Dobson makes reversal may endorse McCainPosted: 10:05 AM ET
From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney, CNN's John King
(CNN) Focus on the Family Founder James Dobson is expected to say Monday he may endorse John McCain's White House bid a major reversal for the evangelical leader who has been a longtime foe of the Arizona senator.
In a pre-taped Focus on the Family radio broadcast set to air later Monday, Dobson officially softens his stance toward McCain, saying, "I never thought I would hear myself saying this
while I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might."
Dobson, who once said he could never bring himself to endorse McCain, also says during the broadcast that while he continues to disagree with the Republican presidential candidate on a host of issues, generally he is closer to McCain than presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
"There's nothing dishonorable in a person rethinking his or her positions, especially in a constantly changing political context," Dobson said in a statement to the Associated Press about his seeming reversal.. "Barack Obama contradicts and threatens everything I believe about the institution of the family and what is best for the nation. His radical positions on life, marriage and national security force me to reevaluate the candidacy of our only other choice, John McCain."
Dobson, one of the most powerful figures in the evangelical community, has been a longtime critic of McCain, especially after it became clear the Arizona senator would win his party's presidential nomination. In addition to declaring he would not endorse or vote for McCain, Dobson said last April the Republican presidential candidate was fracturing the Republican Party and "intent on driving away" conservatives.
But Dobson, never one to shy away from the spotlight, has also been extremely critical of Obama, saying last month the Illinois senator distorted biblical passages to make political points.
Criticizing a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the to the liberal Christian group Renewal during which Obama said it would be impractical to govern based solely on the word of the Bible, noting some passages suggest slavery is permissible and eating shellfish is disgraceful Dobson said the Illinois senator was misrepresenting the Bible and taking a "fruitcake interpretation" of the Constitution.
A senior McCain aide tells CNN the Arizona senator and Dobson have still never spoken, and the McCain campaign has not reached out to Dobson.
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