Out of Focus

Freshman Colorado Senator Ken Salazar really knows how to make friends back home (from Political Diary):

Defining Down the Antichrist

Ken Salazar, Colorado's new Democratic Senator, must be feeling the heat from his support of filibusters that fellow Senate Dems have used to block ten of President Bush's judicial nominees. This week he attacked Focus on the Family, the Colorado Springs-based conservative group headed by child psychologist James Dobson, as "the Anti Christ of the world."

Mt. Salazar later backed off that term, saying he was responding to what he considered unfair attacks by the group. "I meant to say this approach was un-Christian, meaning self-serving and selfish," he clarified. For his part, Mr. Dobson accepted the apology, but pointed out that his group's criticism is based on its view that Mr. Salazar had promised last year he would support up-or-down votes on judicial nominations during his pitch for moderate votes. He then reneged on the promise once elected. "His response is an effort to change the subject is to attack us personally," Mr. Dobson said.

Mr. Salazar's office acknowledges that the senator changed his position and agreed to back filibusters of judicial nominees only after he took office. His staff said the senator is fighting to uphold long-standing traditions of the Senate and believes they should not be changed for mere political gain. Political observers in Colorado note that Mr. Salazar defeated Republican Pete Coors with only 52% of the vote, in large part because he convinced swing voters that he would uphold centrist values and behave independently once he got to Washington. Mr. Salazar can consider himself lucky that Senators have six-year terms, during which the electorate back home will have a chance to forget any campaign pledges he may have made.

James Dobson is the 800 pound gorilla in the evangelical world, especially in Colorado where his ministry Focus on the Family is based. I don't think the friends and supporters of Dr. Dobson will easily forgive this insult.