Religious author and White House Family Conference task force member James Dobson formed the Focus on the Family corporation in 1977, a group that currently boasts plenty of political clout on the religious right, a $100 million budget, and a membership three times the size of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. This psychologist turned family values guru has a personal agenda so ambitious that Forest Sawyer of ABC News called him, "one of the most powerful men in America," while John Hockenberry of ABC noted, "On Capitol Hill, he's treated like some kind of powerful lobbyist." Although he may not be as well known as Jerry Falwell, Jim and Tammy Bakker, or Jimmy Swaggart, Dobson commands loyal legions who will do his bidding without question. And like many moralists who call themselves "God's chosen," James Dobson has plenty to hide.
For the first time in Dobson's 20-year Nazarene reign, the curtain of sanctimonious morality is lifted so devoted followers and an anxious America can see the naked reality of this right-wing icon. Former Dobson aide and Focus on the Family co-founder, Gil Alexander-Moegerle's exclusive work, James Dobson's War on America, offers an insightful and detailed expose of this religious power-broker and his strong-arm corporation. The author's telling, behind-the-scenes look at the very private world of James Dobson traces his background, his deepest inner feelings, his communications and marketing formula that helped him amass a fortune, his private rage, his ongoing problems with the media, internal difficulties that led to boardroom allegations of mismanaging donor funds, his budding "civil war of values," as well as his political plan for America. Alexander-Moegerle fearlessly offers the view of a top-level insider while presenting Dobson as the charismatic pseudoevangelist would never honestly present himself.
GIL ALEXANDER-MOEGERLE, (San Dimas, CA) a 20-year veteran of radio and TV production and an executive within the religious broadcasting community, is a manager at Edison International. As former co-founder of Focus on the Family, he served on its board of directors, as a fund-raising consultant, co-host of Dobson's radio talk show, and editor of the corporation's magazine.