Posted on 10/10/2005 5:06:33 PM PDT by RWR8189
WASHINGTON — Focus on the Family founder James Dobson will take to the airwaves Wednesday and Thursday to clarify what information he got from the White House or other sources about U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers.
Dobson has faced a barrage of media attention in recent days because he has tentatively endorsed Miers just as other conservatives or evangelical Christian leaders have expressed doubts about her qualifications and concern about the lack of a paper trial outlining her views.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have said they might call Dobson to testify at Miers' upcoming confirmation hearings because of his statements implying he has confidential information about the nominee.
Last week, Dobson told listeners to his Christian-oriented radio program: "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 he spoke to President Bush's lead political adviser, Karl Rove, prior to the Miers nomination, although he has not said what they discussed.
That has raised concern among some U.S. senators, including Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., who say the White House should tell lawmakers whatever Dobson was told.
Focus on the Family spokesman Paul Hetrick said Monday that Dobson plans to address the Miers nomination again in a two-part broadcast scheduled to air on Wednesday and Thursday.
"What he knows about her so far he likes, and enough to endorse her," Hetrick said. "Like all of us, he'd like to know more."
He said Dobson is looking forward to hearing Miers testify at the upcoming hearings, but that the committee has not yet asked him to appear.
On Sunday, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the ABC network's "This Week" broadcast that if there are "backroom assurances" or "backroom deals" about how a nominee is going to vote, "I think that's a matter that ought to be known by the judiciary committee and the American people."
Questions over what Dobson knows prompted the judiciary committee's ranking Democrat, Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., to ask Miers last week whether she had told anyone how she would vote on any specific cases. She reportedly told Leahy: "I will be my own person. I will be independent. Nobody has the authority or right or ability to tell how I'm going to vote."
Dobson is a longtime opponent of abortion and has said he hopes the Supreme Court soon will reverse its landmark 1973 decision that cemented abortion rights. He said he believes Miers is against abortion, but in last week's broadcast added: "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."
Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family is one of the most prominent Christian media empires in the world, with Dobson's regular radio commentaries aired on 3,500 outlets in the United States.
Hetrick said Dobson has received more than 100 media interview requests since he offered a tentative endorsement of Miers while other conservatives expressed skepticism.
"He feels that enough time has passed, and enough has been said in the media that he feels he can make some additional comments to any who are interested, especially to our constituents," Hetrick said.
"Our constituents, just as everyone else in the country, are consumers of news. He would want them to have perhaps a more complete understanding of what they may be reading in the news."
sprengelmeyerm@shns.com
Focus on the Family broadcast information can be found at: www.family.org/fmedia/radiolog/index.cfm
"Would someone please explain what he means??"
Sure, I will. A serious Christian leader knows that only God knows the heart of an individual. Dr Dobson believes Miss Miers will make a good judge but there's always a chance that he's wrong. This chance causes him some "fear and trepidation". It would be that way with any nominee.
Because what was said in a private conversation is none of Ken Salazar's business.
So why does it take him two days to tell us this? Unless it's to pump up the ratings of his own show?
I figgured it out, he got the information from Judith Miller and Valerie Plame!/sarcasm on.
Can we get a sworn anonymous affidavit from a Skull and Bones member? Bush must be able to produce one. I cannot understand why anyone thinks that it is ok that the best anyone can say for Miers is that she is well known among what seems to pass for a secret society. She knows the handshake. SHEESSS!!!
Think?
Last week, Dobson told listeners to his Christian-oriented radio program: "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 he spoke to President Bush's lead political adviser, Karl Rove, prior to the Miers nomination, although he has not said what they discussed.
He ADMITS to speaking with WH personnel AND implies that he knows things that he "probably shouldn't know" and now will be 'explaining' his statement?
DumbDumbDumbDumbDumb.
Certainly not on a family-friendly forum.
:-)
If that's the case, why say it at all?
Or does he imagine he's being some kind of a prophet?
Just like Roberts, she'll be fine. It's the loudmouths and idiots whose views on every political subject are known. People of judicial temperament are NOT politicians, so they don't have loudmouth tendencies.
Huh??
I'm sorry. I thought you had asked a serious question so I gave a serious reply.
"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."
What does Dobson mean by "fear and trepidation?"
Rather than saying that, he might have been better off knocking down a hornet's nest.
It's still a slap to conservatives, to make such a weak move that has emboldened the left so much.
Don't know about you, but there is only one person on earth, my pastor, who knows the details of my inner life with the Lord and I sure wouldn't want the most intimate pains, fears, weaknesses, shadows, and sins known to anyone but Jesus. Yes, it's private.
I'll tell you what happened. Someone asked him to say something, he wen't overboard, and now he is busted.
I think your explanation is a real possibility. I hope you're wrong.
Nobocy has the ability to tell how she's going to vote---vote?---including George W. Bush?
well if it would make dobson want people to want her for the court, and its important, shouldn't we know about it? Why bring it up then?
so why telll dobson about it if its a secret?
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