Though the American Spectator has spawned a lot of buzz, the Associated Press reports a denial from Dr. James Dobson that a Huckabee endorsement is imminent.
“I know Mike Huckabee personally,” Dobson said. “I like him. We talk on the phone. I don’t mean to be disparaging to him at all.”
Huckabee released a statement saying his campaign was not the source of information about a Dobson announcement, and said he had spoken with Dobson about it.
Apparently, a radio program taped today and to be aired Monday will say that Dr. Dobson isn’t close to endorsing a candidate and if he does it likely will come “later in the campaign.”
I’m encouraged that the same AP release notes that “Dobson already has ruled out former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson for assorted reasons.”
I agree it is pretty much down to Romney and Huckabee. The latter is highly preferable.
(HT: Denny Burk)
Update: I think it is highly likely that the American Spectator report is spurious, given the “adviser” in Colorado (presumably the “source”) made this contribution:
“He is the leader of the evangelical and social conservative movement in America, and he’s going to reassert that position and leave no doubt that he’s in charge,” says the adviser based in Colorado.
I simply cannot imagine anyone associated with FOTF/Dobson saying anything as arrogant as that. More likely, it seems, someone wants to embarrass Dobson by making him appear to be irrelevant to the race (which appearance is only bolstered in the eyes of some when he invariably denies that any endorsement is in the works).