Skippy of the Day: James Dobson

From US News & World Report (Via Daily Kos):

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson appeared to throw cold water on a possible presidential bid by former Sen. Fred Thompson while praising former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also weighing a presidential run, in a phone interview Tuesday.

"Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for," Dobson said of Thompson. "[But] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression," Dobson added, saying that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party's conservative Christian base and win the GOP nomination.

Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Thompson, took issue with Dobson's characterization of the former Tennessee senator. "Thompson is indeed a Christian," he said. "He was baptized into the Church of Christ."

In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson's claim. He said that, while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless "has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith."

In other words, it's not enough that the Republican Candidate is a Christian and holds true to Christian values, but he also has to be obnoxious about the fact (the better to reflect Mr. Dobson's character). Christian fundamentalists, while maintaining that people should follow the whole Bible and not just parts, are they themselves guilty of cherry picking. How else to explain Dobson's actions and words when compared to the sixth chapter of Matthew:

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Of course, Dobson's not really in a position to be picky right now with the Republican candidates. If he thinks Gingrich has a chance of even getting onto the Republican ticket, much less into the White House, then he's more deluded than I thought.