Highly influential James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family evangelical ministry, condemned Sen. John McCain in February, saying: “I am convinced Sen. 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.

“I cannot, and I will not vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience,” Dobson said.

The religious leader continues to say he will not vote for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

“I understand that this is a very tough challenge that I’m facing and I know I’ve got a lot of work to do,” McCain told Denver Post reporter Chuck Plunkett on Friday, prior to McCain's town-hall meeting in Denver.

But that work doesn’t necessarily mean trying to mend fences.

When asked whether he would reach out to Dobson, McCain answered: “No. I’m always willing to talk to anybody that wants to talk to me. We’re just going to try to campaign all over this state and get as much support as we can.”

Dobson was unavailable for comment.

Told of McCain’s statement, Dobson’s spokesman, Tom Minnery, responded: “I would just say that if the senator is going to be in Colorado, we’d like to have him stop in. We’re always willing to talk.”

Below is Dobson's prior statement on McCain, read on the Laura Ingraham radio program, Feb. 5, 2008.