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Dobson
Shifts Positions, may Endorse McCain
 (AP) - Conservative Christian leader
James Dobson has softened his stance against Republican presidential
hopeful John McCain, saying he could reverse his position and endorse
the Arizona senator despite serious misgivings. "I never thought I
would hear myself saying this," Dobson said in a radio broadcast to air
Monday. "... While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the
possibility is there that I might."
Dobson and other evangelical leaders unimpressed by McCain increasingly
are taking a lesser-of-two-evils approach to the 2008 race. Dobson and
his guest, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Albert
Mohler, spend most of the pretaped Focus on the Family radio program
criticizing Democratic candidate Barack Obama, getting to McCain at the
very end.
In an advance copy provided to The Associated Press, Dobson said that
while neither candidate is consistent with his views, McCain's
positions are closer by a wide margin.
"There's nothing dishonorable in a person rethinking his or her
positions, especially in a constantly changing political context,"
Dobson said in a statement to the AP. "Barack Obama contradicts and
threatens everything I believe about the institution of the family and
what is best for the nation. His radical positions on life, marriage
and national security force me to reevaluate the candidacy of our only
other choice, John McCain."
Earlier, Dobson had said he could not in good conscience vote for
McCain, citing the candidate's support for embryonic stem cell research
and opposition to a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay
marriage, as well as concerns about McCain's temper and foul language.
Dobson said on the radio program he must consider McCain's record
against abortion rights and support for smaller government, and added
McCain "seems to understand the Muslim threat." He also indicated
McCain's choice of a running mate will be a factor.
Of his new position, Dobson said in the statement to the AP, "If that is a flip-flop, then so be it."
Both the Obama and McCain campaigns declined comment Sunday.
Dobson is considered a powerful voice in conservative evangelical
Christianity; his radio broadcast reaches 1.5 million U.S. listeners
daily. Critics argue his influence is waning, pointing to a younger
generation of leaders pushing to broaden the movement's agenda.
Last month, Dobson accused Obama, in a 2006 speech on faith and
politics, of distorting the Bible and pushing a "fruitcake
interpretation" of the Constitution.
Obama replied that Dobson was "making stuff up" and portrayed his
speech as an attempt by people of faith, like himself, to "try to
translate some of our concerns in a universal language so that we can
have an open and vigorous debate rather than having religion divide us."
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