Free Republic

For the past month, a media narrative has taken hold that something must be done to reform, simplify, streamline, and democratize the delegate selection system of the Republican presidential nomination process. Is our GOP presidential primary system rigged, meaning it is corrupt because it favors the establishment? Is it convoluted, arbitrary, arcane...and too often "voteless"? Is it wrong to allow "Trojan horse" delegates to change their vote on the second ballot of the national convention? Why do we have a separate election for delegates after we vote for candidates? The system is not rigged, convoluted, arbitrary, arcane, or voteless. It...

Washington—During a speech at the White House Rose Garden, Barack Obama vowed that acts of piracy will “face a firing squad.” The speech came shortly after four more ships suffered attacks from pirates, and pirates vowed “to hunt down and kill Americans.” These actions forced Obama to take a hard line, threatening to end piracy once and for all. Mr. Obama has apparently moved piracy up on his agenda—second only to taxing Americans—and is willing to work with other nations in the world to rid Africa of this “insidious threat.”

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, trying to warm up an image some voters perceive as cold, starts a drive Monday to showcase her personal side with testimonials from friends, associates and constituents she has helped. The online and in-person campaign, complete with a website called TheHillaryIKnow.com, comes a day after Clinton won a key endorsement from The Des Moines Register and her chief rival in the Democratic nomination race, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, was endorsed by The Boston Globe. The rush of endorsements comes as candidates angle for advantage in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses and New Hampshire's Jan. 8...