"I never thought I would hear myself saying this," Evangelical leader and Focus on the Family founder Dobson said on his Monday radio broadcast, "but it's where I am: While I am not endorsing Sen. John McCain, the possibility is there that I might."

On February 5, 2008, Dobson made the following statement to right-wing talk radio host Laura Ingraham (audio follows):

"I'm deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, who voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings, who opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, and who has little regard for freedom of speech, who organized the Gang of Fourteen to preserve filibusters, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language.

I am convinced Senator McCain is not a conservative, and, in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are. He has at times sounded more like a member of the other party. McCain actually considered leaving the GOP in 2001 and approached John Kerry about being Kerry's running mate in 2004. McCain also said publicly that Hillary Clinton would make a good president. Given these and many other concerns, a spoonful of sugar does not make the medicine go down. I cannot and I will not vote for Senator John McCain as a matter of conscience.

But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should John McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can't vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for President for the first time in my life."

"There's nothing dishonorable in a person rethinking his or her positions, especially in a constantly changing political context," Dobson said on Monday.

"Neither of the candidates is consistent with my views," he added, "but Senator McCain is certainly closer to them then Senator Obama by a wide margin."

"And there's no doubt...in my mind about whose policies will result in more babies being killed or who will do the greatest damage to the institution of marriage and the family," he went on. "I'm convinced that Senator McCain comes closer to what I believe."

"As of this moment," Dobson added, "I have to take into account that Sen. John McCain has voted pro-life consistently...He says he favors marriage between a man and a woman. He opposes homosexual adoption. He favors smaller government and lower taxes and he seems to understand the Muslim threat, which matters a lot to me. Therefore, I have considered the fact that elections always involve imperfect candidates--there are no perfect human beings--and you always have to choose between two flawed individuals..."

WorldNetDaily's John Lofton urged Dobson to reconsider in a Friday column.

"You cannot do this, sir," Lofton said. "And you cannot do this for the simple reason that you have said flatly, categorically, unqualifiedly, vehemently, repeatedly, that under no circumstances would you support McCain for president--period."

"Your unyielding opposition to him was for things he has already said and done," he added, "things he has not changed!"

"Barack Obama contradicts and threatens everything I believe about the institution of the family and what is best for the nation," Dobson told the Associated Press. "If that is a flip-flop, then so be it."