From The Denver Post, 11/14/04:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~11676~2534210,00.html

Dobson shifts power to focus on the politics

By Eric Gorski
Denver Post Staff Writer

The program was titled "Moral Victory in America."

James Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family,
thanked the Lord for saving the nation from a Kerry presidency.

He recited a Psalm he admires.

It was a very good day.

The child psychologist and influential voice of conservative moral
values had a lot riding on the election of 2004.

Earlier this year, he founded a new group, Focus on the Family Action,
to concentrate squarely on politics.

He endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time:

George W. Bush.

He barnstormed the country stumping for conservative Republican Senate
candidates.

But in one of his first radio broadcasts after Election Day, Dobson
was not ready to celebrate.

He was livid that centrist Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, in line to
become chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, had
declared the Senate unlikely to approve anti-abortion judges.

"This has to be one of the most foolish, ill-considered comments ever
made in politics," Dobson said.

Then Dobson's co-host gave out the phone number for the Senate
switchboard.

The moral of the story:

Dobson may have helped Republicans win, but he is not returning to the
sidelines now that the election is over.

"I believe what we have just experienced is not an end to the
struggle, but a respite," Dobson said in an interview with The Denver
Post.

"If the Republicans do what they've done in the past, which is to say,
'Thanks so much for putting us in power, now we don't want to talk to
you anymore,' they will pay a severe price in four years and maybe
two."

This is Dobson's moment.

An influential figure among evangelical Christians for more than 25
years, Dobson stands to be a force during President Bush's second term
after a significant restructuring of his $147 million ministry, his
own unprecedented jump onto the campaign trail and the strong role
"moral values" played in the 2004 vote.

Growing influence

Already, Focus on the Family can claim responsibility in helping
pressure the Senate Republican caucus to reconsider handing the
judiciary post to Specter, who should be a shoo-in because of his
seniority.

Dobson, meantime, finds himself in great demand on the network
talk-show circuit, appearing last week on ABC's "This Week" and on
three Fox News programs this weekend.

"Dobson will be a player, no doubt about it," said Brett Clifton, a
Brown University political scientist who has studied Dobson and his
ministry.

"The question is whether he is going to understand the reality of
politics and compromise, or blame the GOP for not getting enough done
because they have to deal with political realities."

Dobson said he is "very hopeful" about Bush, even if his public
statements worry some social conservatives.

Bush has said he won't apply an abortion litmus test to Supreme Court
nominees and has no problem with states that want to approve gay civil
unions.

"I don't believe George Bush is ever going to say things in the way we
would like for him to," Dobson said.

"But he has made the right choices when it matters. I believe he will
continue to do so. I'm confident President Bush knows who was
responsible for this election victory. I don't believe he will
arrogantly disregard them."

To Dobson, those responsible for re-electing Bush go beyond
evangelical voters, who he said are "often given credit or blame."
Dobson mentioned "many Catholics, mainline Christians and even those
outside the faith community who hold traditional values."

Dobson carries credibility in the evangelical world in part because he
came to prominence with his advice about child rearing.

Only later did he enter politics, first concentrating on issues such
as pornography and abortion and then turning attention to candidates.

"He has a tremendous reservoir of goodwill around the country because
he's got a long record of being a very effective voice for a
particular set of values related to hearth and home," said Gary Bauer,
the former GOP presidential candidate.

Diving into politics

Dobson in 1996 met with a half-dozen GOP presidential hopefuls who
sought his counsel and in 1998 endorsed congressional candidates as a
private citizen.

That same year, he threatened to lead an exodus from the GOP because
he believed the party had steered too moderate a course.

But Dobson took a noticeably lower profile in 2000, saying he didn't
want to politicize Focus on the Family.

What changed in four years?

Dobson described the evolution as twofold:

For one, he resigned in May 2003 as ministry president, turning over
business operations to Don Hodel, a former Reagan Cabinet member and
Christian Coalition executive.

Dobson remained chairman of the board of directors.

That created some distance between him and the ministry.

Second, Dobson said he felt the institution of marriage was under
attack like never before.

Dobson describes gay marriage as the decisive battle in the culture
war.

The prospect of several Supreme Court vacancies loomed huge, as well.

For many social conservatives, judges are more to blame than lawmakers
for societal changes over the past 30 years, from the 1973 Roe vs.
Wade decision legalizing abortion to Massachusetts' highest court
endorsing gay marriage a year ago.

"I simply could not sit this one out," Dobson said.

"I just feel this year, I had to do everything I could to keep the
loony left from capturing the United States Supreme Court and shaping
its liberal decisions for the next 25 years."

The plan of attack had several fronts.

Focus on the Family staged its first nonpartisan voting drive, aiming
to register 1 million people.

The ministry produced Spanish-language radio and TV spots urging
Latinos to vote their moral values.

Another arm of the organization urged pastors at free workshops to
preach a similar message.

Meantime, an effort to quietly build a network of state affiliates
bore important fruit.

These "family policy councils," which began forming in 1988 and now
number 35, have their own budgets and boards but benefit from Focus on
the Family's stamp of approval.

An Ohio affiliate, Citizens for Community Values, spearheaded this
year's successful initiative barring gay marriage in the state, which
was credited with helping boost evangelical turnout for President
Bush.

But there was a hurdle for further Focus on the Family involvement in
the 2004 race.

As a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on tax-deductible
donations, Focus on the Family is prohibited by the IRS from getting
involved in partisan politics and restricted in the resources it can
devote to lobbying.

So Dobson founded Focus on the Family Action, a different category of
nonprofit whose donations aren't tax deductible.

These 501(c)(4) groups are freer to get involved in politics and can
do some work supporting or opposing candidates.

When Dobson endorses a candidate, however, he emphasizes he is
speaking as a private citizen.

The centerpiece of Focus Action's efforts: six rallies in battleground
states urging Christians to "vote their values."

Dobson declined to say how much money the group has taken in but said
it has tripled since inception.

Taking sides

As a private citizen, Dobson endorsed about 25 Republican candidates.

He visited South Dakota three times to support John Thune, who ousted
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle.

Dobson also backed winning Christian conservative GOP Senate
candidates in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Louisiana.

But Dobson's touch wasn't entirely golden.

His support couldn't carry social conservative Patrick Toomey over
Specter in Pennsylvania's Republican primary.

In Colorado's Republican matchup, Dobson endorsed Bob Schaffer, who
was soundly defeated by the more moderate Pete Coors.

Dobson attacked Coors' idea of a lower drinking age and his beer
company's sexy ads.

Former Colorado U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong said he doesn't believe
Dobson's involvement tipped the scales to Democrat Ken Salazar.

Coors' support among evangelicals in Colorado was strong, but not as
strong as Bush's, according to exit polls.

"I don't think it was because of what Jim said, but because of the
underlying issues that made it harder to appeal to that vote," said
Armstrong, who stumped for Schaffer.

Dobson is known for a take- no-prisoners style.

But he has shown willingness to compromise.

In 2001, Dobson applauded President Bush's decision to limit federal
funding for embryonic stem-cell research to work on existing lines,
using embryos already destroyed.

Some conservative Christian groups complained that those lines are
morally tainted.

But Dobson highlighted the fact that no additional embryos would be
destroyed.

"That's an example of him taking a pragmatic approach - not
compromising on principles, but working within the confines of the
system," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

"He is reasonable and understands the nature of the process."

Dobson remains a polarizing figure, criticized by gay rights and
women's groups that believe he is living in the 1950s.

And some evangelicals question his choice of issues.

Jim Wallis, the left-leaning editor of Sojourners magazine, wishes
Dobson would concentrate more on poverty's toll on low- income
families.

"I know families with good family values who are not making it because
their jobs don't pay sufficient wages to support their families or
can't afford health care or find affordable housing," Wallis said.

Dobson says he hasn't forsaken his other work for politics.

He points out that he wrote three books on the family this year,
including a rewrite of his seminal 1978 work, "The Strong-Willed
Child."

But all the campaigning took its toll. Dobson was hospitalized five
days last week with an inflamed pancreas, which he attributes in part
to his heavy workload.

The ministry he founded is girding for the fight ahead, including
backing attempts to revive a constitutional amendment barring gay
marriage and fighting back efforts to expand embryonic stem-cell
research.

"The battle isn't over," Dobson said.

"We've dodged a bullet that was aimed right between the eyes at the
institutional family and moral principles."