Because Thompson doesn't support a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage.
James Dobson, one of the nation's most politically influential evangelical Christians, made it clear in a message to friends this week he will not support Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson.(via)In a private e-mail obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, Dobson accuses the former Tennessee senator and actor of being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on issues dear to social conservatives.
"Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won't talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?" Dobson wrote.
"He has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent 'want to.' And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!"
[...]Dobson and other Christian conservatives support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would bar gay marriage nationally. Thompson has said he would support a constitutional amendment that would prohibit states from imposing their gay marriage laws on other states, which falls well short of that.
Karen Hanretty, a spokeswoman for the Thompson campaign, said Wednesday in response to the Dobson e-mail: "Fred Thompson has a 100 percent pro-life voting record. He believes strongly in returning authority to the levels of government closest to families and communities, protecting states from intrusion by the federal government and activist judges.
"We're confident as voters get to know Fred, they'll appreciate his conservative principles, and he is the one conservative in this race who can win the nomination and can go on to defeat the Democratic nominee."
In his e-mail addressed "Dear friends," Dobson includes the text of a recent news story highlighting Thompson's statement that while he was baptized in the Church of Christ, he does not attend church regularly and won't speak about his faith on the stump.
Since when has this been a deal breaker for Christians? There's an enemy out there who is looking to destroy our way of life and we are worried about an amendment that will not even pass in the Senate? Does Dobson really think that he will get enough Senators to vote for this thing? That's where he has to get the candidates to back it. What would Thompson be able to do if the Senate is run by Democrats (which is probably going to be the case)? A candidate could promise Dobson an amendment but what would he be able to do once elected? Not much. How about we focus on who will do the best job and not worry about something that's not going to happen?
Given the current climate of the nation towards the religious right, this might actually be good news for Thompson. He might want to publicize the fact that Dobson doesn't support him. And I think it's smart for Thompson to take his religion off the table. It's better for Christianity if politicians not use it to get elected.
BTW, who the heck does Dobson expect Christians to vote for? According to the article he doesn't support Giuliani or McCain and I would be suprised if he supported Romney. I guess he'll have to support a second tier candidate, that's all that's left. Hucabee? Is that the candidate we have to support now that Dobson has deemed Thompson unacceptable?
