in an email alert from Dobson's Gang: "Focus on the Family Action Chairman James C. Dobson, Ph.D., said today that he has been assured by U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson that the Nebraska Democrat has changed his position on the need for a marriage-protection amendment to the U.S. Constitution and that he will support up-or-down votes on all but one of President Bush's embattled judicial nominees."

Nelson, in a recent phone call with Dobson and another Focus Action staff member, pointed to last month's federal court decision voiding Nebraska's Defense of Marriage Amendment as the reason behind his change in position -- a statement he reiterated in a subsequent letter to Dobson. Prior to the May 12 ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon, Nelson had asserted that state-level protections for marriage were sufficient. Clearly, that is not the case.

I have to go to the doctor right now, but chew on that for a minute.