Dr. James Dobson Responds to Abramoff Accusations
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," March 8, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.
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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: The top story tonight: Dr. James Dobson responds. He joins us from Colorado Springs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}From what I can understand, this is all about Dobson representing Indian casinos, which didn't want Internet gambling and didn't want other casinos off the reservations being built, and that Abramoff, through a variety of companies and this and that, funneled money to guys like you, who oppose gambling in general. Is that what you're — is that what you think this is all about?
DR. JAMES DOBSON, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY: Well, it's even more than that. It's just a flat-out attack on our character and on the things that we stand for, Bill. I appreciate the opportunity to talk to your listeners today, because this is absolutely scandalous, what they have said, to put a full-page ad in The New York Times, and then that horrible ad that you saw, implying that we had something in common with Abramoff.
I had never met the man. I have never talked to him on the phone. I have never taken a cent from anybody having to do with the fight against gambling. We fight gambling because it's — occurs. It's a cancer on the family. It has nothing to do with Abramoff. And I probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: OK. But what they are trying to get across, this ad, I — is obviously not true, but you know how the game is played. If Ralph Reed gave you money — did he — did Ralph Reed give your organization any money, by the way?
DOBSON: Absolutely not. I have not even talked to Ralph Reed about this.
O'REILLY: All right. So, you never got any money from Ralph Reed at all?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DOBSON: Not a cent from Ralph Reed.
O'REILLY: OK. Then, you have a good lawsuit...
(LAUGHTER)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: ...against these...
DOBSON: I feel that way.
(CROSSTALK)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: Yes, against the Fenton Group...
DOBSON: Yes.
O'REILLY: ... and George Soros, other funded group, because what they are trying to imply is, because Reed got so much money from Abramoff — and we know that's true — for various work that Reed did, whatever it may be — Reed wasn't available to talk to us tonight — that Reed may have funneled the money to you. But, if he never did, then this is flat-out smearing you, sir. And, you know, I think you have some action.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DOBSON: Yes. I think this is what you call slander. And, Bill, let me just say this again to your listeners. And I appreciate the chance to say this. There is no relationship whatsoever between what the radical left, George Soros included, regularly say about me in the news and wherever they can get it said, there is no relationship between that and the truth. They're out of thin air. These are lies.
O'REILLY: Well, you know, I...
DOBSON: This is an absolute lie today.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: Doctor, I sympathize with you, because they do the same thing to me on a daily basis. And they do the same thing to anyone who oppose their agenda.
Now, we just have to try to figure out — and we are going to have the Fenton Group on tomorrow, the people who designed this ad. They say they want to come on.
DOBSON: Yes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: We just have to figure out exactly how bad this is.
I mean, you are a public figure. I'm a public figure. It's very hard for us to sue. Number one, we have to show damages. And, number two, we have to show malice. Malice, I think, can be shown, particularly if there is absolutely not a whit of truth.
So, what you are saying, Doctor, is you — your campaign against gambling wasn't funded by anybody. You didn't take any money to do it. Nobody lobbied you to do it. You just did it on your own.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DOBSON: Bill, I served on the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, going back to 1998.
I receive about 200,000 letters and phone calls a month. I know what gambling does to families. I know how it undermines the financial basis for families. And I know what it does to children. And we have fought it in 43 states, specifically, but because we are morally opposed to gambling, not because of some personal gain or taking money for it. That is an attack on my character. And I do resent it.
O'REILLY: No, I would, too.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Have you ever seen the culture war worse than it is now? You know, I'm writing a book on this.
DOBSON: Yes.
O'REILLY: I have never seen the level of hatred coming at — you know, basically, there is some from the traditionalists to the secular progressives. There is some. We have to be honest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But, overwhelmingly, the hatred coming from the S.P.s to the — to people like you and me, who they perceive to be enemies, I have never seen anything like it.
DOBSON: Well, my interpretation of that is that they are losing, generally, throughout the culture, and they're getting more and more angry all the time.
I mean, they obviously have somebody different in the White House than they wanted, and leadership in the House, and leadership in the Senate. And now the Supreme Court's changing. The culture is shifting, I believe, to the right. And they are more and more angry. And they are determined to lash out at those of us who are most visible in that area.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harper's magazine actually said that I am in favor of people who want to execute abortionists. I mean, they just say the most crazy things.
O'REILLY: Yes.
DOBSON: And I'm really kind of tired of it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'REILLY: All right. Well, I don't blame you, Doctor.
And if you do take action against these people, let us know.
And watch tomorrow night, because we are, hopefully — I mean, they want to come on, the Fenton Group, who designed the ad. And we will certainly play a clip of what you said and have them respond.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Doctor, thanks, as always.
DOBSON: I can't wait to hear what they have to say.
O'REILLY: Well, neither can I. I can't — I never know what's going to happen on this program.
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