From GRITtv:

In Max Blumenthal’s book Republican Gomorrah and in his GRITtv appearance, he introduced us to Francis Schaeffer, one of the important figures in the anti-choice and religious right movements in the United States. Frank Schaeffer, Francis’s son, wrote a book about growing up in the religious right, Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back.

Schaeffer has a new book now, Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don’t Like Religion (or Atheism), and in it he takes on both the “incipient fascism” of the religious right and what he called “proselytizing” atheism of Richard Dawkins and others. He joins Laura on GRITtv for a fascinating interview about his own journey, and how people, religious or irreligious, are all looking for answers to the same questions.

Mike Huckabee is still a favorite among the James Dobson crowd as Sarah Palin was a no show at their Value Voters Summit weekend wingnut jubilee.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Summit's 2012 presidential straw poll Saturday, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast.

Four of the top five candidates addressed religious conservatives at the three-day Values Voter conference in Washington this week — the kind of attendance seen as a significant gesture by activists here, especially in an off-election year. Palin did not make an appearance.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, which hosted the conference, said Saturday that Huckabee had "potential," but stressed that the former governor's strong showing wouldn't translate into automatic support from the FRC's political action committee. "We want a fully-rounded conservative candidate," he said. "Right now, the door's wide open."

If Palin had showed up and winked at the crowd, her base would have responded in kind, but it's tough going to these things for the quitter. She'll be there in a few years and whip the religious conservative base up into a frenzy.

And Huckabee shows off his foreign policy chops by backing the insane John Bolton over the Pentagon and the White House. There you have it...

Pat Toomey, the Club for Growth hero has been running to become the Senator from Pennsylvania for a while now and has had Arlen Specter in his cross hairs. James Dobson and the religious right squad have been trying to defeat Specter because they aim to control the Supreme Court and overturn Roe v Wade. Since the republican party has turned into teabaggers, Specter has no shot at winning the republican primary in 2010 so he left that party. Toomey is as an extreme right wing fanatic as they come. Check out his beliefs.

Matthews questions him on some of those beliefs, but Chris already knows them quite well. And why does he have to interrupt him so often? It's so annoying.

Matthews: Are you on the political right?

Toomey: I'm in the center right.

Matthews: Center, well let's ask you about a couple of issues. What do you think about outlawing abortion? Arlen Specter is pro choice, where are you on that one?

Toomey: I'm pro life.

Matthews: Would you like to outlaw abortion?

Toomey: Yea, I'm pro life. I think ahhh...

Matthews: Would you outlaw abortion, would you put people in jail for performing...?

Toomey: I think that Roe v Wade was wrongly defined, wrongly decided and I think states should be free to restrict abortion and I would support legislation in Pennsylvania that would ban abortion and I would suggest that we have penalties for doctors who perform them if we were able to pass that law.

Matthews: Would you put people in jail for perfoming abortions?

Toomey: At some point doctor's performing abortions, I think would be subject to that sort of penalty.

Pat Toomey is trying to make believe that he's a different kind of conservative--pro-birther by saying he endorses Sonia Sotomayor. A leopard still has spots, I think. Here's his op-ed from Philly.com:

If I were a U.S. senator, I would vote for her confirmation, because objective qualifications should matter more than ideology in the judicial confirmation process.

In determining whether a nominee is within the judicial mainstream, we should ask how he or she views the Constitution and whether he or she will administer justice impartially. Too many American judges are making up their own versions of the law rather than faithfully interpreting legal texts. Lawmaking must be reserved for the elected, politically accountable legislative and executive branches. In general, though, Sotomayor's record does not show judicial activism...read on.

That's very kind of him. But he also just loves the deregulation of the financial system so there's that. I'm sure some on the right will not like this column, but will forgive him anyway because he's their big hope in Pennsylvania. However, his views are such that he's unelectable.

This is a speech by Tim Ryan back in 2005. It was pretty powerful and I had some dealings with him after this because he spoke up against the war and highlighted the insane amounts of money we were pouring into it. Billions of dollars a month. That was then and this is now.

I'm sure most of us have been amazed at how disingenuous pro-life groups are when it comes to contraception. They scream "life" is sacred, but then try to prevent all ways that are available to our society when it comes to pregnancy prevention. We've seen insane protests against the Plan B pill which would actually prevent unwanted pregnancies. What many pro-lifers really want to do is control the sex lives of every American. I know it's hard to picture, it creeps me out just thinking about it, but the James Dobsons and Richard Lands of the religious right just want to decide when and how people can have sex.

There's a Democratic group devoted to the pro-life movement that's called Democrats For Life of America and Rep. Tim Ryan learned why they are so full of shit and can never be taken seriously.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) has been, in his words, "booted" from the national advisory board of Democrats For Life of America. The group's mission is to elect and support pro-life Democrats; Ryan served on the board for four years but the relationship had recently soured when he co-sponsored the "Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act":

Ryan said he tried to convince officials with Democrats For Life of America, which he referred to Monday as a "fringe group," that the use of contraception is needed as part of any plan to reduce unintended pregnancies but that failed.

Kristen Day, Democrats For Life's executive director, was ready to move on. "DFLA gave Congressman Ryan ample opportunities to prove he's committed to protecting life, but he has turned his back on the community at every turn."

Ryan insists he's still a strong pro-life advocate. The proposed bill includes funding for comprehensive "teen pregnancy prevention" sex education and expanded coverage of "family planning" for low-income women. "We're working in Congress with groups that agree with preventative options while [the DFLA] is getting left behind," Ryan said. "I can't figure out for the life of me how to stop pregnancies without contraception. Don't be mad at me for wanting to solve the problem."

Say goodbye, Mr. Ryan. No sex for you.
Digby linked to this article in the NY Times from 2006 and it spells out their views on contraception. We must never forget what they really believe.

Many Christians who are active in the evolving anti-birth-control arena state frankly that what links their efforts is a religious commitment to altering the moral landscape of the country. In particular, and not to put too fine a point on it, they want to change the way Americans have sex. Dr. Stanford, the F.D.A. adviser on reproductive-health drugs, proclaimed himself "fully committed to promoting an understanding of human sexuality and procreation radically at odds with the prevailing views and practices of our contemporary culture." Focus on the Family posts a kind of contraceptive warning label on its Web site: "Modern contraceptive inventions have given many an exaggerated sense of safety and prompted more people than ever before to move sexual expression outside the marriage boundary." Contraception, by this logic, encourages sexual promiscuity, sexual deviance (like homosexuality) and a preoccupation with sex that is unhealthful even within marriage.

This is why the "common ground" movement is such crap. The social conservatives don't care about "life" they care about sex. In fact, they are the ones who are obsessed with it. And until they can establish social and legal sanctions against other people having unapproved sex, they will not stop. That is what moves them.

Tim Ryan says that he can't think of a way to stop unwanted pregnancies without contraception. But that's because he knows that human have sex regardless of whether it's sanctioned by some busy bodies down at the corner mega-church. These social conservatives do not accept that. They think that sex must be controlled and that they should be the ones to control it. Perhaps they think they need this in order to control themselves.

I'll never forget that freak of nature Bill Frist, who embarrassed himself on THIS WEEK when he didn't know how HIV was transmitted and that condoms fail 15% of the time. He's a man who backed the phony abstinence programs that was being taught to our kids. then he self diagnosed Terri Schiavo from a video tape. He embodies the "social conservative" sex movement. Yuck.

Much has been made today in the blogs of the first few moments of Michael Steele illustrating once again his death wish for his career and his party.

Steele's new motto for the GOP is apparently "Y'all Come," and when an audience member offered to "bring the [undecipherable picnic item]", Steele rejoined with "I'll bring the fried chicken and potato salad."

Just how tone deaf on issues of race does one have to be to be both African American and GOP Chairman? At least that much. Wow.

But there's more. The topic his questioner posed, a generic query regarding "inclusion," Steele read to mean primarily racial inclusion. The blogger asking did not announce himself as a GLBT blogger, but clearly inclusion can mean all kinds of folks, and Steele in his answer included "orientation" as part of the GOP big tent, and cited Reagan (don't they all) as a model of inclusivity in the "Y'all Come" Republican mentality. Really.

Somehow The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and other front-liners in the fight against AIDS don't see Reagan's inclusive legacy the way Steele does.

And perhaps we should ask the other chairmen of the GOP, Rush Limbaugh, James Dobson, and Newt "gay and secular fascism" Gingrich how they feel about "Y'all come." Ahem.

Most of us are familiar with James Dobson's Focus on the Family outfit, since they've played a major role in promoting the religious right's positions for the past decade and more nationally: "The group supports the teaching of "traditional family values". It advocates school sponsored prayer and supports corporal punishment. It strongly opposes abortion, so-called militant feminism, homosexuality, pornography, and pre-marital and extramarital sexual activity."

Now, Michael Reynolds at JulyDogs has a series of posts detailing how FoF's influence is spreading south of the border too -- and it isn't pretty:

On Saturday an internal intelligence report on La Familia from the Mexican justice department surfaced in Milenio, bringing the news that the faith-based cartel grounds its indoctrination program on the writings of macho Christian author and veteran Focus On The Family senior fellow John Eldredge, who now heads Ransomed Hearts Ministries in Colorado Springs.

There are four separate references to Eldredge in the Mexican intelligence memo on La Familia. The cartel has conducted a three-year recruitment and PR campaign across Michoacan featuring thousands of billboards and banderas carrying their evangelical message and warnings. La Familia is known for tagging its executions and other mayhem as “la divina justica”–divine justice.

The report says La Familia leader, Nazario Gonzalez Moreno aka El Loco o More Chayo (”The Craziest”) has made Eldredge’s books required reading for La Familia and has paid rural teachers and National Development Education members to circulate the Colorado-based evangelical’s writings throughout the Michoacan countryside.

Reynolds goes on to cite Christian blogger Tim Challies:

John Eldredge became a major player in the evangelical world with the release of The Sacred Romance which he co-authored with Brent Curtis (who has since died). Following The Sacred Romance he wrote Wild at Heart, Waking The Dead, The Journey of Desire and more recently, Epic. I have read all of these except for Waking The Dead and The Journey of Desire. Eldredge’s books are targeted primarily at men and his writings have great appeal for men, many of whom feel that society has forced them to be like Mr. Rogers – harmless and just a little effeminate. Eldredge encourages men to be real men – to head to the wilderness and be the rugged warriors we all want to be if we look deep inside ourselves. Eldredge continually writes about William Wallace of Braveheart or Maximus, the main character in Gladiator – real manly men.”

As Reynolds explores in two follow-up posts, the way this has translated on the ground in Mexico is a wave of violence directed against not merely rival drug gangs, but also anyone who fails to live up to its version of "masculine Christianity":

“La Familia doesn’t kill for money, doesn’t kill women, doesn’t kill innocent people. It only kills those who deserve to die. Everyone should know this: Divine justice.”–message left with five severed heads on the dance floor of the Sol y Sombra nightclub in Uruacan, Michoacan, September 6, 2006.

... From all available information so far, it appears that La Familia has developed into a faith-based right-wing populist social movement emanating from and orchestrated by an organization that happens to be a well-armed, well-financed violent criminal enterprise.

... La Familia is strongly pro-family (and all that that implies) and requires its members to abstain from alcohol and drugs. There is an indoctrination program all La Familia recruits must go through that inculcates “ personal values, ethical and morlal principles consistent with the purposes of the organization.” Last year La Familia brought in two motivational speakers to lecture its members. The group is hierarchic and maintains a strict top-down emotional control of its members.

Think of Jim Jones’ People’s Temple, only with more money and firepower and you get the idea.

So maybe Tony Perkins' bashing of Dr. George Tiller just prior to his assassination was not an accident after all.

Just don't tell Glenn Beck or Michelle Malkin. Their heads will explode.

Dear James Dobson:

After reading about your recent broadcast about hate crimes, I have a question:

Whatever happened to the Ninth Commandment?

You know, the one that goes: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."

Because here's what you told your audiences about the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009:

The dangerous bill, awaiting Senate consideration, would create a new class of crimes based on the victim's "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Those who speak out against homosexuality, including pastors, could face prosecution for "inciting" violence against gay individuals.

No, they wouldn't. That's a flat-out lie. Here's what the bill says:

Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by, the Constitution.

The only "right" that this bill infringes upon is the "right" of violent yahoos to seek out victims based on their perceived status as a member of a minority group and commit criminal acts against them. That's the right Dobson is defending here.

You also said this about the bill:

Even more concerning, the legislation could create special protection for pedophiles. Democrats voted down an amendment to the bill that would have excluded pedophilia from the definition of "sexual orientation."

That's a lie too.

There's nothing in either the federal legislation, or in any state law, that could credibly be construed as offering protection to pedophiles. In fact, the entire construct -- that these laws create "protected classes" -- is false to begin with.

But [this] argument appears predicated on the wholly fabricated notion that pedophilia might somehow legally qualify as a "sexual orientation" -- which is to say, it rests on the assumption that homosexuality is somehow akin to pedophilia.

We understand it when right-wing politicians and pundits lie about this bill. We're accustomed to it. It's what they do.

But I thought evangelical religious leaders were supposed to, you know, adhere to the basic standards of their beliefs. It's time you and your brethren stopped lying about this bill.

Sincerely,

Dave N.

Amanda Terkel at ThinkProgress has more.

The Alliance Defense Fund, a group founded by James Dobson, is asking Iowa's county recorders who refuse to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, free legal defense help against prosecution.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a legal advocacy group founded in 1994 by Focus on the Family’s James Dobson and the late Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, sent an e-mail to each of Iowa’s county recorders asking them to tell their staff that they “shall not be required to issue or process a marriage license, or to perform, assist or participate in such procedures, against that individual’s religious beliefs or moral convictions.”

The e-mail, which was sent out in conjunction with the Iowa Family Policy Center, says Iowa law protects citizens from being forced to “violate his or her conscience.”

The ADF then offers to “provide free legal review and defense” for any county recorder that adopts a “conscious clause” and is challenged “on the basis of its content.”

--

Attorney General Tom Miller has repeatedly warned county recorders that they do not have the authority to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, and “recorders do not have discretion or power to ignore the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling,” Miller said.

The court’s ruling goes into effect Monday.

Iowa law says that an elected official can be removed from office for refusal to perform duties of the office or for willful or habitual neglect.

They lost in Iowa and now these religious extremists are asking the workers to participate in illegal behavior. Will they guarantee to help them keep their jobs after they are fired? How Christian is it to ask people to break the law?

James Dobson is going out with a whimper, literally and conceding the obvious, but they were always validated by the traditional media.
Steve Benen has the scoop:

James Dobson delivered a farewell speech to the Focus on the Family staff, and conceded that the culture war he helped start hasn't turned out well for the agents of intolerance. Indeed, Dobson almost sounded resigned to defeat.

James Dobson, 72, who resigned recently as head of Focus on the Family -- one of the largest Christian groups in the country -- and once denounced the Harry Potter books as witchcraft, acknowledged the dramatic reverse for the religious Right in a farewell speech to staff.

"We tried to defend the unborn child, the dignity of the family, but it was a holding action," he said.

"We are awash in evil and the battle is still to be waged. We are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say we have lost all those battles."

Now, in fairness, this report omitted some context. As my friend Kyle reported, Dobson actually emphasized his desire to keep the fight going, despite the religious right movement's setbacks: "Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost all those battles, but God is in control and we are not going to give up now, right? ... I have been assured by the board and by many of you that we're not going to cow, we're not going to be discouraged."

He's admitting that up to this point they have lost the culture war (in their own heads) that they created as a fund raising tool. Many millions of dollars have been sucked out of the pockets of so many that could ill afford it, but it's their money and they can spend it freely. I find it appalling that the culture crowd never bothered to see if the elderly could actually afford to donate money that they so dearly need to live on that lined the pockets of these televangelists. I do not believe that all religious or evangelical causes are without merit and certainly many people that fall into the religious community are not as extreme as the views Dobson represents, but there is too much money to be made for them to throw in the towel:

Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost all those battles, but God is in control and we are not going to give up now, right?

APPLAUSE

The world has turned colder for the family in recent years and there is such hostility to anyone who holds to a faith and we're going to take the heat. But I have been assured by the board and by many of you that we're not going to cow, we're not going to be discouraged. We're going to continue to express the love for the Scripture and the principles that we find there and if we are made fools for Christ, that's okay too because our purpose is to serve him and that he be pleased.

None of what Dobson tells his audience is true, but he's got to try and keep their movement going so he offers some words of encouragement. Where is the coldness to families? It's a fallacy, but they need phony causes like the War on Christmas to keep the money and the rage intact. By the way, my mother always loved Easter and since she's been gone this day brings me sadness that she's not here to enjoy it. I'm surprised BillO hasn't been able to facilitate the War on Easter yet. I know John Gibson and a few others have tried to get that one going, but even many from the religious right have a hard time believing that one.

[H/t Dave N.]

Beware America, progressives want to end prayer -- which means to these maniacs the elimination of GOD. That's the wackiness coming from Glenn Beck last week while I was in DC.

He doesn't have John Gibson's hairdo, but he does keep the insane right-wing nonsense alive and well that FOX craves. He easily slips into the 2/5PM time slot quite nicely for FOX as Gibby's replacement. As all C&L readers know, I'm not hostile to religion, I was brought up a Catholic, but extremists like Dobson do a disservice to the moderates that practice religion at their own pace. Now back to the video.

The first order of business was for Beck and Dobson to lovingly embrace each other like long lost lovers for the FOX followers because in late December Dobson was forced to take down a Beck article off his website because Glenn is part of the Mormon Cult. Pam has the story.

Dobson Caves to Evangelicals Who Call Glenn Beck a Cultist

Good times, good times. To dispel the so-called rumors of a rift between the two, Beck says he got a Christmas card from Dobson and oh, how they are so much in love.

Dobson: Boy Glenn, I have no idea where that came from. It's just goofy.

It came from his Christian followers. Ahhh, all is forgiven...Now to the meat of the segment. It's about a "moment of silence" law passed in Ill. back in '07 that was rejected by America's governor, (Blagojevich) but was still passed through his veto. Just another coded attempt at injecting religion into the public school system. A lawsuit was then filed:

A 14-year-old girl and her outspoken atheist father filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging a new Illinois law requiring a brief period of prayer or reflective silence at the start of every school day. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the law unconstitutional, said attorney Gregory Kulis,

The lawsuit was upheld:

--A federal judge has ruled that a state law requiring a moment of silence in public schools across Illinois is unconstitutional, saying it crosses the line separating church and state.

"The statute is a subtle effort to force students at impressionable ages to contemplate religion," U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman said in his ruling Wednesday.

Now you have a little context to work with since Beck wouldn't ever fill you in with all the details. You know, it's just the usual conservative whineathon session that embodies the extreme right when they appear on camera.

Beck extrapolates from this ruling that if GOD doesn't exist and GOD gives us our rights, then who gives you your rights? The States, maybe? I thought it came from our constitution, but that's just me. Anyway, WTF where they talking about in this video? (watch the video. I can't write that up) This ruling has nothing to do with our rights or the elimination of GOD. It's about keeping the separation of church and state intact.

So after a nonsensical discussion about our rights, Beck talks about Dobson's 20 year old interview with serial killer Ted Bundy. Dobson starts out by saying that Bundy wanted to comment on pornography just before his execution because Dobson had been part of putting together a massive report on it so he invited him for an interview. So I was waiting for the punchline of Bundy blaming porn for his treachery, but no ... he just admitted to being addicted to it and then predicted that more violence would occur if violent porn still continued... Oh, words of wisdom from a psycho killer that Dobson clings on to like a badge of honor. Only a man like Dobson would use a serial killer, prone to lie about everything to make his point.

Dobson also has a fascination with David Berkowitz, the 44 Killer. FOF did a three part interview with him.

I found this old post I wrote called "Things They Share:

Bill Frist disclosed that he went to animal shelters and pretended to adopt the cats, telling shelter personnel he intended to keep them as pets. Instead he used them to sharpen his surgical skills, killing them in the process.

James Dobson: When I returned I held up the belt and again told my angry dog to get into his bed. He stood his ground, so I gave him a firm swat across the rear end and he tried to bite the belt. The tiny dog and I had the most vicious fight ever staged between man and beast. ... I eventually got him to bed, but only because I outweighed him 200 to 12.

Albert DeSalvo (the Boston Strangler): In his youth he trapped dogs and cats in orange crates and shot arrows through the boxes.

Jeffrey Dahmer staked cats to trees and decapitated dogs.

Henry Lee Lucas As a child, he killed every cat on his parent's farm.

David Berkowitz killed his neighbour's Labrador retriever.

Let's get ready to RUMBLE!
The stage is set. Conservatives are fighting one another to see who will dominate the now defunct Republican party. Christian Conservatives led by James Dobson have been running things since Newt Gingrich launched his Southern Strategy back in '94, but some conservatives are not staying silent any longer about the dominance the religious zealots have had. Kathleen Parker has been speaking up ever since Bill Kristol convinced John McCain to nominate Sarah Palin as VP in their losing effort. She was blasted for it by angry righty wingers.

KURTZ: Here is what you wrote this week: "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traitor and an idiot. Also, my mother should have aborted me and left me in a dumpster, but since she didn't, I should off myself."

Now, this is all because some readers didn't like what you had to say about Sarah Palin.

PARKER: Some people were very upset. Approximately 11,000 so far, and counting.

Yes, I wrote about Sarah Palin stepping down from the ticket. I felt after her third interview -- I didn't think any of her interviews were very good, but the third was catastrophic -- that she ought to leave the ticket and let McCain try to put somebody else in place to do a better job and help him with maybe the economy.

<>

KURTZ: What about the reaction? All those e-mails, all the vitriol directed at you, I mean, that has got to be somewhat depressing. Are you expected because you are on the conservative side of the spectrum to defend any nominee the Republican Party throws out there?

James Dobson is none too happy with Parker for not embracing the extremely radical values of Palin and is now urging his flock to go after Parker in his latest screed.

So, Kathleen Parker has determined that getting rid of social conservatives and shelving the values they fight for is the solution to what ails the Republican Party (“Giving Up on God,” Nov. 19). Isn’t that a little like Benedict Arnold handing George Washington a battle plan to win the Revolution?

Whatever she once was, Ms. Parker is certainly not a conservative anymore, having apparently realized it’s a lot easier to be popular among your journalistic peers when your keyboard tilts to the left. She writes that “armband religion” — those of us who “wear our faith on our sleeve,” I suppose, or is it meant to compare socially conservative Christians to Nazis? — is “killing the Republican Party.” Lest readers miss the point, she literally spells it out. The GOP’s big problem? G-O-D.

TAKE ACTION
Do you have something you'd like to say to Kathleen Parker about her recent column criticizing socially conservative Christians and their involvement in matters of government and public policy? You can send her an e-mail — please be respectful — through our Action Center.

This is an interesting fight taking place. The other favorite of social repressors is Bobby Jindal, the man who love Intelligent Design and brags about exorcisms. Poor Kathleen Parker, I almost feel for her.
Who will win?

  As John wrote about earlier, James Dobson attacked Barack Obama Tuesday for what he called his "confused theology." Leaving aside the obvious projection on Dobson's part, today really marked the beginning of a rather dramatic shift in traditional American politics. Think about it: Not only is Barack Obama aggressively courting the evangelical base, he is currently involved in a dispute over theology and public policy with James Dobson. And he's winning. After Dobson trashed Obama for "distorting the Bible," Obama put out this statement, which pretty much sums up why Dobson and his ilk are a cancer on the American political process:

[That speech that Dobson criticized urged that] people of faith, like himself, "try to translate some of our concerns in a universal language so that we can have an open and vigorous debate rather than having religion divide us."

Obama is trying to introduce a new kind of "faith-based" participation in politics, one that seeks to unite people of faith around a common goal, rather than driving them apart with divisive wedge issues. I think it's pretty obvious which of the two is more healthy and productive.

What's more, Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwel, a Methodist pastor from Texas and longtime supporter of President Bush who has endorsed Obama, has actually started a website bashing Dobson and proclaiming he "doesn't speak for me."

In what can be considered the best news of all, John McCain faces a big uphill climb when it comes to earning the support of the evangelical Republican base -- the same coalition that helped propel George W. Bush to two terms. McCain is trying to play the "strong conservative" and "maverick" cards at the same time, apparently not realizing that they end up canceling each other out. Robert Novak (of all people) writes extensively about this in a column called "McCain's Evangelical Problem."  Senator McCain may be a "straight-shooter" who appeals to independents, but he's also a Republican who can't lock down his own base. 

Rocky Mountain News:

As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement's biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a "fruitcake interpretation" of the Constitution.

The criticism, to be aired Tuesday on Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program, comes shortly after an Obama aide suggested a meeting at the organization's headquarters here, said Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy at Focus on the Family...read on

OK, anyone see the absurdity of this statement?

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

I'm not going to even comment on his own distortions, but I will say that he's just trying to get his flock motivated a little bit. And notice that he calls Obama's interpretation of the Constitution, "fruitcake." We know how he feels about gay marriage. See any connection there? The discredited conservatives like Rove are trying to paint Obama this way too:

"He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."

As Digby says:

It's very clever to add in the country club and martini imagery, even though it's patently absurd. Gives it a nice sort of cover to what he's saying. After all, conservatives can't just come right out and call someone an Uppity Negro these days.

Now Dobson adds "fruitcake." to their mix. It's all in the imagery. (h/t Becca)

UPDATE: Our friends at Americans United for the Separation of Church and State wrote in to say Dobson's "Alliance Defense Fund" is encouraging pastors to deliberately break the law and engage in politicking at church services during a pre-arranged "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" scheduled for September 28. [Memo to the IRS you'll be working that weekend.]

Republican former House Majority leader Dick Armey, lashes out at James Dobson with David Shuster last week for attacking Rudy Giuliani. It's kinda fun to watch Conservatives pummel each other and Dick calls James the quintessential WATB. via Tucker:

Download | play Download | play

ARMEY: He said before president Bush was sworn in, he said this president was going to destroy the pro-life movement. He‘s had it on record. He‘s going to betray us. So this guy is the most chronic malcontent I‘ve ever seen. You know what cracks me up about him is he‘s sitting right there in Colorado, there‘s a great opportunity for him as a citizen of Colorado to step up to the plate, run for the Senate. If he‘s got so much superior ability and knowledge about what should happen in this great government then let him run for the Senate.

But he won‘t run for the Senate, but he will in fact abuse every candidate out there. Now, I‘m not a big fan of Rudy Giuliani necessarily, but I‘ve seen this White House make the mistake and I saw the Republican majority make the mistake. Of painting themselves in a corner with the electorate at large by trying to find some way to make Jim Dobson happy. And you can‘t make that man happy but you can lose a lot of friends in the effort.

Karl Rove sure bowed down at the alter of Dobson---as is Newt....Dobson's attacks on the GOP field is all about power. James Dobson wants to lose the '08 election to build his power base---pure---and---simple.

Jail throws book at Berkowitz

Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz is in trouble for breaking a prison rule: He gave a Bible to another inmate. He admitted giving a Gideon's Bible to a convict, but called the charge against him - an "unauthorized exchange" - pointless. Berkowitz was fined $5.

According to his Internet postings, he's a born-again Christian and jailhouse preacher.

On Dec 8th, 9th,and10th, Focus on the Family did a three part radio show called David Berkowitz: Son of Hope

Part 1-Convicted of six murders, feared and hated, David soon discovered that God still had a plan for his life

Part II-discusses how poor choices led to the horrific murders he committed, and how he eventually became a Christian

Part III-He was lonely. He was angry. He was lost. And it all culminated during one hot summer in 1977.

Obviously it's fine for James Dobson and the Focus on the Family group to "support" a serial killer, mass murderer, etc., as long as Christ has entered his life, but make an honest statement regarding Supreme court nominations like Arlen Specter did and you are the devil!