“Everyone knows [Thompson’s] conservative ... “[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian; at least that’s my impression.”

Focus On The Hysterics: Dobson Throws A Fit Over U.S. News Report | March 30th 2007

Yesterday’s “Wall of Separation” noted that James Dobson of Focus on the Family had questioned the religious commitment of former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson. Dobson charged that Thompson, a Tennessee Republican who is thinking of running for president, isn’t really a Christian – even though Thompson belongs to the ultra-conservative Church of Christ.

“Everyone knows [Thompson’s] conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,” Dobson told U.S. News & World Report. “[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian; at least that’s my impression.”

Dobson went on to praise former House Speaker New Gingrich (a thrice-married serial adulterer), leading to speculation that Gingrich is Dobson’s favored candidate for the Republican nomination in 2008.

Dobson must now realize how intolerant and rude his comments sounded because he’s trying to deny he ever said them.

A “clarification” issued yesterday by Focus on the Family asserts that U.S. News reporter Dan Gilgoff failed to accurately quote Dobson.

“In his conversation with Mr. Gilgoff, Dr. Dobson was attempting to highlight that to the best of his knowledge, Sen. Thompson hadn’t clearly communicated his religious faith, and many evangelical Christians might find this a barrier to supporting him,” read the statement. “Dr. Dobson told Mr. Gilgoff he had never met Sen. Thompson and wasn’t certain that his understanding of the former senator’s religious convictions was accurate. Unfortunately, these qualifiers weren’t reported by Mr. Gilgoff.” ...