imminent: [From his Monday broadcast]

"Iran has promised to to blow Israel off the face of the Earth, they've made no bones about that, and then they plan to come after us... Jihad is their sacred duty... The leaders of Iran and especially the president of Iran fully intend to wage war on us."

This is pretty scary shit considering Rosenberg and Dobson have the ear of our president, "The Decider."

From WorldNetDaily

A prominent Christian leader whose radio and magazine outreaches are solidly in support of biblically-based marriages -- and keeps in touch with millions of constituents daily -- says he cannot consider Arizona Sen. John McCain a viable candidate for president.

"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances," said James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family as well as the Focus Action cultural action organization set up specifically to provide a platform for informing and rallying constituents.

Continue reading "James Dobson Says He Would Not Vote For John McCain" »

From the AP [thanks JDR]

Conservative Christian leader James Dobson accused the Republican Party of abandoning values voters in the midterm elections — and paying the price by losing control of Congress. "What did they do with their power?" Dobson said in a statement. "Very little that values voters care about."

Finger-pointing abounded in the days after Democrats seized control of Congress after 12 years in the minority. Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, issued a statement railing against the Republicans for letting their majorities slip away.

"They consistently ignored the constituency that put them in power until it was late in the game, and then frantically tried to catch up at the last minute," said Dobson, who argued that religious conservatives ensured GOP wins in 2004.

Dobson also criticized other conservatives, including former Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas — an architect of the 1994 GOP House takeover — for complaining recently that the religious right was "too involved" with the party.

"Without the support of that specific constituency, John Kerry would be president and the Republicans would have fallen into a black hole in '04," Dobson said. "In fact, that is where they are headed if they continue to abandon their pro-moral, pro-family and pro-life base. The big tent will turn into a three-ring circus."

Dobson said he had predicted in 2004 that Republicans might squander their opportunity and pay the price in future elections.

"Sadly for conservatives, that in large measure explains what happened on Tuesday night," he said. "Many of the values voters of '04 simply stayed at home this year."

From Denver Post

"We are in the midst of a war, and the president is the commander in chief, and we've got troops in the field, and we're going to paralyze him [Bush] for two years?"

Meanwhile, according to the NY Times:

Burials at Arlington National Cemetery took on a grim regularity in October, when at least 103 American troops were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, the toll had reached 99 by Saturday, making October the deadliest month since January 2005.

Clearly, Dobson is getting pretty desperate. His people are resorting to scaring the hell out of potential voters by calling them in the middle of the night.

It's appalling that Dobson's empire still remains tax-exempt. Anyone with eyes can see that Focus on the Family is aggressively partisan. Just read this letter to Maryland voters. From WUSA9

Dear Maryland Friend,

... One of your candidates—Congressman Ben Cardin—is a die-hard supporter of abortion. For more than a decade, he has maintained a 100-percent voting record from the pro-abortion group NARAL and from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the world.

What does a perfect pro-abortion voting record look like? Ben Cardin supports abortion through all nine months of pregnancy and even favors the ghastly practice of partial-birth abortion. He voted against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (also known as "Laci and Conner's Law"), and he faithfully supports making you, the taxpayer, pay for abortions! It's hard to get any more pro-abortion than that!

Is there any doubt that Mr. Cardin will listen to his pro-abortion financiers when it comes to confirming judges to the U.S. Supreme Court? There shouldn't be. The liberal-led filibusters against judicial nominees have been based almost entirely on one thing—where those judges stand on abortion. Indeed, Rep. Cardin announced he would have voted against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who indicated a willingness to challenge pro-abortion precedents.

But what about Ben Cardin's stance on marriage? The answer to that question depends on whether you believe his words or his actions. He says he believes in traditional marriage, but he hasn't lifted a finger to protect it. In fact, he has done just the opposite by opposing the very measures that would defend it against the attacks of gay radicals and activist judges.

In both 2004 and 2006, Mr. Cardin had the chance to demonstrate his commitment to traditional marriage, but instead he chose to vote against the federal Marriage Protection Amendment. Further, he even voted against the Marriage Protection Act, which would have taken simple steps to protect marriage.

Consequently, the Human Rights Campaign—the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization—has given significant campaign cash to Ben Cardin in each of the past three elections.

Fortunately, your other Senate candidate, Lt. Governor Michael Steele, has a much better track record, particularly on the sanctity of human life and marriage.

When it comes to life, there's no guessing where he stands. Michael Steele has repeatedly given his commitment to pro-life policies, from abortion to embryonic stem-cell research. Equally important, Lt. Gov. Steele's commitment to defending marriage from redefinition has been clear. He unequivocally supports the Marriage Protection Amendment that would keep liberal courts and radical gay activists from hijacking the institution of marriage.

Finally, when it comes to judges, who have triggered many of the problems on these issues, Steele has clearly underscored the need for judges who will interpret the law rather than make it. This effort to reform the out-of-control judiciary will outlast any politician and is critical to our nation's survival....

Don't let the abortion industry and advocates of homosexual marriage have their way in Maryland. Make your voice heard!

Sincerely,
James C. Dobson, Ph.D.
Founder and Chairman

Don't worry Jimmy-boy. Surely the rapture is on its way.

From Standard News Wire

"I have never ever seen such hatred in my life. I am being bludgeoned in the media. Why? Why now? Well, it’s not really personal to me. But they identify me as one of the people who turned out the values voters last time—and they are determined to never, ever let it happen again.

"For two years they have just been livid over what happened in 2004. I’m getting the brunt of it—but you know what, I don’t really care about that. And I’m going to cast my vote anyway. Are you?"

And who would know better than the expert on all things gay, James Dobson. [From Ethics Daily]

Dobson said a congressman has told him that several other gay Republicans will be "outed" in coming days. He said he doesn't know who they are, but, "They say it is going to be worse than anything that has happened so far."

"They are dribbling this bad news out so eventually the values voters will get to the point so they will say a pox on both your houses; I'm staying home," Dobson said. "Folks you cannot afford to do that."

So let's get this straight: Dobson wants his followers, the "values voters," to not be deterred by news of closeted homosexuality in the GOP. Isn't opposing homosexuality a core issue that defines them as "values voters?" Sounds like a mixed signal to us. Especially when the GOP leadership are apparently drunk on the liberal Molotov cocktail known as "Tolerance And Diversity" and are guilty of "shielding" GOP Congressman from being outed. Meanwhile, the AP is reporting on other mysterious "allegations of improper conduct toward teenage congressional assistants, which do not involve ex-Rep. Mark Foley."

As Defcon has been reporting, Dobson's words were reported from a "Justice Sunday" event to a crowd that was "substantially smaller than a 'Justice Sunday' event held two years ago in the same church." His get out the vote tour is tanking.

Related: Dobson Says Christians Won't Vote For A Super Hot Mormon

image from The Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right

James Dobson's attempts to recruit millions of new voters in 2006—Dobson's "Stand for the Family" campaign is the largest Christian voter drive since the formation of the Christian Coalition— is tanking. Via Defcon:

Surprise, surprise. More evidence of the dwindling influence Dobson & CO will exert over the upcoming elections. Focus on the Family has cancelled two of their "Stand for the Family Events" scheduled to be held in giant auditoriums in cities across the country—moving them instead to much smaller venues and in one case to a local church where the admission will be free of charge! Talk about desperate.

[...]

You'll remember that in August, Focus on the Family announced a massive campaign to influence the elections in eight targeted states. The campaign was touted as the largest political effort by the religious right since the heyday of the Christian Coalition and reportedly combines a massive voter registration effort, the distribution of voter guides, and a series of high profile "Stand for the Family" events across the country featuring both Dobson, Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, and Gary Bauer.

The Times claims that evangelicals blame Foley, not the Republican party for abandoning their values. Still, the poor ticket sales for Dobson's "Stand for the Family" event is very encouraging.

Gov. Romney: "a very attractive man"

"I don't believe that conservative Christians in large numbers will vote for a Mormon," said Dobson on Laura Ingraham's syndicated radio show yesterday. He was referring to Governor Romney of Massachusetts, who may run for president in 2008.

He went on to reassure listeners that the Governor was a nice guy. In fact, Dobson thinks he's hot:

"He's a nice guy. He's a very attractive man..." said Dobson.

And we thought Dobson preferred blondes.

[From the NY Sun, Hat Tip Jesus General.]

Via Media Matters [Hat Tip DefCon]

A Media Matters for America review of cable and broadcast networks and major newspapers showed no coverage of recent criticism by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) of the "embarrassing spectacle of the Republican Party's "blatant pandering" to the Christian right and James Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family. Armey asserted that "Dobson and his gang of thugs are real nasty bullies." READ IT ALL

And somehow Focus on the Family, the terrifyingly influential "nonpartisan" mouthpiece for James Dobson that has become so large it literally has its own zip code, still remains tax-exempt. This piece is a doozy. From Focus on the Family's Citizen Magazine [via Defcon]

9-11 was terrible for America. But it’s been devastating for liberals... For all its tragedy, at least one good thing came out of 9-11. It exposed the Left’s incapacity to deal with evil.... Why won’t the Left label and confront evil?

The reasons are not only psychological (fear of confrontation, fear of fighting, fear of dying, loathing of authority figures whether parental or divine, etc.)...

All this leftist aversion to talk about evil has come to the fore since 9-11. In that sense, 9-11 was a catastrophe for the Left. It told most Americans exactly what the Left does not want Americans to believe: that there is major evil in the world which only America can truly fight; that America is not the Great Problem and, even worse, that the Great Problem regards America as its primary enemy; that sometimes only moral violence can end immoral violence; that people do terrible things for reasons having nothing to do with economics; that the U.N. is morally worthless; that America really is exceptional, and that there really is such as a thing as evil and those who fight itare better than those who fight the fighters.

9-11 was terrible for America. But it has thus far been devastating for the Left. That is one reason the Left so hates George W. Bush; and why, in their hearts, they have to hope he—and therefore we—lose in Iraq.

Meanwhile, All Saints Church in Pasadena is under investigation by the IRS. The crime? A former pastor gave an antiwar sermon prior to the invasion of Iraq.

From LA Times

Conservatives Put Faith in Church Voter Drives
As discontent with the Republican Party threatens to dampen the turnout of conservative voters in November, evangelical leaders are launching a massive registration drive that could help counter the malaise and mobilize new religious voters in battleground states.

The program, coordinated by the Colorado-based group Focus on the Family and its influential founder, James C. Dobson, would use a variety of methods — including information inserted in church publications and booths placed outside worship services — to recruit millions of new voters in 2006 and beyond.

The effort builds on the aggressive courtship of evangelical voters in 2004 by President Bush's reelection campaign, even as the Internal Revenue Service has announced renewed scrutiny of nonprofit organizations, including churches, that engage in political activities.

The new voter registration program puts a special focus this year on eight states with key Senate, House and state-level races. Turning out core voters is central to the GOP strategy to retain control of Congress, especially as the party struggles with negative public sentiment over the war in Iraq and other administration policies.

Continue reading "Dobson Seeks To Sign Up GOP Voters For Elections, Still Not Under Investigation By The IRS" »

The Mascot For Dobson's New Anti-gay Website, Sherman

You know, because he's a moron. And that's the type of science homophobic nutjobs who believe the word is 10,000 years old rely on. [From Dobson's new anti-gay website "No Moo Lies"]

Meet Roy and Silo two penguins living in Manhattan's Central Park Zoo.A few years back, they started spending a lot of time together — and became celebrities as Manhattan's "most famous gay penguin couple." Even the zoo started selling books to kids about the two male penguins who loved each other.

Then something happened that messed it all up: Silo met Scrappy, a female penguin from California.

Silo ditched Roy and built a nest with Scrappy. They've even started trying to have kids.

It just goes to show: Penguins can change.

Visit Focus on the Family's new anti-gay website, No Moo Lies, where you can learn all about science and the human genome from a dog. [via Huffpost]

From RELIGION NEWS SERVICE

As the House debates a foreign-spending bill this week that would maintain the current $445 million to the Global [AIDS] Fund next year, Dobson's Focus on the Family ministry has turned up the heat.

A five-page letter addressed to members of Congress criticizes the Global Fund's board of directors, its spending habits and its "social marketing" of condoms "to the near exclusion of abstinence and faithfulness." The letter is signed by Dobson and representatives from 29 other conservative organizations, such as Shepherd Smith of the Institute for Youth Development and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer of American Values. [read it all here]