Dobson Won't Support McCain "Under Any Circumstances"

Dr. James Dobson is expressing a view that I think many of his fellow religious conservatives share (including me):

A prominent Christian leader whose radio and magazine outreaches are solidly in support of biblically-based marriages - and keeps in touch with millions of constituents daily - says he cannot consider Arizona Sen. John McCain a viable candidate for president.

"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances," said James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family as well as the Focus Action cultural action organization set up specifically to provide a platform for informing and rallying constituents.

Dobson, who always is careful to note that he's not speaking for the non-profit ministry, which cannot advocate for or against candidates legally, also doesn't hesitate to state his personal opinions on social or political issues and agendas.

Dobson's comments came during a radio interview:

Then he asked Dobson to listen to a statement from McCain and respond.

"I think, uh ... I think that gay marriage should be allowed if there's a ceremony kind of thing, if you wanna call it that ... I don't have any problem with that," McCain says.

"Dr. Dobson, would you be comfortable with someone like John McCain as the ... conservative or Republican candidate for president?" Johnson asked.

"Well, let me say that I am not in the office. I'm in the little condo so I can speak for myself and not for Focus on the Family," Dobson said in rejecting McCain's leadership.

He noted that legislation he'd just been discussing on the program, regarding an attempt by Democrat leaders in Congress to create obstacles for ministries such as Focus to reach constituents with action messages about pending legislation, is being supported by McCain, too.

"That came from McCain, and the McCain Feingold Bill kept us from telling the truth right before elections ... and there are a lot of other things. He's not in favor of traditional marriage, and I pray that we won't get stuck with him," Dobson said.

I've said on many previous occasions that I have a real problem with McCain and can't imagine the situation in which I'd be willing to vote for him. He's been way too "flexible" on some key issues, seems to be more concerned that the press like him than that he take conservative stands, and his attempts to stifle free speech and protect incumbents through the McCain-Feingold campaign law should have been thrown out in the Supreme Court as an unconstitutional infringement on the right of free political speech, which after all, is what the First Amendment is all about (President Bush had his opportunity to veto that legislation and blew his chance too).

There's also the "age" thing. McCain would be the oldest president ever elected should he win in 2008, and I'm not sure that's a good thing for the country. There must be somebody else out there who is younger and capable of upholding conservative principles and values (though right now, I'm not sure who that will be).

Being a Californian, it probably won't matter who I vote for since the Dem candidate is likely to win the state, but for many religious conservatives in contested states, their lack of enthusiasm for a McCain candidacy could hand some key states to the Dems.