Posted on 10/07/2005 1:34:08 PM PDT by hinterlander
WASHINGTON - An anguished James Dobson prayed Wednesday for a sign from God, telling his Christian radio listeners he was questioning his early endorsement of Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers.
Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, is one of the most prominent religious conservatives to back Miers, citing his trust in President Bush and a confidential briefing he received about her from the White House.
But in his regular radio broadcast Wednesday, Dobson prayed he was not making a mistake.
"Lord, you know I don't have the wisdom to make this decision," Dobson said. "You know that what I feel now and what I think is right may be dead wrong."
He added that he worried that his position "could do something to hurt the cause of Christ, and I'd rather sacrifice my life than do that."
Dobson's "agonized heart," as he called it, is a sign of continuing turmoil in the religious conservative movement over the selection of Miers, a longtime confidante of Bush who has never been a judge and therefore has no paper trail detailing her views.
Many evangelicals, including Dobson, see the pick to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as critical because O'Connor was viewed as a swing vote on contentious issues like abortion.
For more than 30 years, Dobson has waged a crusade to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion. He said he believes Miers is against abortion, based on talks with her longtime friends and other information.
He also confirmed reports that he received a special briefing from Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove, but still will not discuss the talks in detail.
"When you know some of the things I know - that I probably shouldn't know - that take me in this direction, you'll know why I've said with fear and trepidation (that) I believe Harriet Miers will be a good justice," Dobson said in a broadcast with co-host John Fuller.
"And John, if I have made a mistake here, I will never forget it. The blood of those babies who will die will be on my hands to a degree. Lord, if I am right, confirm it, and if I am wrong, chastise me and I will repent of it and come before these microphones."
In a press conference Tuesday, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Denver, demanded that the White House give senators whatever information it gave Dobson.
He's not the only one who wants to know the secret.
Dobson said his phone has been ringing off the hook from congressional allies and fellow conservatives seeking reassurance heading into Miers' upcoming confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Some are wary because Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, suggested her name to the president, and because of other hints that have emerged from her record.
Although she contributed funds to President Bush's election, she also has given to Democrats, including Al Gore in 1988.
When she ran for Dallas City Council in 1989, she signed a questionnaire for a gay rights group saying she supported equal civil rights for lesbians and gays. But she also said she was not seeking the group's endorsement and that she opposed a repeal of a law banning sodomy.
On Wednesday, conservative columnist George Will said if 100 capable legal analysts each listed 100 people worthy of being nominated, "Miers' name probably would not have appeared in any of the 10,000 places on those lists."
And the Web site of the Dobson- founded Family Research Council showed a question mark alongside Miers' picture.
Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers were taking a wait-and-see approach to Miers.
"I just don't know her," Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Wednesday. "I'm not going to jump out there and say this is a wonderful choice."
Dobson, who heads one of the largest Christian media empires, said he doesn't want to overestimate his own influence, although countless national media outlets already have quoted him as being in Miers' corner.
Stop showing such utter political naivety! Any such nominee with that clear a 'track record' on those two issues would be DOA! Non-confirmable!!!
As we all can recall, many other Republican presidents were duped into believing that their picks would be conservative. No one knows for sure how a judge will go, whether it's on the SC or any local court.
"Well, John Dean did it to Nixon."
Dean agreed to testify to Congress that Nixon was guilty of covering up Watergate..
Surely you're not suggesting Bush has committed a crime and Miers will be testifying against him?
Unfortunately, the Dems do not feel constained by the Constitution. Of course, if we pushed it (and perhaps lose the next election over it), we could change the rules with 51 votes - my point however was that we really needed 60 solid votes to do everything without rocking the boat - not 100 as posted above.
This is the kind of stuff that causes many seculars like myself to have the word "kook" suddenly emanate from our synapses.
As I said, we will have to respectfully disagree.
You have got to be kidding?! Clinton actually embracing Arafat was not worse?
Agreed. I guess that's because no one knows how anyone will go in life.
Are you suggesting that Dobson does not have a political agenda?
I can envison your scenario.
Your comments are correct. This reporter obviously has no clue what Dobson is saying in his broadcast because he doesn't understand faith. Dobson is not saying anything about "doubting his decision to support Miers", instead saying he understands the gravity of his endorsement and what is at stake and he hopes he is right.
Probably takes 100 GOP Senators to get 60 solid votes ;-)
I don't know that it is backtracking just to avoid a subpoena - Dobson's prayer sounded sincere to me - I hope we are right in trusting this President as well.
Conservative Republicans do not have even 50 seats in the Senate. We do not even have the Chairmanbship of the Judiciary CXommittee, for that matter.
Yes
With 55 seats in the Senate? You put that much faith in our Republican senators???
God works in misterious ways. May God's spirit rest with you all while going thru this very unease period. Fast and pray and our prayers will be heard.
Now THAT I could probably agree with - LOL.
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