Dobson's Ego Exposed

In Focus On The Ego, Jon Stokes nails the reason behind James Dobson's opposition to Republican front runner Rudy Giuliani. It has nothing to do with Rudy's stand on abortion, or his marital and family problems. As a song from "The Music Man" goes -- it's all about "TROUBLE, with a capital T that rhymes with P that stands for" POWER. Okay, it's a slight change from the actual lyrics, but you get the picture.

In a nutshell, Dobson looks at a Rudy presidency and quite rightly sees the loss of the thing he cares most about—and it ain't his immortal soul. It's his access to power.

Rudy treats social conservative leaders even worse than he treated New York City borough presidents during his tenure as mayor: He won't even deign to be in the same room with them, much less kiss Dobson's ring in public. And this is how Rudy treats Dobson and Co. when he's in campaign mode. Imagine the kind of treatment that Dobson and Co. will get if this uppity, thrice-married, lapsed papist actually becomes president. If candidate Rudy won't even meet with them now, president Rudy certainly won't have his aids inviting them to the kinds of closed-door meetings at the White House that they thrive on.

Dobson's status as a boss within the evangelical community is dependent on his ability to credibly present himself—to his constituents and to outsiders—as a prominent Christian voice in the halls of power. If Dobson and his pals can't go back to their respective constituencies and present themselves as men who have the ear of the secular powers that be, then why should anyone respond to their fundraising appeals, or subscribe to their magazines, or generally back them as God's representatives to D.C.? What conservative voter is going to pull out their checkbook when Dobson comes on the TV and asks for a million bucks to help fight sodomy, if it's public knowledge that this man is persona non grata in the corridors of power?

Dobson's move to organize a third party might be his way of insuring a Hillary victory. Better to have an "enemy" in the White House, than to be ignored and lose the access to power within his own party. He would at least be able to use Hillary as a fundraising tool for the next four years, while evangelicals regroup.