The new year has just begun, and battle lines are already being drawn over the upcoming battle for the U.S. Supreme Court — with Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James Dobson being credited with firing the first salvo in what is likely to become a very controversial year.
In a copyrighted story published Sunday in The New York Times, writer David Kirkpatrick reported that Dobson, whom he describes as "the nation's most influential evangelical leader," is threatening to put six potentially vulnerable Democratic senators in "the bull's-eye" if they block conservative nominees to the high court.
Dobson's comments even made it on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, where Washington pundits William Safire and Kate O'Beirne discussed the upcoming battle for the president's judicial nominations and future court appointments with host Tim Russert.
Focus on the Family Action Vice President of Government and Public Policy Tom Minnery said the Times article and "Meet the Press" were referring to the January Focus on the Family Action newsletter, in which Dobson educates his constituents on the crucial issue of protecting the traditional definition of marriage.
"Without question, the vast majority of the American people want to see marriage preserved, and the greatest threat to the institution of marriage is the federal courts," Minnery explained. "If a senator votes against marriage, or votes against a federal judge nominee who will preserve marriage, we believe constituents of any senator need to know that — and we intend to make that clear to them. So, in essence, this is voter education — it is not partisan politics."
Minnery said Focus on the Family Action is not championing specific nominees for the court, or backing any particular candidates.
Specifically, Dobson wrote that "the linchpin of the (last) election was the future make-up of the United States Supreme Court." He noted that former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, who led filibusters against some of the president's top judicial nominations in recent years, was defeated in November.
"Let his colleagues beware," Dobson wrote, "especially those representing 'red' states."
Dobson mentioned six Democratic senators who are up for re-election this year: Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Bill Nelson of Florida.
"He did target six Democrats, only to underscore the fact that their constituents are especially going to be concerned about the senator's vote on marriage," Minnery said. "We've seen blue state people, people in Oregon, for instance, vote to preserve marriage, so senators in red states ought to be particularly concerned about how they vote."
Minnery said the Democrats' "incessant opposition" to marriage protection had cost them dearly at the polls.
Gary Bauer, president of the Washington, D.C.,-based group American Values, agreed with that assessment, and said the latest chapter in the battle over the courts is now under way — but it's hardly a new fight.
"There is no question we're facing a battle over the Supreme Court," Bauer told CitizenLink. "In fact, we've been battling over it for probably 25 years, at least with liberals being much more adept at making sure their court appointments are predictable liberal jurists — and conservative presidents not doing as well.
"The Democrats have been unbelievably stubborn in their approach to President Bush's judicial nominees, largely because they don't want to lose control of that last branch of government — the federal courts," Bauer said.
The members of the Senate, he noted, have a constitutional right to "advise and consent" on judicial appointments. But, historically, that has meant that they look at nominees for ethical problems, or examine legal issues.
"What senators should not be doing is using an ideological litmus test, where conservative judges or judges that are strong in their religious faith, or are pro-life or pro-family are being black-balled," Bauer said. "I think the voters, citizens, ought to act accordingly."
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Please watch CitizenLink for specifics on the battle over court nominations.
