I have a lot of problems with Dr. James Dobson. While I’m sure we agree on many issues, and while I greatly respect some of the work he’s done and continues to do through his organizations, I have to ask, is there a more clumsy, ham-handed, goofy operator when it comes to politics?

I mean, seriously, for a guy with “Dr.” in front of his name, Jimmy D. rarely does much to make himself look all that bright.

Take, for instance, the story this week that Dobson called up U.S. News and told Dan Gilgoff that he didn’t think former U.S. Senator and potential presidential candidate Fred Thompson was a Christian.

Huh?

First, I could almost understand if Dobson gave that kind of an answer if he were explicitly asked “Do you know Fred Thompson to be a Christian?” And, in a moment of recollection or speculation, Dobson were to reply, “I don’t know that he is.” But to call up a reporter with the intent of trying to besmirch the credibility of a candidate who is not even a candidate yet really looks pretty bush leagure.

Second, whether Fred Thompson is a Christian or not should be none of Jim Dobson’s business and has nothing to do with Thompson’s suitability to be President of the United States.

What’s even stranger is that Dobson used this phone call to talk up the virtues of Newt Gingrich — another almost-candidate … who recently admitted to having an extra-marital affair during the Clinton impeachment in 1998. That only begs the question, is Newt Gingrich a Christian? If so, then why was he screwing around on his wife in 1998?

My advice to James Dobson: Please shut up.