Despite Saying Working Moms Likely To ‘Go Over The Edge,’ Dobson Embraces Palin’s VP Candidacy
Despite Saying Working Moms Likely To ‘Go Over The Edge,’ Dobson Embraces Palin’s VP Candidacy
Today, Focus on the Family founder and chairman James Dobson vigorously promoted Gov. Sarah Palin on Laura Ingraham’s radio show. Responding to critics who say Palin as a mother of five — including an infant with Down Syndrome — might be too busy to be Vice President, Dobson declared it “a personal matter,” and lauded the fact that Palin still cooks for her children:
DOBSON: I think that is her choice. That’s a personal matter that’s in her own family. And she seems to be doing it well. She loves her kids, she loves her family. … When she was elected governor, she eliminated the position of chef at the mansion because she wanted to do the cooking for her own family. I mean, this is a very unique, special lady.
Listen here:
Of course, Dobson and his group haven’t always embraced career moms. In his book, “The New Dare to Discipline,” Dobson “blames the supposed crumbling of ‘moral values’ and [the] ‘anarchy that is now rumbling through the midsection of democracy’ on working mothers and ‘permissiveness.’” Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, cheered the fact that fewer women aim to be working moms, “a reflection,” he says, “of a renewed realization that nothing is more important than being there for your kids.”
Dobson has gone even further, painting a dire portrait of an exhausted working mom — whose 9-5 job pales in comparison to the 24-hour job of Vice President — who could “go over the edge” at any moment:
DR. DOBSON: Some women are able to maintain a busy career and a bustling family at the same time, and they do it beautifully. I admire them for their discipline and dedication. It has been my observation, however, that this dual responsibility is a formula for exhaustion and frustration for many others. It can be a never-ending struggle for survival. … Consider what it is like to be a mother of young children who must arise early in the morning, get her kids dressed, fed and located for the day, then drive to work, labour from nine to five, go by the grocery store and pick up some stuff for dinner, retrieve the kids at the child-care centre and then drive home. She is dog-tired by that point and needs to put her feet up for a few minutes. But she can’t rest. The kids are hungry, and they’ve been waiting to see her all day. [...]
On weekends, there’s housecleaning to do, clothes to be ironed and pants to be mended. … A little push in any direction and she could go over the edge.
Dobson does say that a mother “has that right” to choose to work, and that “it is nobody’s business but her’s and her husband’s,” but his dire warning paints a far different picture than his enthusiastic support of Chef Palin today.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
If Palin can’t control her underage unwed pregnant daughter..how the hell is Palin going to handle being a heartbeat away from McSenile?
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:58 pmDOBSON: I think that is her choice. That’s a personal matter that’s in her own family…”
– - To recap: Job = personal choice. Managing your own body = Nope, not your choice, no way, ever, ever, ever….
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pmAh, there’s no hypocrite like an old hypocrite.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:00 pmMcCain doesn’t really want a veep anyway. He wants only one hand on the button. Palin would take more of a ceremonial role as opposed to the hands-on role that Joe Biden would have.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pmI notice there is no father in Daddy Dobson’s make-believe family….
I guess two Mommies would be much more efficient.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:04 pmIt will be amusing watching the “agents of intolerance” splutter as they try to disavow lifetimes of misogyny. I would say the self-destruction of the GOP is proceeding nicely, though it started a bit late.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:05 pmwow. really, wow.
and what did mz ingraham have to say… and “dr” laura… how does she feel about THIS particular incident?
DOBSON: I think that is her choice. That’s a personal matter that’s in her own family.
it’s true… very much so… AND it’s a choice… all inclusive.
And she seems to be doing it well.
we don’t know that… so far, it’s debatable.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:05 pmMcCain picked Palin because he wants to know what it’d be like to have a threesome with Palin and Cindy…He loves that insurance provided Viagra
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:07 pmOh, the contortions! Dr. Dobson will need to get a massage…
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:08 pmIBTunion4obama Says:
If Palin can’t control her underage unwed pregnant daughter..how the hell is Palin going to handle being a heartbeat away from McSenile?
Teens who are taught abstinence and not about birth control end up pregnant. No mom can stop their daughter from having sex.. Nature and raging hormones in teens are an inconvenient fact of life. Real sex ed, including birth control information works much better.
What I don’t like is the coverups and the ethics violations.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:09 pmThat is more of the same we have had for 8 years.
Enough is enough.
Obama has been steering clear of all of this, even with the knowledge that he’d have grill marks to show if it were one of his children.
But we all know that liberal = educated and educated = more intelligent choices — in this case, sexual choices (birth control, abstinence, etc.). Therefore, a premature pregnancy is unlikely to happen in the Obama family.
It’s not to say that any 17 y.o. should be condemned for having a child — it is only her reproductive system at work — but I feel sorry for kids caged in by parents who oppose educational programs and cram religious dogma down their kids throats, and the kids end up taking on more than they can handle for their age.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 pmI seriously doubt that Sarah Palin cooks dinner for her kids. I’m betting she has a nanny and a housekeeper. But, you never know.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:15 pmIt’s amazing that these people can pivot on their ideals so easily. I’ve wondered how people like Dobson would justify their support for the rs when the ds are actually closer to the kind of rhetoric they spout about ‘family values’. O/B haven’t been divorced and have raised kids that have, so far, turned out closer to those ‘values’. Won’t someone point that out to him?
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:15 pmDo any of these Republicans have real convictions? Which ever way the wind blows….
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pmIf Palin was a Democrat, you can bet the farm that Dobson would be chastising her for putting her political ambitions ahead of the needs of her downs-syndrome baby and pregnant teenage daughter.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pmI never liked Dobbie the house elf either.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:18 pmToo much religion talk….,too much religious leaders points of view.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:19 pmToo much religion injected in political life today in America.
It is getting to be ridiculous.
Everywhere you look or read…it is all about religion claims, that cannot be supported by facts,like claims of wars are call from God..etc..etc.
Politicians love this because they don’t have to worry about working hard to produce anything, they resort instead to religious themes to win elections.
The good part about that for politicians of today is what they say is very hard to measure.
Selling ‘family values’ is easier than selling a health or retirement program,it requires less knowledge and hard work, but it brings the vote.
You have to remember, logic and reason have very little place in these people’s world. They don’t really care if their statements today completely contradict what they said yesterday. At some level, Reason is just a tool of the Devil.
What matters are expressions of Faith and Belief. Someone can profess to Believe absolutely insane stuff (”The world is 6,000 years old”, “The Flintstones cartoon was a Documentary”, etc) as long as they Believe.
Catching such people in logical contradictions is no big deal and, if you do so, it doesn’t really matter. You have won nothing.
What has to be done is to split the rank-and-file from the leadership by appealing to base economic issues. Dobson’s flock will believe any stupid thing he says, just because he says it. But tying their economic life to doubting Dobson may have a chance.
For example, vote for McCain and gas goes to $6 a gallon and, while you are waiting for the Rapture, you can’t drive your truck.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:19 pmThis is what happens when overly ambitious parents like Sarah and Todd Palin neglect their teenagers:
http://www.thedirty.com/?p=44465
Sarah Palin had to know what she was exposing her daughter to when she decided to accept the VP nomination.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 pmDidn’t Dobson pray for it to rain on Obama?
The karmic backlash on Dobson’s cause is ironically hilarious.
Sow more seeds Dobson, bwahahahahahahaha.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 pmOne thing you have to love about this Palin pregnancy thing is the conservatives are trying to say that choosing to have the baby makes them “pro-Choice” and we are all “pro-abortion”. I’m sorry, but if choosing to have a baby makes you pro-Choice, then choosing not to have a baby also makes you pro-Choice.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:23 pmdbadass Says:
I never liked Dobbie the house elf either.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I’d pay good money to see Dobbie bang his head on the wall.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 pmMcWars Says:
Obama has been steering clear of all of this, even with the knowledge that he’d have grill marks to show if it were one of his children.
Actually Obama has not been steering clear. He has very much made it know than he thinks that families of politicians should be off limits and he has criticized people talking about these pregnancies.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:25 pmOh for Bob’s sake. Before women in the modern era of time and labor saving appliances, women and men worked from DAWN until DUSK cooking, cleaning, working and building. As soon as one meal was finished, preparations for the next meal were under way. Imagine life without prepackaged meals, or a washing machine, or running water.
Women have done what they have always done for their family. It is just now that they can have a career, too. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Y’know, these days, men even (horrors!) help with the housework!!!!
IMHO, it is James Dobson that is in danger of Going over the edge. I guess as long as your are a woman who also believes in the patriarchy that is the Republican party, then it’s ok if you work outside the home. Right, Phyllis Schlafley aka James Dobson?
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:29 pmi posted it recently, but can’t remember the specifics…
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:33 pmhowever, remember the rucus when hillary commented about baking cookies? the same folks who were critical of her then are praising palin now…
Regardless of her personal life, Palin is only a heartbeat away from the president of the free world.
She is not qualified for that for many, many reasons. She is a tabula rasa – ready to be imprinted with whatever the rightwing prints in her talking points; she has no basis whatsoever on which to base her own opinions because she admits she doesn’t have many.
This is a frightening possibility – if you think we were humiliated by George Bush, just wait to see what the reaction around the world is if this one is our VP.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:33 pmIt shows a deep disrespect on the part of McCain for the presidency, the Vice presidency and the state of the nation.
He put his partisanship front and center.
Blumenthal has an article that’s titled: “Juno From Juneau..”
God, I love the internets…
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:37 pmActually Obama has not been steering clear. He has very much made it know than he thinks that families of politicians should be off limits and he has criticized people talking about these pregnancies.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
“Steering clear” as in “avoiding the slippery slope.” So your post is what I meant.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:37 pmDobson is grasping at the last threads of any relevance he once had over the sheep who claim to be the GOP “base.”
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:37 pm#27 Spot on, Marie. Thank you for that post.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:41 pmBlumenthal has an article that’s titled: “Juno From Juneau..”
*rimshot*
(Forgot the schtick…)
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:43 pmYes, Sarah Palin has put her family first by accepting the Republican VP slot. Besides, Washington and Wasilla both start with a “W” so it shouldn’t be that big of a change.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 pmDoes Dobson care if this country has someone a heartbeat away from the Presidency who can spell “foreign affairs” or “economics?”
Even the right-wing nutjobs have children and grandchildren. They had better pay a bit of attention to.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 pmToday was the strangest day I have EVER had !
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:53 pmThis morning after making a couple posts hear I decided to pass copies of the American bar assoc.and GAO reports on signing statements out to the local attorneys in my little town . As I walked into the first office and offered them the report the wife of the local attorney ( FOX news blaring in the background ) raised her voice to a shrill and screamed at me to get out of her husbands office .
I met a local democrat running for county commissioner and filled him in with copies of articles from major newspapers on the nsa’s collection of and I quote, of “10’s of millions of Americans phone records ” and that thru the use of a signing statement that W says he can open your mail , although the gist of the legislation said exactly the opposite .
I then passed on 2 articles to a staunch religious conservative voter by Pat Buchanan , who told me , in essence that he wanted the world to end because the bible says it will.
During my conversation with the county commissioner dem. he had informed me I could receive a mailing list at the courthouse of all registered voters in the district and their party affiliation for a few dollars . I promptly went to the auditors office at the court house and while asking about what they could do in this regard for me , a man who was sitting there , perhaps in his 60’s , wearing a navy cap informed me ha hadn’t fought in the army to see a black elected as president of the united states !!!!!!!
WOW !
Republican moms are different. They can handle the dual role without going over the edge because they’re super-powered by God.
This is the same warpage of the space/time continuum that has made Wasilla (”the second largest city in Alaska”) larger than Richmond, Virginia.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:55 pmmost important:
a caller to ed this morning had the best solution, specifically about bristol’s pregnancy… that she plans to keep her baby is admirable and even preferable – and she is very lucky to have the family and resources to do that…
so, make it just as easy for EVERY girl and EVERY baby, and then you can talk about what a good thing it is.
till then…
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:56 pmfreeman, you sure do know how to make your day interesting.
Requesting voter registion rolls — is this a state or local thing only? It’s cool if you don’t immediately know.
Unfornately, some people only mean for their military service to benefit a few.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:03 pmThere’s obviously a double standard. The MSM believe it’s okay to give Palin a free ride because she’s a Republican woman, but wouldn’t do the same for a Democratic woman nominee.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:06 pmWars I’m thinking the roll of registered voters is for the county .
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:06 pmThe man didn’t use the word black either .
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:07 pmfreeman,
So why did that old guy in the Navy hat fight in the Army? Shits & giggles?
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:11 pmObviously not to protect the constitution , god if this is really the quality of the opposition …… I need a beer.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:14 pmI was going to call and talk to the local judge about the NSA , torture and the reports I printed ( GAO and ABA ) on signing statements ,this evening ……but ……I don’t think I could handle it .
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:17 pmHave one for me, freeman. *sigh*
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 pmThanx zooey , I’ll be back at it tommorrow .
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:24 pmActually I’m going to have a pisco sour , Chile’s national drink ( the peruvians argue that they actually invented it )and listen to victor jara on U tube .
Local radio is saying that Michele Bachmann has penned an op-ed/endorsement. I really can’t wait!
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:28 pmOh James, it must be lonely up there on your cross without a wife to wash your feet and care to your needs and burdens. Then again, when you are caught with a hooker…it’s the wife’s fault and none of your own, in your world.
If the wife cheats on you, it’s not your fault! Her lazy eyes, if they aren’t on you the devil is guiding them. You’ll browbeat her because your heel and Jesus’ word are the same.
So tell me again, I should listen to you, why…?
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:30 pmpete Says:
Local radio is saying that Michele Bachmann has penned an op-ed/endorsement. I really can’t wait!
She’ll probably tell us that God super-duper-loves the family woman and that the working women need to help us drill for oil in the Gulf and Alaska or whatever talking points are on her mind.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:35 pmDobson is long past due for a serious beatdown. Pitiful money grubbing pervert is my assessment of Dobson. Not the slightest bit interested in whatever he might spew from his delusional mouth except that some many brain deads hand on his every word. How did so many get so stupid?
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:36 pmSorry, but why does ANYONE listen to Dobson, a bigoted, hateful, anti-Jesus, greedy, money-grubbing, anti-family creep? There is nothing this man pushes that has anything to do with caring, Jesus, the ten commandments, or compassion & love. He pushes hate, exclusion, anti-Jesus teachings. Easy to see. The irony is that Dobson will be welcomed in Hell. They love his stuff.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 pmDobson, isn’t he the guy who was asking his followers to pray for rain during Obama’s acceptance speech? I guess God showed him who she likes! Gustav peed al over grampy!
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pmDobson is a patronizing, authoritative, tight-assed, pompous, sanctimonious, smug, autocrat.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 pmDobson: proud member of the GOP Freak Show.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm“it is nobody’s business but her’s and her husband’s,”
Oh, so now it’s nobody else’s business? After all these years of pontificating and lecturing on how women should live their lives, it’s their business and nobody else’s?
As much as I agree with that idea, it bothers me that he had to say it only to support the Republican ticket. On the upside, it will make it harder for these knuckle-draggers to tell women what to do. At least I hope so.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:41 pmDon’t you think Dobson and Limbaugh ought to get together and do a show together ?
What about Dobson and Coulter on a two hour long radio show?
Dobson needs to consider putting himself out in public after the Chritial Focus on the Family cry to pray for rain on the Democratic convention.
Either his people prayed to the guy with the heat, Prayed for rain at the wrong coordinace, and time. or their God decided to show them a sign of praying for the wrong things?
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 am