Hook Dem
01-03-2005, 11:52 AM
Dobson’s warning to the six is simple and blunt: try to block confirmation of President Bush's nominees to the federal courts and Dobson and millions of Christians will defeat you in 2006.
The Times reported that Dobson is sending out a letter to one million of his strongest supporters vowing "a battle of enormous proportions from sea to shining sea" if key Democrats try to block President Bush’s conservative court nominees.
Dr. Dobson, a child psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, is reminding the six Democrat senators of their former colleague Sen. Tom Daschle and his defeat this past November.
Daschle played the leading role as the Senate minority leader in blocking ten of President Bush’s judicial nominees.
Dobson argues that Daschle’s obstructionism led to his defeat in conservative South Dakota against Republican challenger John Thune who some experts say won the election partly on that issue.
"Let his colleagues beware," Dr. Dobson writes in his letter, "especially those representing 'red' states. Many of them will be in the 'bull's-eye' the next time they seek re-election."
Who are the dirty six?
Dobson’s list includes Senators Ben Nelson, Nebraska; Mark Dayton, Minnesota; former Klansman Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia; Kent Conrad, North Dakota; Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico; and Bill Nelson, Florida.
Dobson’s declaration of war on the Democrats has some worried.
A spokesman for Senator Harry Reid, the current Democratic Senate minority leader, called Mr. Dobson a “front for the White House.”
And Ralph Neas, president of the leftwing People for the American Way, told the New York Times, “Mr. Dobson’s arrogance knows no limits.” He argued the move to challenge the Democrats will “backfire.”
In an interview in his office in Colorado Springs, Dr. Dobson, who had never endorsed a presidential candidate before supporting President Bush, told the Times his involvement in partisan politics had irrevocably changed his public image.
"I can't go back, nor do I want to," he said. "I will probably endorse more candidates. This is a new day. I just feel a real need to make use of this visibility."
Dobson has been careful not to mix his political activities with his non profit educational group Focus on the Family.
The Times noted Dr. Dobson created a sister lobbying organization during the last election, and the two organizations' combined budgets grew to a projected $146 million in 2004, from about $130 million in 2003, with a target of $170 million for 2005.
Dr. Dobson told the Times he was concentrating his political activities mainly on the court.
"The next battle will be over the replacement for Rehnquist," he said, referring to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who is being treated for thyroid cancer. "That is not something we can just yawn about."
Dobson said he was also disappointed with President Bush for not openly advocating the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.
“He does not take the bully pulpit and use it effectively,” Dobson said. Still he noted that “when the chip are down, he does the right thing.”
The Times reported that Dobson is sending out a letter to one million of his strongest supporters vowing "a battle of enormous proportions from sea to shining sea" if key Democrats try to block President Bush’s conservative court nominees.
Dr. Dobson, a child psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, is reminding the six Democrat senators of their former colleague Sen. Tom Daschle and his defeat this past November.
Daschle played the leading role as the Senate minority leader in blocking ten of President Bush’s judicial nominees.
Dobson argues that Daschle’s obstructionism led to his defeat in conservative South Dakota against Republican challenger John Thune who some experts say won the election partly on that issue.
"Let his colleagues beware," Dr. Dobson writes in his letter, "especially those representing 'red' states. Many of them will be in the 'bull's-eye' the next time they seek re-election."
Who are the dirty six?
Dobson’s list includes Senators Ben Nelson, Nebraska; Mark Dayton, Minnesota; former Klansman Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia; Kent Conrad, North Dakota; Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico; and Bill Nelson, Florida.
Dobson’s declaration of war on the Democrats has some worried.
A spokesman for Senator Harry Reid, the current Democratic Senate minority leader, called Mr. Dobson a “front for the White House.”
And Ralph Neas, president of the leftwing People for the American Way, told the New York Times, “Mr. Dobson’s arrogance knows no limits.” He argued the move to challenge the Democrats will “backfire.”
In an interview in his office in Colorado Springs, Dr. Dobson, who had never endorsed a presidential candidate before supporting President Bush, told the Times his involvement in partisan politics had irrevocably changed his public image.
"I can't go back, nor do I want to," he said. "I will probably endorse more candidates. This is a new day. I just feel a real need to make use of this visibility."
Dobson has been careful not to mix his political activities with his non profit educational group Focus on the Family.
The Times noted Dr. Dobson created a sister lobbying organization during the last election, and the two organizations' combined budgets grew to a projected $146 million in 2004, from about $130 million in 2003, with a target of $170 million for 2005.
Dr. Dobson told the Times he was concentrating his political activities mainly on the court.
"The next battle will be over the replacement for Rehnquist," he said, referring to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who is being treated for thyroid cancer. "That is not something we can just yawn about."
Dobson said he was also disappointed with President Bush for not openly advocating the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.
“He does not take the bully pulpit and use it effectively,” Dobson said. Still he noted that “when the chip are down, he does the right thing.”