Salazar Backs Off ‘Antichrist’ Comment

04/28/2005

DENVER (AP) - Colorado Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, locked in a bitter tussle with a conservative Christian group over President Bush’s judicial nominees, referred to the group as “the Antichrist.” He backed off Wednesday, saying he regretted using the term.

Salazar attacked Focus on the Family during an interview Tuesday with KKTV in Colorado Springs, saying, “From my point of view, they are the Antichrist of the world.”

In a statement Wednesday, Salazar said he has been relentlessly and unfairly attacked by the group and that “I meant to say this approach was un-Christian, meaning self-serving and selfish.”

Focus on the Family’s political arm has targeted Salazar and other Democratic senators in newspaper and radio ads for opposing a Republican plan to prevent Democrats from filibustering to block votes on Bush’s court nominees.

Focus on the Family Chairman James Dobson said Salazar’s criticism of the group was intended to divert attention from allegations that he reneged on a campaign promise to support up-or-down votes on the nominations.

“His response in an effort to change the subject is to attack us personally,” Dobson said.

Salazar has accused Focus on the Family supporters of picketing his wife’s suburban Denver business, a charge the group denies. He said Focus “has hijacked Christianity and made Focus on the Family and their supporters an appendage of the Republican Party.”

He has acknowledged changing his position on allowing votes on judicial nominations because of the proposed changes to filibuster rules. He said he is fighting to uphold long-standing laws and rules and that they should not be changed simply for political gain.