The Dobson/Obama Fracas: An Obama Blunder
July 1st, 2008 at 01:10am Mark Noonan
So says Gary McCullough:
Gary McCullough, director of Christian Newswire, has called Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s attack on Focus on the Family president James Dobson a “political blunder” that could have a significant impact on Evangelical swing voters who were otherwise lukewarm towards Obama’s opponent, Sen. John McCain.
Sen. McCain’s past ambivalence towards same-sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research, McCullough wrote, had not excited the hard core of evangelicals.
“The evangelical community had been fairly unimpressed by John McCain. But Obama has shown a grave lack of political wisdom: he did not let this sleeping dog lie,” McCullough said in an opinion piece published on Christian Newswire.
Dr. James Dobson’s June 24 radio show critiqued Obama’s use of Scripture in justifying his political policies and positions. The next day Obama responded to the evangelical leader’s critique by saying that Dobson was “making stuff up,” which McCullough said was “an indirect way of calling Dobson a liar.”
McCullough said Obama’s treatment of Dobson eliminated any sympathy Obama would have received for the attacks on his religious associations, such as his long relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama’s remarks also would be perceived as an insult towards “the single, most powerful influence on evangelicals,” he claimed.
Dr. James Dobson’s radio show reaches about 1.7 million listeners.
“His mistake could prove to make the difference in November — in favor of McCain,” McCullough wrote.
No doubt about it, my Evanglical brothers and sisters haven’t been lighting bonfires for McCain - but if Obama’s plan was to turn a so/so Evangelical vote for McCain into a Bush-like GOP blowout, then its working out splendidly. Obama does have this problem - outside the highly scripted and friendly venue, he’s apt to say uber-left things which sound outrageous to everyone who isn’t a leftist (”bitter”, eg). Victor Davis Hanson, observing the massive weaknesses of Obama, notes that one of Obama’s primary efforts will have to be insulating himself from the public, his past associations, Chicago Democratic corruption, his thin resume’ and, indeed, pretty much everything there is to Obama other than his puerile “hope and change” mantra…as long as Obama can keep it vague, he’s got a solid shot at winning. McCain’s job - and ours - is to make it crystal clear.
As I’ve said before, Obama is the “un-named Democrat” of 2004 made flesh - he’s boundlessly ambitious and has a smoothness about him most actors would envy, but there’s really nothing to him. He really is the empty suit - he’s done nothing, achieved nothing, which would indicate an ability to carry the massive weight of the Presidency. But this emptiness has its advantage - you can hang on him anything you like, and the left - being made up of people who believe feelings are as important as facts - feels that Obama is the answer to all their hopes and dreams. We’ve got Obama Wan Kenobi telling us to “trust our feelings” - ’cause the facts aren’t on our side. And so - facts are anethema…we’re supposed to feel it will be good and feel good about feeling that feeling…and thus elect Obama.
In our favor is a man who is deeply rooted in the some times harsh facts of life, regardless of what he might feel at the moment. John McCain is the antidote to Obamania…the cool gust of reality to clear out the hackneyed, suffocating, mealy-mouthed platitudes of Obama.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Democrats, Kook Left, Religion, Republicans
21 Comments
1. JustAnotherTaxpayer | July 1st, 2008 at 2:30 am
AP article appearing on Yahoo News
Surprising Fact:Half oF Gun deaths are Suicides
By Mike Stobe, AP Medical Writer
Speaking about bitterness, and guns, of the 31,000 firearm deaths in the US, 55% were suicides in 2005, the last for which stats were availble from the CDC.
Nothing unique about that year, either,
“gun related suicides have outnumbered firearm
homicides and accidents for the past 20 of the 25 years.
While it might be argued that once the decision to commit suicide has been made, any number of means can be used to end ones life.
Attempts with guns are 90% successful , compared with 34% of jumpers, and only 2% of those overdosing on toxic substances. Guns are the most effective means of doing with ones self, accounting for 51% of total US suicides which total approx 30,000 a year.
I have no opinion on gun control one way or another. As a conservative, I believe the issue should be left to the states,(Remember, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of any free state.”) but among the homes where a family member ended their life with a gun, happiness was definitley not found in the right to bear arms.
2. JustAnotherTaxpayer | July 1st, 2008 at 2:43 am
To the editors,
Before you hit the delete button, you introduced the bitter word.(Paragraph 8, line 5)
I know, not perhaps the main thrust of your article, you know I know something of the bible, and have used quotes from it in past posts. Mr. Noonan, even you have even admitted that I “hit a bit of the nail on the head.” in a discusion on a post on abortion where I talked about being long on condemnation and short on responsibility.
Please, let people respond, and see where it leads.
3. My new WordPress MU Site &hellip | July 1st, 2008 at 4:30 am
[...] shartley wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut this emptiness has its advantage - you can hang on him anything you like, and the left - being made up of people who believe feelings are as important as facts - feels that Obama is the answer to all their hopes and dreams. … [...]
4. clark smith | July 1st, 2008 at 8:45 am
Three reasons why that’s a very uphill battle:
1) The MSM’s job is to keep BO vague—the MSM has much more influence with the mind-numbed masses than we do.
2) BO will hold his race aloft as a shield; all who criticize him will be denounced as racists.
3) McCain himself is friendly-minded toward liberals. He’s much more comfortable when crossing the aisle to give Kennedy warm, clingy man-hugs, than he is with the conservatives and evangelicals for which he has such a strong and obvious distaste. McCain’s friendship of liberals will cause him to ‘take the high road,’ and for the most part treat BO with kid gloves.
5. neocon | July 1st, 2008 at 9:21 am
” As a conservative, I believe the issue should be left to the states,(Remember, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of any free state.”) but among the homes where a family member ended their life with a gun, happiness was definitely not found in the right to bear arms.” - JAT
JAT may be the only one who doesn’t see the irony in this statement, and also may be the only conservative who opposes the 2nd amendment.
This reminds me of the once ridiculous remarks seminar posters use to post:
“I am a Republican, and I didn’t leave the party, they left me!”
JAT, you’re only embarrassing yourself. But liberals do that well, so carry on.
have a nice day
peace, neocon
6. js | July 1st, 2008 at 9:53 am
Obama is a code name for DNC blunder….didnt you figure it out yet?
7. Fredrick Schwartz | July 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am
Dobson was scolded quite heavily by a great number of conservative evangelical thinkers for his radio show about Obama’s comments which where quite a bit more Christian sounding than the hate speech psychologist Dobson loves to spread.
No one will be talking about Dobson in October and that’s what’s upsetting Dobson. I’ll leave you with a quote from Doctor Jame Dobson “I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience.” So this leaves Bob Barr as the “evangelical candidate of choice?” Too funny.
8. neocon | July 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
Frederick darling,
If you only knew the irony of this issue.
YOU ARE THE DOBSON OF THE LEFT.
He is your polar opposite and your opinions have as much sway with the Democrats as his does with the Republicans.
I just find this connection very amusing.
TOO FUNNY INDEED!
have a collective day
peace, neocon
9. Pain | July 1st, 2008 at 11:31 am
8. neocon | July 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
And so what does that make you neocon? A blind sheep whose life blood willingly wasted for the dining pleasure of your betters?
Gasp! the reCaptcha words were “orphaned soon”! Prescient?
10. Fredrick Schwartz | July 1st, 2008 at 11:41 am
Deleted - off topic, vulgarity.
11. Jon Upton | July 1st, 2008 at 1:20 pm
See the link to see what the preacher that officiated over Jenna Bush’s wedding has to say.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/26/pastor_who_officiated_at_jenna.html
12. test » Blog Archive&hellip | July 1st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
[...] Liberally Conservative wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut this emptiness has its advantage - you can hang on him anything you like, and the left - being made up of people who believe feelings are as important as facts - feels that Obama is the answer to all their hopes and dreams. … Read the rest of this great post here [...]
13. FmrMarine | July 1st, 2008 at 10:28 pm
upyours;
>>>>Never in the history of American politics has someone said that he is a Christian and someone came back to say, ‘No you’re not.’”>>>
M-A-Y-B-E……in the history of politics, NEVER- has a cult member from a marxist leaning racist “church” run for the presidency.
A label or attendance in some looney group does not make one a Christian.
I would question those democrat KKK members as well, who thought of them selves as Christians.
earbama is a fake negro, (50%) fake community activist, fake Christian, and fake purveyor of change.
14. Casper | July 1st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
FmrMarine,
“WASHINGTON—Courting evangelicals and other religious voters, Barack Obama called Tuesday for an expansion of President George W. Bush’s initiative distributing federal aid to church-based groups that provide social services.
Obama promised the faith-based initiative would be “central” to his administration if he is elected.’”
You have to love those fake Christians.
15. js | July 1st, 2008 at 11:03 pm
you have to recognize those fake christians….like obama and his black supremacists “christian” church….now show us in the bible where it talks about black ethics….
all we grasp here is obama paying lip service making lies and commitments he does not intend to keep….just like the rest of the democrats….heck they lied in the 04 election and told us that they did it intentionaly to suck up the weak minded lemming tree huggers….when you stooges gonna figure it out?
16. JustAnotherTaxpayer | July 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 am
To the editors,
Thank you for letting the post stand.
17. JustAnotherTaxpayer | July 2nd, 2008 at 2:18 am
Neocon,
I am not opposed to the 2nd amendment. Why are you so oposed to the 10th?
Besides the 2nd amendment plainly speaks of the states right to maintain a militia. How about giving people the choice when they are 18 to serve 4 years in the National Guard of the state where they reside, or 1 year in any of the armed services.
The difference being that the 1 year could be spent overseas. I addition to providing basic military training to all, it would of course provide all
participants with a broad range of experiences in firearms use and safety.
The national guard could be used for border patrol purposes, in addition to a wide range of natural disaster relief, and even construction of needed projects. A sort of state corps of engineers.
So, neocon, where is the irony in my statement about homes where where guns are kept ending being used by family members to kill themselves?
I wasn’t being funny, nor trying to advance any gun control ordinance. Merely observing that, at least in homes where gun ownership leads to suicide, obviously there is bitterness. A lot of it.
Obama, in the case of these people, is right, unfortunately
18. Mark Noonan | July 2nd, 2008 at 2:38 am
JAT,
Normally I would have whacked it, but Fred ticked me off more by being even more off topic and rude and self-centered into the bargain. I guess one of your challenges will be to ensure that someone else always does something even more outrageous.
19. Danish Artist | July 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
JAT lies…
“I have no opinion on gun control one way or another. As a conservative, I believe the issue should be left to the states,(Remember, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of any free state.”) but among the homes where a family member ended their life with a gun, happiness was definitley not found in the right to bear arms.”
First, you “conveniently left off “the RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!!!!” right of the PEOPLE, not STATE or MILITIA - but we have been through that already.
The right to bear arms issue cannot be left to the STATES because of the 10th amendment.
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
The RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS is a guaranteed right in the Constitution, the STATES have no say-so at all. What would be analagous to your statement would allow each STATE to determine the issue of free speech or freedom of religion.
And by LIES, “as a conservative” if you were a conservative you would not have made to ignorant and uniformed errors.
20. Tractatus | July 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
earbama is a fake negro, (50%)
FmrMarine for GOP minority outreach director!
21. Burr Deming | July 13th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Our site takes a somewhat unbalanced view of Brother Dobson. Yours is considerable more charitable. Thanks for adding your comment to the blogging universe.