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.
Huckabee had long sought Dobson’s endorsement, believing he is the best fit to advance Dobson’s conservative, moral worldview.
Until now, Dobson had never endorsed a GOP presidential hopeful during the primary campaign. But he ruled out front-runner John McCain in a blistering commentary on Super Tuesday, and on Thursday the fight for the GOP nomination narrowed to a two-man race between McCain and Huckabee, who is far behind in the delegate count but pledged to fight on. Mitt Romney, a third hopeful trying to claim the conservative label, dropped out of the race Thursday.
Dobson released a statement Tuesday that criticized McCain for his support of embryonic stem cell research, his opposition to a federal anti-gay marriage amendment and for his temper and use of foul language.
I actually kind of like Huckabee (despite his crazy ideas, and no, I would never vote for him), and have said so before, so it will grate on my nerves watching all the newfound McCainiacs beating Huckabee over the head with picket signs with “Say No To Juan McCain’s Shamnesty” crossed out and replaced with a hastily stenciled “McCain 2008.” But then again, you kind of know it has to happen. McCain is the nominee, so the enemies list must be created. So long, Huckabee, it was nice knowing ya.
TheFountainHead
I saw Huckabee’s appearance on the Colbert Report last night. He was utterly buffoon-ish, but in a completely likeable way. I still really won’t be shocked if he does manage to land the VP job.
Oh. And Dobson should be locked in a portable toilet, rolled down a mountainside, and lit on fire.
Turn the other cheek my ass.
4tehlulz
Probably, but I doubt Huck really gives a shit about being on a wingnut haet list.
Fixed.
Dug Jay
This news may ruin the diapers of a few of the Balloon Juice moonbats, as it appears possible that the first American indicted for treason since 9/11 may have been killed.
John Cole
Rather than just call you a total fucking asshole, I am going to ask why you think anyone here would be weeping for this guy?
Dug Jay
As your posts continue their slide toward complete and total dementia, he increasingly seems like your kind of guy.
Svensker
Dug Jay probably thinks that Bush is Right On! when he said that electing a Dem would jeopardize Peace and Prosperity.
Ooooo hah ahhahhahhahhahhhahah.
Jake
You never know. If the fundies rush to pHuck’s defense we might see an epic battle that leaves both sides permanently crippled.
Fingers crossed!
TheFountainHead
Dug, you’re a “cull the herd” kinda guy, aren’t ya?
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
I think you misunderstand.
Dobson is a portable toilet. A roving tanker of waste fluids and compacted methane gas, occasionally belching out a release of pressure; a bloviating diatribe of rotten and over-digested ideas. He is surrounded by jenkem huffers, eagerly awaiting the next stream of exhaust so they can get a poor high and pretend they’re someone for a couple minutes.
Increasingly I find myself coming here for the trolls, Dug Jay especially. He’s such a hilarious, shambling pile of confirmation-bias and talking points; it’s hard to believe he’s not a spoof.
But, I must believe! Such characters exist to explain my life’s successes to me.
Bring on the popcorn and more Dug Jay!
dslak
Dobson complaining about McCain’s “temper and use of foul language” is simply precious. As if DeLay or Cheney are known for their reserved sagacity. He’s falling back on irrelevant issues like that of course because, after selling out to Romney, he really has nothing left.
Zifnab
“True Conservatives for the Conservation of Conservativiness” to the “Conservatives for True Conservation of Conservativity”:
SPLITTERS!
:p I eagerly await for the Church of Dobson to start excommunicating people in the Church of McRomney.
mrmobi
John, I think both are idiots, but Huckabee, for all his likability, is proposing some pretty insane ideas while running for President, so he gets the prize, in my view.
Both are, as McCain put it a few years ago, “agents of intolerance.”
McCain’s no slouch himself in that regard.
I was watching Joe Scarborough describe how the electorate was going to rally around McCains’ framing of the Iraq War debate being “We can’t set a timetable for surrender” or some such bullshit.
Scarborough will be in full Neocon talking points mode in the coming election. He reamed out David Shuster this morning for suggesting the American public has had enough of this war, and for questioning the idea that we have “turned a corner” in Iraq.
Here are a few more reasons why McCain will lose in November, from his speech yesterday at CPAC.
For the record, I don’t think either Obama or Clinton will be able to extricate us from Iraq in less than 2 or 3 years.
However, as far as the election, at least the choice will be clear. For the Party of Torture, it will be moving from the “Incompetent/Voodoo Economics War President” to the “Forever War/Voodoo Economics President.” This should not be a tough choice for anyone with just a few active brain cells.
Dug Jay
Like Caidence, I also come here for the trolls, otherwise known as the “BJ Regulars.” With the decreasing readers/commenters at places like Eschaton, this has become the home to much of the demented fringe elements on the Left. It does appear to this reader, however, that the educational level and English comprehension skills of a growing number of the BJ Regulars is not quite up to the standards set by such classic commenters as “ThymeZone;” when TZ was commenteing while in the middle of a bender, he could really blow….perhaps a bit profane at times, but what a wild and crazy guy.
Where’s the next ThymeZone coming from?
jenniebee
I plan to vote for Huckabee in Virginia’s primary on Tuesday. I don’t like him especially, but now that Edwards is out I don’t much care who gets the Dem nomination, and I just can’t resist a chance to fuck with Republicans.
kate r
why would they bother with Huckabee when they can spend months demonizing Hillary and Obama? Doesn’t make sense that they’d even bother with Huckabee unless his numbers get better (and he wins that Texas game after all)
Rick Massimo
Fixed.
Rick Massimo
Dobson has a “moral worldview”? No he doesn’t; he has a moralistic worldview. But of course, this is AP, so they have to repeat all wingnut talking points and flattering self-characterizations.
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
A troll is someone who purposefully causes agitation towards a crowd. Thus, the crowd cannot troll itself. Regulars cannot be trolls.
You, however, are a minority here, and you don’t seek meaningful conversation. You’re a troll. QED. GTFO FAIL.
Do you think he means that this is the furthest Left he can see… like how humans can’t see ultraviolet light, he can’t see Melissa McEwan? Or is it that everyone to the Left of his talking points is “fringe”?
I guess that would be another word he doesn’t understand the semantics of.
Xenos
Dug Jay-
The reason you are not having any fun here is because we demented fringe elements are ignoring you. Even John did not bother to dignify your lame justification with a response.
Back to CPAC with you.
Birdzilla
If dobson wanted to pick a real canidate he should have selected RON PAUL
ThymeZone
Um, I don’t drink. I wish I did, but that’s another story.
So, “bender” must refer to ….. my affinity for sheet metal art?
You need some new material, compadre. You’re as stale as a week-old loaf of bread.
The Grand Panjandrum
Fixed.
BTW TZ, nice art. You’ve pretty good taste in twisted things.
jrg
Crickets…
As opposed to your offtopic posts? Before you start accusing someone of having brain damage, perhaps you should read and comprehend the topic at hand.
Or are you claiming that dementia is on-topic since the original post was about James Dobson?
ThymeZone
I’m pretty twisted myself. So it’s an affinity.
demimondian
If “the American Taliban” is dead, he’s dead. I’d have rather seen him captured and tried, since I wanted him punished, but, gosh, I guess the Dug Jay likes it when real traitors get off scot free. After all, having a real traitor tried would have the effect of showing the utter vileness of those who called loyal Americans traitors for disagreeing politely with them.
The Populist
Yep, another irrelevant rube that Dobson is. Why does he think the majority of this country cares one lick about what he thinks.
Me thinks he should stop lecturing others on how to live and continue writing those books where he recommends that showering with your little boy will make him straight.
Argh.
The Populist
Hey Dug Jay,
Actually your time in the sun is over. The Independents have spoken and far right wingnuts like yourself are over.
Why do you think your troll like posts matter anyway? Your opinion is just that, but it’s a small and crazy minority in this country.
LOL on you. I called it 8 years ago…independents would make the likes of you eat their words if this “President” screwed up the country. He did, we were right and you guys are now officially irrelevant.
Buh bye
demimondian
I don’t understand why Dobson did this, frankly. It makes no sense from a political or a theological standpoint.
Why on Earth would he weaken his position within the party by backing Huck, when he could just stay quiet and say nothing?
The Populist
Haha on Dug Jay. His type of people don’t understand human communication. It is a two way street.
America rejects your nonsense and will now do so for a long time to come.
Buh bye
Reverend Spooner
I see where you’re coming from with this. If Gadahn had lived, who doubts that he’d be filing an absentee ballot for Obama this November?
That’s why you and Gadahn both support Obama. Why do you share the same candidate as a guy who hates America? Objectively, doesn’t that make you pro-terrorist?
If they’re so loyal, why are they voting for a guy who spent huge portions of his childhood years in a madrassa?
It’s like Ann Coulter said. After 4 years of Democrat rule, Americans will be clamoring for putting the adults back in charge of government again.
He doesn’t care what those RINOs think of him. He’s speaking to the true patriots (Republican Christian Americans), not a sniveling crowd of McCainiac closet Socialists.
Dobson has what this country needs right now: true grit. I’m hoping Huckabee gives him the Veep slot when he wins the nomination en route to his sweeping victory this November.
Shygetz
The quality of trolls has greatly decreased in the past months…
jrg
I know what you mean. When I think of a adult, I think of George W Bush: scholar, gentleman, and warrior poet.
No doubt. I heard that Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton are headed to Afghanistan to join the taliban as we speak. If we catch a plane, we just might be able to find them before they disappear in Tora Bora. Meet me in Kabul in three days. Bring your gat.
Lee
Even the spoofs are really poor quality.
This place just isn’t what it used to be.
I blame it on John leaving the Republican party ;)
demimondian
Reverend “Raise a glass for our queer old dean” Spooner gets it wrong. Republicans “rule”. Democrats “govern”. That’s why there aren’t any authoritarian Democrats.
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
There aren’t any authoritarian Democrats because you haven’t given them a chance. The rate at which a ruling party moves towards authoritarianism is always greater than 0, and is proportional to the number of people in the group.
You’re supposed to turn the competing branches of government against each other to keep that issue in check, not expect the next people to be constantly moral.
demimondian
Not true. The Democratic party is immune to authoritarian influences. We have a completely reality-based policy set, and will never fall under the thrall of left-wing equivalents of the far-right ideologues who control the Republicans.
Reverend Spooner
That man is a national cultural treasure, isn’t he?
They must be attending Gadahn’s funeral. But don’t expect the left-wing media to report any of this!
Hey, fuck you, pal.
Brian
demimondian: Nobody would ever accuse the Democrats of being prone to falling under the thrall of “left-wing authoritarians.”
Why would we expect that, when your party sucks up to the right wing authoritarians so effectively and with such pleasure?
Chuck Butcher
As far as Prosperity goes I put this up. It isn’t exactly flattering to either BushCo or Clinton.
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
And how would you like to demonstrate this amazing feat, never before accomplished in known history?
Policies change. Better term would be “drift”.
That “thrall” is a “thrall” because they’re amongst you. Your group can’t ignore people that it consists of.
Now, watch how this trap works:
1.) Far-left nuts say we need to lock up everyone that doesn’t believe in global warming, because they are scientifically criminal (thoughtcrime). If you acquiesce, you become authoritarian.
2.) Aforementioned Far-left nuts start infiltrating government to make their wishes known. There is no right-wing counter balance. You have center-left and far-left now. Your policy drifts towards the authoritarian. What do you do?
3a.) Do nothing: you eventually become authoritarians.
3b.) Ban these people from government: you act as (and thus become) authoritarians.
3c.) Lock up dissenters: you’ve very much become authoritarian.
Authoritarianism is not a failure of policy design! It is a degradation of the quality of the policy in the face of human motivation for power, convenience, money, etc. multiplied over time-in-control-of-government.
Reagan Republican policy would have survived just fine if no one had put that fuckstick Reagan in charge of it and instead had a machine do it, same goes for the current Democratic policy.
Darkness
Dobson.
Dobson gives the impression that he despises humanity and wants them all to roast in hell while he points down from a cloud and laughs.
Huckabee seems like a decent guy with wtf ideas. He’s earnest with a depreciating sense of humor and I get the sense he believes humanity is a wondrous thing, even if I think his ideas would eff a few people up…he’d feel sorry if they did. Dobson would call bad unintended consequences of his decisions God’s punishment. I can’t see Huckabee saying that and that makes a world of difference.