In an October 6th broadcast of Focus on the Family, James Dobson attempts to refocus attention away from the actions of former Rep. Mark Foley by bringing up the specter of President Bill Clinton's indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky. Please keep in mind that Dobson is speaking about Foley when he attempts to minimize the impact of Foley's actions through a illogical comparison to the Lewinsky scandal.
We condemn the Foley affair categorically, and we also believe that what Mr. Clinton did was one of the most embarrassing and wicked things ever done by a president in power. Let me remind you, sir, that it was not just James Dobson who found the Lewinsky affair reprehensible. More than 140 newspapers called for Clinton's resignation. But the president didn't do what Mr. Foley has done in leaving. He stayed in office, and he lied to the grand jury to obscure the facts
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Besides the obvious political angle, I do not understand the comparison between the alleged acts of a pedophile and the unwise consensual sexual affair of our disgraced former president. It is as if Dobson is trying to imply that Foley's acts are in some way less heinous because Clinton's acts were more heinous. The Lewinsky scandal has nothing to do with the Foley scandal, nothing at all. Focusing on Clinton is a blatant attempt to shift focus away from Foley and the Republican leadership.
Dobson goes on to imply that Foley's resignation is honorable, by describing Clinton's actions as dishonorable. Again, Dobson is trying to explain away a scandal by way of an illogical comparison. The real story is that Foley resigned in disgrace, then blamed his behavior on alcoholism and his molestation at the hands of a priest. Foley's actions cannot be described as honorable.
...But the president didn't do what Mr. Foley has done in leaving. He stayed in office, and he lied to the grand jury to obscure the facts
The creme de la creme in this absurd broadcast is Dobson's assertion that the Foley affair is a prank perpetrated by the victim. Foley appears to be pedophile. He preys on innocent children. Attempting to shift blame to the victim is a transparent political act. Does hanging on to power mean so much to Dobson? Would he sacrifice the innocent on the alter of power? It appears so.
As it turns out, Mr. Foley has had illicit sex with no one that we know of, and the whole thing turned out to be what some people are now saying was a -- sort of a joke by the boy and some of the other pages.
Repeating an unsubstantiated rumor is irresponsible, repeating it for political purposes is... evil. Dobson's hypocrisy knows no bounds. Does he really run an organization called Focus on the Family? I wonder if he has read the transcripts of Foley's IM's? I have - and I'm pissed. Here is a quote for you doc...
From Mark Foley to an underage page: "did you spank it this weekend yourself"
Let's call a spade a spade - What Foley did is wrong. Foley and anybody who protected him deserve nothing less than to see the end of their political careers. If is causes the Party of God to loose power, then so be it. There is always the next election cycle.
Technorati Tags: James Dobson, Mark Foley, Politics, FotF, hypocrisy
