The Dobson Snub of Fred Thompson

Washington, DC (TLS). Evangelical Christian leader James Dobson recently stated that while Fred Thompson is definitely conservative and espouses views that Dobson's listeners support, there are concerns about 'whether or not he is a Christian.'

Former U.S. Senator and actor Fred Thompson has suggested in recent days that he would consider entering the race for the Republican Presidential nomination.

Thompson's announcement has enlivened disheartened conservatives who have lamented the lack of viable conservative candidates in the Republican field. In the two weeks or so since Thompson indicated he may run, there has been a 'draft Fred Thompson' movement afoot among Republicans, including some with far-reaching influence and deep pockets.

Dobson, however, expressed hesitation over the possibility.

No doubt Dobson's listeners value a Christian candidate. As the most widely influential evangelical Christian on the scene today, Dobson's radio program, 'Focus on the Family,' is carried by over 2000 radio stations and boasts an audience of over 40 million listeners, most of whom are very politically active and support candidates who espouse traditional values.

Dobson's presumption that Thompson is not a Christian seems a bit over the top, however.

A Thompson spokesman responded to Dobson's remarks by stating that Thompson is, indeed, a Christian, having been baptized into the Church of Christ. A Dobson spokesman clarified the evangelical leader's remarks by stating that Dobson was not suggesting that the group to which Thompson belonged was not Christian but that Thompson had never spoken openly about his faith.

Evangelical Christians believe it is vital that followers of Christ give verbal assent to their faith. However, historically this has never been viewed as a license to pass judgment on a person's faith or lack thereof. Those matters are usually left up to the individual and God.

It is no secret that Dobson prefers Newt Gingrich, who recently confessed to Dobson's audience that he had an adulterous affair while serving as Speaker of the House. However, Newt has some negative baggage. Gun Owners of America is rather cool toward a Gingrich candidacy due to the difficulty of getting the Speaker to place on the docket bills of vital interest to gun owners. In addition, outside of conservative Republican circles, Newt's negatives tend to be rather high.

This is not to say that Newt would be snubbed by Republicans if he threw his hat into the ring or that he would not make inroads into the general population. He is certainly intelligent and articulate enough to bring people on board with him.

Yet so far no conservative candidate has created the excitement and the 'buzz' that Thompson has managed to create by merely suggesting that he 'might' run. Columnist Mona Charen wrote today that there are numerous reasons that a Thompson candidacy may be the only viable hope for a Republican win in 2008, not the least of which is his appeal to independents.

The bottom line is that Dobson's analysis of Fred Thompson's faith may not be a very important factor, not even to Dobson's listeners. Evangelical Christian voters today are intelligent, informed, and well-read. Their level of sophistication is such that an opinion expressed by a beloved evangelical leader will be viewed as nothing more than just that--an opinion.

Conservative voters are well-aware of the nature of politics. They are not looking for sainthood but for someone who shares their values, their ideals, their world-view. Above all they want someone who respects their faith.

Absolutely nothing in Fred Thompson's history or political career even remotely suggests that his views will not resonate with the vast majority of conservative evangelical voters.