Dobson, suddenly supporting Miers, says he can't talk about why

[BurtWorm]

...

In each call and in a series of teleconferences throughout the day, representatives of the White House promised their conservative supporters that as White House counsel, Ms. Miers had played a central role in picking the many exemplars of conservatism among Mr. Bush's previous nominees.

Some of the efforts evidently bore fruit. By day's end, Mr. Dobson, one of the most influential evangelical conservatives, welcomed the nomination. "Some of what I know I am not at liberty to talk about," he said in an interview, explaining his decision to speak out in support of Ms. Miers. He declined to discuss his conversations with the White House.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/politics/politicsspecial1/04conserv.html


This makes me nervous. The Bushists are obviously promising Dobson that Miers will be a good little fascist, which isn't surprising. It's probably even true. But what really disturbs me (and has been disturbing me a lot, lately) is how DISHONEST and conspiratorial right wing Christians in the US are. This is all of a piece with the intelligent design LIE they're spreading. They're happy to wear their religion on their sleeve, but tell the truth about their motives and actions? Honesty and forthrightness is not part of their value system. (It wasn't part of Leninism either, fascists!)

[atommom]

1. If scary Dr. Dobson endorses her for secret reasons, we should all be

very, very afraid.

[kestrel91316]

9. You got THAT right. He obviously knows something the RW

doesn't want US to know.

Dem Senators: VOTE NO ON MIERS!!!!!!!!!

[atommom]

10. And on top of that, he expects the public (or at least part of it)

to be swayed by his recommendation, even though he won't disclose the reasons for it. Do people not realize they're being misled, again...? :shrug:

[Why Syzygy]

49. There is "faith"

I have "faith". I believe this is a load of horse pooky. And so it is.

[MADem]

36. Subpeona Dobson's ass, and make him tell us what he knows under oath!! nt

[ClintonTyree]

57. I read somewhere this morning........

that bush talked with Dobson about it BEFORE he nominated her. I'll see if I can dig that up. That would mean that Dobson's convinced she's the fifth vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. You're correct, we should ALL be very, very afraid.

This isn't the one I was talking about, I'm still looking. I knew I should have bookmarked it this morning. But here Dobson says "he's been told how she'll vote".

"Leahy, after meeting with Miers for an hour, said he mentioned to her that James Dobson, president of the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based conservative group Focus on the Family, said in a televised interview that "he was assured how she is going to vote."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aLmFozGtZwnM

HERE we go! I knew I wasn't imagining things. Margaret Carlson no less!
"What those conservatives are missing is what Dr. James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, and Jay Sekulow, chief counsel to the American Center for Law & Justice, see in Miers: a fifth vote for overturning Roe v. Wade. Bush even got Dobson's approval beforehand".

Dobson had a say in Harriet's nomination! Isn't THAT special. So much for all this Con hand-wringing.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_carlson&sid=ajuZsQQbuwl4

[liberal N proud]

2. Maybe because he suddenly Gods presidents men just talked to him?

I really would like to know what happens to make all these people on the right suddenly change their position, always in favor of the bu$h.

[tompayne1]

4. maybe q

he promised them another tax cut.

[BR_Parkway]

17. Office of Faith Based Payola coming right up, just get on TV and say

good stuff about the person/situation we want you to. With the Pharisee's, it's always about the money and the power.

[kohodog]

24. Bingo

Question:How much money will these "faith based" organizations get?

Answer: Enough billions to line their pockets and promote theo-fascist politicians.

[tompayne1]

3. darn it

if dobson is supporting miers we have problems.

[TNOE]

5. Jon Stewart

was hillarous last night on this

the wink/wink - nod/nod vote - she's "with us" - trust me.

[NYC Liberal]

81. Jon: Oh My God. *dramatic pause* James Dobson is fucking Harriet Miers!

:rofl:

[Fridays Child]

6. Go touch yourself, Dobson. Maybe you'll have a "conversion."

Or maybe you'll just go blind.

[degreesofgray]

40. I despise that fool Dobson

I remember being dragged into church when I was 14 or 15, along with every other teenager and young adult in our church, to watch a James Dobson film about, *gasp*, masturbation, after which we were all herded into discussion groups so we could discuss Dr. Evil's ridiculous nonsense. There is something seriously wrong with that man's brain!

[Fridays Child]

43. But, per Dobson, if you think your son might be gay...

...you should expose yourself to him, in the shower.

The man is seriously deluded.

[atommom]

65. I now have PTSD just from *imagining* Dobson in the shower.

Ewwww.

:scared:

[brainshrub]

70. Did the radical cleric, James Dobson, do that?

Or does he advocate this kind of behavior.

While I don't think it's necessarily bad for a child to see his parents naked, I don't see how that will "cure" homosexuality.

[Inland]

7. Well, crissakes, people, WAKE UP.

The fact is that Miers and every other republican nominee let's the WH know how she is going to rule on specific cases.

She answers the very questions that she won't answer before the judiciary committee.

Bush is telling his supporters that, implicitly, and demanding trust. Some are deciding to trust.

OF course you should get a clue from Dobson supporting her. OF COURSE he's been told something he won't tell you. HE KNOWS HIS VIEWS ARE IN THE MINORITY, JUST LIKE BUSH KNOWS.

[Flying Dream Blues]

8. Some of what I know I am not at liberty to talk about???

Now THAT'S a ringing endorsement. How has this country fallen to a place where this get's an "oh, ok, he knows something we aren't allowed to" (nodding head) reaction? About a Supreme Court nominee?
More "just trust me, Rush, you'll be very happy with her" politics.

:puke:

[file83]

44. It's the "Super Duper Double Secret Background" endorsement...

Miers isn't exactly a NOC/CIA agent. What could he possibly know that he wouldn't be "at liberty to discuss"??? This is a "free" country, talk away!

If anything, we can only assume Miers is part of a secret plan: BZZZZZZZZT! = Automatic disqualification for SCOTUS in my book.

[Red_Viking]

11. So, did they tell Dobson stuff they won't tell the Senate?

This is messed up on so many levels. If anything they said pierces the client-attorney privilege veil, the Senate should scream for all her papers.

No one is talking about the separation of powers problem--this witch came flying on her broomstick straight out of the White House. Considering the consolidation of executive power going on over the last five years, that should make everyone tremble just a bit.

We should also wait for the other shoe to drop, should this nomination be defeated. They have someone even scarier in the wings; count on it. They seem to be manufacturing Bushbots out of Cheney's underground spidey hole.

Peace,

RV

[renate]

21. that was certainly my first thought

How come he gets to know stuff about a potential Supreme Court Justice (or about anyone or anything else, for that matter) that the American public doesn't get to hear?

[Why Syzygy]

50. Neo-con (fascist) Underground?

He won't even tell Congress? Something VERY WRONG with that scenario. Everything.

[ClintonTyree]

59. bush has already said that any of her papers.......

since she's been in the White House will not be subject to review by the Senate. It's all very hush, hush you see. :eyes: Trust him? :puke:

[speedoo]

12. I don't need to know anything else about her.

If Dobson likes her, she must be kept off SCOTUS. Period.

[deminks]

13. And what exactly is Focus on Me's security clearance?

Just asking.

[CBGLuthier]

14. subpoena his ass

Let him try that not at liberty bullshit before the committee.

[hootinholler]

31. That't the first thing that came to my mind also. n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

32. I was about to say the same thing.

Find out what he knows, and who told him. He can't very well deny saying it, having made a public statement.

If he doesn't cooperate, throw his ass in jail.

[onenote]

73. damn straight

It would be very amusing...I say go for it!

onenote

[Bernardo de La Paz]

75. Find the quid pro quo.

[incapsulated]

So, you think she told them she would oppose Roe?

Hmmmm?

[BurtWorm]

20. Who knows what else she promised him?

How about the sun, the moon and the stars?

[incapsulated]

30. I think this is a message to the fundies

"I know something you don't know... BTW, Mier's is A-OK with me!"

*wink wink*

[pacalo]

15. In addition to the dishonesty & conspiratorial conduct of certain

clergymen who delve in politics, I've acquired the impression that churches are becoming corporations who want a piece of the money pie. They're getting kickbacks, imo, & their political interest is in keeping the flock in fear & dutifully attending church to pay their tithings.

[Doctor Panacea]

77. Like the Medieval RC Church

"... clergymen who delve in politics, I've acquired the impression that churches are becoming corporations who want a piece of the money pie. They're getting kickbacks, imo, & their political interest is in keeping the flock in fear & dutifully attending church to pay their tithings."

Reminds me of the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages early Renaissance.

[pacalo]

80. This presidency couldn't survive without kickbacks.

When the clergymen go the extra mile to have their flocks vote for a corrupt liar who has taken advantage of the poor, it just stands to reason that kickbacks are involved.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. The Judicial Committee should subpoena him as a witness

It's obvious that the WH is going to hand over the absolute minimum of her papers and claim Executive Privilege for just about anything and everything that she has been involved in. But these conversations would in no way fall under any privilege, IMO.

Call him in, make him swear on the Bible, and grill him!

[ClintonTyree]

62. The bible is a prop for him.....

he'd swear on a stack of them, lie his ass off and never think twice about it because god is on HIS side, you see? god would permit him to lie under these circumstances or some horse shit like that, he'd justify it somehow.

[Supersedeas]

18. more evidence of a STEALTH candidate--not at liberty to talk about that

Get used to that refrain

[mzmolly]

19. Ah

yikes.

These people make their own rules, they feel above the law as their "gods" law is above mans. This way they can do whatever they please - because after all, they prayed about it first.

It's twisted.

[enough]

22. Senator Salazar (D-CO) is on it.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/10/5/104722/784

snip>

If Focus on the Family founder James Dobson knows a secret about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, Sen. Ken Salazar wants to know what it is. "Some of what I know I am not at liberty to talk about," he told the newspaper. That statement bothers Salazar, a first-term Denver Democrat who describes Miers as a "blank slate" whose views are little known. "It's troublesome to me the comment would be made," Salazar said at a Tuesday news conference in Denver. "It seems to me, all of the (information) the White House knows about Harriet Miers should be made available to the Senate and the American people. If they're making information available to Dr. Dobson - whom I respect and disagree with from time to time - I believe that information should be shared equally with a U.S. senator."

snip>

[crispini]

26. Go Salazar!

Ok, now THAT's a good thing to say.

[Pithlet]

23. Dobson, please. You're not fooling anyone.

"I'm not allowed to divulge that at this time *cough* oeRay vs adeWay. initoFay *cough*"

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. What disturbs me is the mutual sucking up between a

so-called religious leader and a political leader. Why the **** does the president need approval of a half-ass minister anyway? (In the best of worlds of course)

[Ioo]

27. BLOGED ON

http://www.bushsamerica.com/index.php/2005/10/05/james_dobson_changes_mind_on_miers_it_s_

[dickthegrouch]

28. Separation relies on Congress not judges

The actual phrase in the constitution is "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".

Judges can make any law they want.

Despite *'s assertions that she won't be an activist judge; Miers will be just that.

We need to be doing constructionist thinking of our own to head off all the negative ramifications of any attempt to steal the law away from us.

Why wait until something even more odious than the Indiana attempt to outlaw artificial conception for unmarried women comes along.

We should be drafting laws to strengthen the separation of Church and State, rather than reacting to attempts to weaken it.

[Why Syzygy]

51. She's Bush's SECRETARY fer gawd's sake!

Git me some pretzels. There is NO WAY this woman can serve on SCOTUS. I bet it is driving them CRAZY contemplating having a bushbot on their bench.

[petronius]

29. Perhaps Dobson just knows that acting mysterious

and claiming to have secret knowledge is a good way to look important and get attention? :shrug:

This isn't an election where Dobson's support might mean something - I don't see why the WH would spill deep dark secrets that might be divulged just to get his approval in the media. If they were to let anyone in on the secrets, it would be the few republican congresspeople who might be inclined to oppose the nomination.

I think the fact that Bush supports her is enough to tell me that she sucks. Let alone the issues of her background, and crony-like connections to the White House. Who cares what Dobson thinks...

[BringEmOn]

33. She promised to let Dobson spank her

"Dare To Discipline"

[BurtWorm]

34. Or vice versa

:spank:

[Why Syzygy]

52. I read that book

Much to my shame, I used to be a borderline fundie. I implemented the spanking rules for my son. Gave it up after one or two. Just could not tolerate it. Those "let's sit down and talk" events were so much more peaceful. Good outcome. Beating children is a sure path to failure for all concerned.

[NAO]

35. Radical Cleric James Dobson also supported Roberts, could not say why...

I remember a similar thread at DU that Fundamentalist Extremist "Dr." James Dobson, who advocates child beating in the name of Jesus, supported Roberts, although he said "he could not say why...was not at liberty to discuss".

The Religious Reich is on the march, and if we are not careful they are going to seize control and the neo-cons are going to be just as sorry as the liberals and all sane people.

****

Fundamentalist Radical Clerics such as Falwell, Dobson, and Robertson are not merely medieval throwbacks or misguided religious hacks. They are part of a well organized subversionary movement known as "Dominionism".

Dominionism constitutes a serious threat to American Democracy. These Radical Clerics have developed and are executing a detailed plan to gradually replace the free, secular democratic society of the United States with a Theocracy.

It is critical that people become aware of the extreme agenda these people have for the United States and ultimately for the world. The results of the 2004 Presidential Election were not a fluke or something that was drummed up over a period of months. It has been in planning for over 20 years, and what we are seeing take place now is, in the words of Katherine Yurica, "the swift advance of a planned coup".

The Swift Advance of a Planned Coup: Conquering by Stealth and Deception - How the Dominionists Are Succeeding in Their Quest for National Control and World Power
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheSwiftAdvanceOfaPlannedCoup.htm

The Despoiling of America: How George W. Bush became the head of the new American Dominionist Church/State
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheDespoilingOfAmerica.htm

The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party
a public information project from TheocracyWatch.org
http://www.theocracywatch.org

The Yurica Report - News, Intelligence, Analysis
http://www.yuricareport.com

The Religious Right - An Anti-American Terrorist Movement
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8816.htm

[Why Syzygy]

55. See.

This is the WORST way to "fight terror". Do you think a religious nation is impervious to terror? Not quite. It seems to work the other way round. Except in Saddam's case. He had a secular government which will now be replaced with a religious government, compliments USofA.

Forget about "establishing democracy". They are setting up police states and theocracies. In our name. Bring them home!

[intheflow]

37. Can't say why? Then why say anything?

I'm sure he can't say that she's promised him death to abortion providers and that every gay person in America will wear a yellow star. (Except Gannon, of course! You need at least one of "them" to get the others to trust you have their best interests at heart. :eyes: ) This cannot be good news.

[Why Syzygy]

56. I think you underestimate

Gannon. He was in the "service" industry. Had nothing to do with gay rights at large.

[bunny planet]

38. My head is spinning with this nomination. I just can't figure it out.

Why would they put someone who has so many obvious political 'conflicts of interest', and now also has Dobson, a known fundaholic anti-choice person saying 'I know something you don't know'? Its just too obvious, almost as if they want us to filibuster her and then sneak in someone much worse later on. I just can't figure this one out. Is it the obvious, she is really on the same page as the fundies, and they already know she will vote to overturn Roe (have been making a fuss in a pre-planned, we got the meme talking points deception) or is she a candidate * has put in there because he believes she and Roberts will protect him down the line from some charges that are waiting in the wings and he is abandoning his fundie base just to save his own neck. Just can't figure out which it is. Of course it could be both.

And the Harry Reid quasi-endorsement and recommendation throws another angle into the mix. Was * tricked into nominating her, hoping that she would pass muster with the Democrats, when he really wanted her in there to protect his secrets.

[ClintonTyree]

66. Who could possibly be worse?

A known Christian Fundamentalist with SEVERE ties to the BFEE, she thinks bush is the most intelligent man she's ever known, obviously the fifth vote the Cons needs to overturn Roe v. Wade, a Corporate whore who'll trash environmental laws in favor of Big Business.....what the hell else could someone else do WORSE than that? She's the quintessential theo-fascist that the Cons slobber over all the time. The only thing she lacks is the Judicial pedigree that the others may have. She's the perfect stealth neo-con.

[bunny planet]

71. Remember, things are never so bad that the blivet can't make them

worse.

The only reason I said the nomination puzzles me is that she is so obviously a wingnut corporate crony. They know she'll get shot down, why put her out there at all unless there's some other reason, and why have the right wing talking points all on message that she is unsuitable to them as well. Unless * just got punked into thinking she'd slide by the Dems because Reid recommended her.

[emulatorloo]

39. kick n/t

[spanone]

41. So, Dobson can know, but the American public can't.

That all makes sense in Bush*world.

I think IMHO that Bush* knows way more about ms. miers than he is letting the public know. I would vote her down in a heartbeat.

[electron_blue]

42. the fairy godmother is apparently out and about today, probly she told him

[ck4829]

45. Reeks of the Council for National Policy

Dobson is a member of the secretive Far Right council known as the CNP.

Bush 'accepts advice' from the CNP.

I have a feeling this is why Dobson is not able to talk about it.

[Selteri]

46. If that isn't a great reason to not support her... NT

[OnionPatch]

47. Look, she's anti-choice

It's as simple as that. I don't know why anyone is even pretending that they haven't figured this out yet.

[karlrschneider]

48. Yikes. I HAVE to wonder if she's a "cured" lesbian....?

Don't flame me...see the quotation marks!
;-)

[mwooldri]

78. But her answers regarding gay rights are just as clear as...

... Dobson's endorsement for her.

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid21332.asp

She answered the questionnaire YES to equal rights but NO to repealing the sodomy laws.

Which side of the fence does she sit? Maybe she's a fencesitter; after all she gave money to the Democratic Party so she must have been of the right persuasion at that time?

But Dobson not able to say why? I have listened to him in the past; some of which he says is OK and some of which is plain not OK. However with this one, it's just like Miers - it's fencesitting.

[GRLMGC]

53. Uhh

That's not shady :sarcasm:

[SillyGoose]

54. What the hell kind of banana republic is this?

Secret conversations between the White House and some nutcase fundie about an important matter like the nomination of a SC justice and we the people are not allowed to know what makes Harriet Miers so damn special? This is absurd and its an outrageous insult to all of us in this nation.

:grr:

You know, I'll tell you something...I am tempted to write to my elected officials about this but I am sick and tired of writing to them about all sorts of this crap and getting a form letter in return if I get a response at all. Its a complete waste of my time.

This is no longer a government for the people by the people.

[Why Syzygy]

58. In most cases, they only represent a few

The ones with the big wallets.

[SillyGoose]

60. Yep, you got it. I am sick of it. (n/t)

[0007]

61. Get hip folks, the Dan Rather game is on again.

Who indeed believes that Miers will be confirmed? This was not junior's plan.

[Demonaut]

63. what if capslock only worked in triflow

[TankLV]

64. Scary. Very Scary.

I have a good guess as to why!

Don't forget - Harry Reid is a fucking MORMON/LDS, too.

[lumberjack_jeff]

67. The simplest answer

is that Dobson is just doing some fast talking to give his sheeple some semi-plausible cover for doing what the church wants them to - support Bush without qualification.

It's the means of pressuring potential swing Republicans.

I'd be surprised that Bush offered Dobson any more than the obvious - Miers is a true believer in the Bush coven who will support anything that Bush wants. Locking up americans in military prisons? Sure! Consolidate corporate control? You bet! Eroding church/state boundaries? Say no more! Give the president dictatorial powers? Why not give the most brilliant mind of our age the keys to the kingdom?

.... and eliminating a privacy right. Roe v Wade is only a small piece of what's at stake.

It's all okay to Dobson, because he intends to be one of the pitchfork-wielders in the resulting Bush society.

But, you know... she may not have any judge experience, but she was once considered by someone to be one of the top 100 lawyers. And she's from Texas. And she makes a mean cup of coffee.

[Mike_The_Computer]

68. I'm praying for Dobson to get ass cancer

and I don't care how that sounds.

[jmowreader]

69. Roe isn't all he cares about

Dobson absolutely needs two reliable votes on the Supreme Court. This is his agenda, as I see it:

1. A declaration that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not mean religion must be kept out of the public square.

2. Overturning of all that precedent regarding religious displays--specifically, the Ten Commandments and Nativity scenes--in the public square.

3. Allowing mandatory Christian prayer in public schools.

4. Conversion of science classes from the teaching of evolution to the teaching of creationism. Fuck this "intelligent design" shit--he wants public schools to teach that God created the heavens, the earth and everything on or in the earth in 144 hours.

5. Authorization for school officials to dispense corporal punishment without fear of lawsuit or retribution from parents.

6. Overturning of the "no religious tests" clause of the Constitution via an amendment.

7. A declaration that the Constitution Preservation Act is in fact constitutional.

8. Permission to remove children from single-parent and nontraditional-family homes. If you're not married to a person of the opposite sex, kiss your kids goodbye.

In short, James Dobson wants a theocracy, and the installation of Roberts and Miers onto the Supreme Court is going to get him one.

[yorkiemommie1]

72. oh no., not believing a word you say Dobson

you are creeping me out w/ your secretive statements.

[volitionx]

74. If Dobson Supports her, BE WORRIED. If not, still be worried!

Obviously, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY Dobson would support Miers if she weren't pro-life and anti-gay. No fucking way in hell.

He knows what's up. Expect an assault on Roe V. Wade.

[SF Bay Area Dem]

76. Can anyone else say MILLIONS in (ahem) "Faith Based Funding"...

... that is suddenly going to appear in Brother Dobson's pocket?

[zonkra]

79. Said Jim

With a grin, as he wiped off his chin, "Some of what I know I'm not at liberty to say." Said he, "My discussions with Card and Rove, and their boss the retard, should be as secret as the fact that I'm gay!"