During his daily BreakPoint radio commentary, convicted felon and former Nixon special counsel Charles W. Colson suggested on May 11 that “no one [on the political right] has challenged the faith of anybody on the other side” for their opposition to a handful of President Bush's judicial nominees. In fact, numerous conservatives have challenged the faith of opponents of Bush's judicial picks:
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson:
"[Sen.] Patrick Leahy [D-VT] is a 'God's people' hater. I don't know if he hates God, but he hates God's people" [The Daily Oklahoman, 10/23/04].
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins:
“As the liberal, anti-Christian dogma of the left has been repudiated in almost every recent election, the courts have become the last great bastion for liberalism” [Letter to supporters, April 2005].
Kay Daly of the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary:
"[B]eing a Catholic is just fine if you are Sen. Leahy or Sen. Kennedy and selectively follow the doctrines of the faith. But if you actually practice Catholic teaching, you need not apply for a federal judgeship" [Commentary for the Traditional Values Coalition, 7/25/03].
James Hirsen of NewsMax.com:
“The libs found out about [Senate Majority Leader Bill] Frist's [R-TN] plans and summoned their anti-God squad to warn folks about the scary religious people and their scary speaker. ... The usual suspects -- Senators Harry Reid, Teddy Kennedy and Chuck Schumer [D-NY], the New York Times, People for the American Way -- and even Bill Maher, of all people, expressed consternation” ["Left Coast Report" about a political rally of religious conservatives promoting confirmation of Bush's judicial nominations, 4/19/05].
WorldNetDaily.com columnist Mychal Massie:
Radio host Sean Hannity posed the question: “Is there a liberal bias amongst liberal Democrats against Catholic or Christian judicial nominees?”
My answer -- had he asked it of me -- would have been:
No, not at all. Rather there is a blind hatred by the elite social liberals toward anyone and anything who dares to name the name of Christ, hints at there being absolutes (apart from absolute debauchery), suggests self sufficiency, favors parental rights or is foolish enough to believe that all men are created equal with certain inalienable rights granted them by their “Creator” (read God Almighty) ["Liberal bias against Christians? Not a chance!" 8/12/03].
From Colson's May 11 commentary:
COLSON: Those of us who are Christians have been told we are using religion against our opponents. ... Let me tell you something: I've been in Washington most of my life, and this may be the most preposterous charge I've ever heard. I reread what the people have said in this debate, and no one has challenged the faith of anybody on the other side, not [Sens.] Teddy Kennedy [D-MA] or Joseph Biden [D-DE] or [Senate Minority Leader] Harry Reid [D-NV]. And to accuse us of doing so is nothing but a smear.
According to Colson's website, BreakPoint is broadcast on more than 1,000 stations to an estimated audience of 1 million listeners.