Friends this if Grant, again, from Matthew 25. As you may remember, two weeks ago James Dobson spent 19 minutes of his radio broadcast attacking Senator Obama. You all responded by raising more than $4,000 in 24 hours to help us place ads back-to-back with a positive response using Senator Obama's own words. You can hear our ad that we ran last week: "From His Heart"
(I posted it in an earlier diary, so everybody could see what they helped fund - but here is a repost)
If you have ever doubted whether a small group of people can make an impact, just look at the response you evoked from Dobson! And now, with your help, we are going to double that ad buy!
Last weekend Focus on the Family produced this video in response to our ad –
(It is really worth the watch)
And just yesterday Dr. Dobson himself went on the air again to attack our ad specifically, and may have only served to get himself in deeper trouble.
Here is the 6 minute audio clip from yesterday.
Dobson calls our ad "very very misleading" and "seductive." In fact they replay our entire ad on their site with the caption: "Dr. Dobson says a recent pro-Obama radio ad is dishonest and misleading." Tips to the first person who can find anything misleading in our ad.
Dobson Claim One
The Matthew 25 ad is dishonest and misleading because it says that Dobson is trying to grab headlines:
"No body is trying to grab headlines. Who needs them? I get them without even trying." – James Dobson
False - Dobson and Focus on the Family sent out a press release and the full 18 minute clip to news sources around the country prior to the radio address saying that he planned to target senator Obama and a speech he gave in 2006, according to the AP and TIME and ABC among others. I doubt that Dr. Dobson is in the habit of sending press-releases for all of his shows. So, Why would they send the clip prior to the radio address if they were not trying to garner press attention?
Dobson Claim Two
The Matthew 25 ad is dishonest and misleading because Dobson is not throwing stones at Obama:
"We are not throwing stones at Senator Obama for his faith. That’s off the wall. We are responding to his comments about the Bible and about us and about the Constitution."
– James Dobson
False - He says he is not casting stones at Senator Obama but their segment goes on to say...that "the tongue can be deceitful and people don’t always speak the truth. And there is some reason to doubt what is we are about to hear." Then they play the faith testimony Senator Obama gives in the ad. Why are they suggesting the Obama’s Testimony is "deceitful."
They go on to say "We have to question if he is even sincere as he speaks so lovingly about religion." So, they are directly casting doubt on Obama’s faith testimony and sincerity, but that is not "throwing stones" or "attacking his faith."
Dobson Claim Three
They claim "he stood up as the only member of that legislative body to oppose legislation to protect that child that managed to limp into the world after an abortion."
False - The truth, however, is that Obama was never the only Senator, in Ill. or the U.S. Senate to vote against the bill Dobson is referencing. This claim is flat made up. Source
Conclusion & Response
I’m not sure why Focus on the Family believes we are "tricking" and "seducing" their listeners by sharing Obama's confession of faith with them. Do they not trust Christians to make choices for themselves? Well we do! And millions of people of faith, nationwide, are standing for change and against division. After years of dominance of the Christian airwaves we have found a way to challenge Dobson. These radio ads are not expensive, averaging $35 dollars a spot, so lets keep pushing them!
This is where change begins! So today we are announcing that, with you help, we are doubling our ad buy! Donate by buying a spot or two... at Matthew25.org or ActBlue