Josh Marshall
calls him
Grand Inquisitor James Dobson.
Yuval Rubinstein calls him 'the Ayatollah next door'. In either case, Michael Crowley at
Slate has a profile that's worth a read:
Although the notion that the religious right's "moral values" determined the 2004 election has been roundly debunked (for example,
here and
here), perception is reality in politics--and the indelible perception in Washington is now that George W. Bush owes his evangelical Christian base big time.
One corollary to this idea is that no one helped Bush win more than Dr. James Dobson. Forget Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, who in their dotage have marginalized themselves with gaffes (this week Robertson referred to potential Supreme Court nominee Miguel Estrada as "Erik Estrada"). Forget Ralph Reed, now enriching himself as a lobbyist-operative, leaving the Christian Coalition a shell of its former self. Forget Gary Bauer, now known chiefly as a failed presidential candidate who tumbled off a stage while flipping pancakes. Dobson is now America's most influential evangelical leader, with a following reportedly greater than that of either Falwell or Robertson at his peak.
Dobson earned the title. He proselytized hard for Bush this last year, organizing huge stadium rallies and using his radio program to warn his 7 million American listeners that not to vote would be a sin. Dobson may have delivered Bush his victories in Ohio and Florida.
The WSJ (Greg Hitt) says:
Evangelical Christians made a big difference on Election Day, providing crucial support for President Bush. Now they face the challenge of using their political clout to achieve success in Washington, not just at the polls.
Evangelical leaders say that among their top priorities are new limits on abortion, a constitutional ban on gay marriage, and the appointment of conservative judges to the federal bench, including the Supreme Court. But their most immediate goal is to block Sen. Arlen Specter from taking the helm of the Judiciary Committee when the 109th Congress convenes in January.
The moderate Pennsylvania Republican -- fresh off his own re-election -- is a supporter of abortion rights and is seen as a potential roadblock to much of the evangelicals' agenda.
The fight taking shape over Sen. Specter is both an early test of wills over the direction of the Republican Party and a demonstration of the aggressive role evangelicals plan to play in the second Bush term. "I don't think there's any doubt that the White House or the GOP heard the bell loud and clear," says Carrie Gordon Earll, a senior policy analyst at Focus on the Family, an influential Colorado-based group that rallied campaign support for the president.
Almost immediately after the election, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, a leading figure among evangelical activists, began urging supporters to pressure Senate Republicans not to elevate Mr. Specter. Calls from activists across the country are now flooding switchboards on Capitol Hill. "In Dr. Dobson's view, Arlen Specter is not fit to be the chairman, seniority tradition aside," Ms. Gordon Earll says.
So Specter continues to be target A in the Soul Wars. Hmmm... and they say Dems perfected the circular firing squad. Well, nothing like shedding light on the backroom politics to make sure everyone knows what's going on here. To me, it puts 'let Republicans do whatever they want' posts in a different light as well. Are you sure that's what you really want? You may get what you wish for.
In the meantime, Dems can multitask. We can explore 'values' without giving up on principles, we can explore framing while fighting for tolerance and inclusion, and we can discuss not abandoning the South and rural areas of the country without buying into the poison of the religious right. And we can pick up the bodies when the Republican circular firing squad is done with their cleansing, even as we observe the ritual.