Free Republic

If you want to see where President Barack Obama’s response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster is heading, try following the urgings of the Center for American Progress. The liberal think tank with close White House ties appears to have more influence on spill policy than the president’s in-house advisers. On May 4, for instance, the CAP’s energy and environment expert, Daniel Weiss, called on the president to name an independent commission to look at the causes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. On May 22, he did just that. On May 21, CAP president, John Podesta, privately implored White House officials...

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted. Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National Press Club Monday, Wright sat next to, and chatted with, Barbara Reynolds. A former editorial board member at USA Today, she runs something called Reynolds News Services and teaches ministry at the Howard University School of Divinity. (She is an ordained minister). It also turns out that Reynolds - introduced Monday as a member of...

On a conference call, top strategist Mark Penn just told reporters that in the next two weeks Hillary Clinton will go after Barack Obama on the issue of who is better qualified to be commander-in-chief — and Penn suggested that Clinton would be a better commander of the nation's armed forces than both Obama and John McCain. "She is the only person in this race who is both ready to be commander-in-chief and would end the Iraq war and start to bring troops home within 60 days, compared to both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain," Penn told reporters. Later, Penn...

WASHINGTON -- As Sen. Hillary Clinton faces a money crunch, several of her top fund-raisers are considering using independent organizations to wage their own campaigns on her behalf. At least two sets of Clinton fund-raisers are speaking with lawyers to figure out how to create independent entities to support Mrs. Clinton in Ohio, Texas and other primary contests. Susie Tompkins Buell, the founder of the Esprit clothing company, says she is deciding whether to start her own entity to fund commercials for Mrs. Clinton, or whether to donate to existing groups, such as abortion-rights group Emily's List, that are already...

After Barack Obama swept the Potomac Primaries last night, one might have expected Hillary Clinton to say a few words to her supporters to explain the losses. If so, the crowds that turned out for her in Texas had to manage their disappointment. They managed to let her know when they disagreed with her, however: As news of her triple defeat in the Potomac Primary sank in, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton did what has become a specialty in recent weeks: She headed someplace else. After flying from Virginia to Texas for a rally on Tuesday night, Clinton did not publicly...

With Virginia considered Hillary Clinton’s best chance in the Potomac Primary, Bill Clinton packed his schedule with three stops Monday in the Old Dominion, where he tried to convince voters that his wife’s experience trumps Barack Obama’s “smoke and mirrors” candidacy. Clinton’s first stop of the day was at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, where he barely referred to Obama by name but alluded to him often as the lesser choice for the Democratic nomination, a candidate who has style but lacks Hillary Clinton’s substance. “You have to decide what this election is about,” Clinton told a room...

The Crying Game? Hillary brings back the tears Blogger Jason George reports that Sen. Hillary Clinton had another teary moment this morning, this time in New Haven, Conn. Tears served Clinton well leading up to the New Hampshire primary. George, who writes “The Swamp" blog for the Tribune Co.’s Washington Bureau, reports that a doctor who was introducing Clinton began to choke up, which led to Clinton's eyes filling with tears. The tears apparently followed a reference to Clinton’s youthful fashion choices. George reports that "the doctor was saying how proud he was that sheepskin coat- (and) bell- bottom-wearing young...

It's not that we expect politicians to have squeaky-clean donor lists. You try running for office without, at one point or another, taking money from someone you probably shouldn't. Even Barack Obama, Mr. Clean, has Tony Rezko. But the Frank Giustra-Kazakhstan-Uranium affair, blown open by The New York Times last week, serves as a reminder that the relationship between the Clintons and money has not always been lily-white. Here, a guide to the unsavory characters who have been associated with Bill and Hillary Clinton. THE DONOR Norman Hsu, Hong Kong "apparel executive." THE GREEN Hsu bundled more than $850,000 for...

The Clintons' Multi-Million Dollar Dubai Conflict-of-Interest Bill's $20 million payoff from the UAE won't end the appearance of corruption. In the most recent Democratic presidential debate in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama threw off their gloves and attacked each other for their suspicious and scandalous ties. And you know what? They were both right! Here’s a story this week that makes my point with respect to Hillary: According to the Wall Street Journal: “Former President Clinton stands to reap around $20 million -- and will sever a politically sensitive partnership tie to Dubai -- by ending his high-profile...

BLACKWOOD, N.J. - Former President Clinton said his wife would strengthen the nation's middle class as he did, and that she would be his favorite candidate for president even if they weren't married. "These are tough times. We can bring America back. We've done it before," Clinton told a boisterous crowd Tuesday at Camden County College, a week before New Jersey and more than 20 other states hold nomination contests. "She will do it." The event comes three days after Barack Obama won an easy victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton in South Carolina. There, the former president was outspokenly critical...

Obama: Watch your step! January 28, 2008 By Kathleen Willey Dear Sen. Obama: Today I saw an e-mail sent out to your donors in which your wife states, "What we didn't expect, at least not from our fellow Democrats, are the win-at-all cost tactics we've seen recently. We didn't expect misleading accusations that willfully distort Barack's record." Don't be naïve: When those "fellow Democrats" include Hillary Clinton, be ready to expect anything. I know. As detailed in my recent book "Target," I've been the recipient of just about every dirty trick Hillary has in her arsenal. And if you actually...

[Bill Clinton's 1996 declaration of] 1.7 million Utah acres as a national monument, thereby depriving an energy-starved U.S. up to 62 billion tons of environmentally safe low-sulfur coal worth $1.2 trillion and minable with minimal surface impact, was a political payoff to the family of James Riady. He's the son of Lippo Group owner Mochtar Riady. James was found guilty of — and paid a multimillion dollar fine for — funneling more than $1 million in illegal political contributions through Lippo Bank into various American political campaigns, including Bill Clinton's presidential run in 1992. Clinton took off the world market...

"I hear all the time from people in Florida and Michigan that they want their voices heard in selecting the Democratic nominee. "I believe our nominee will need the enthusiastic support of Democrats in these states to win the general election, and so I will ask my Democratic convention delegates to support seating the delegations from Florida and Michigan. I know not all of my delegates will do so and I fully respect that decision. But I hope to be President of all 50 states and U.S. territories, and that we have all 50 states represented and counted at the...

Kathleen Willey, the former White House volunteer who claimed in 1998 that President Bill Clinton sexually assaulted her, has written a letter warning Barack Obama about the former first couple. Published at World Net Daily Monday, the letter outlined some of the tactics Willey believes the Clintons might use against Obama to thwart his presidential candidacy. Will media, that have recently been scolding the former president for his odd behavior on the campaign trail, pay any attention to this public warning entitled "Obama: Watch Your Step!": Dear Sen. Obama: Today I saw an e-mail sent out to your donors in...

RFFM.org EDITOR'S NOTE: Former Naval officer, retired Lieutenant Commander Cy Huerter tells a disturbing story about CNN's November 28th YouTube Republican presidential candidates debate. Huerter goes on to address the place of homosexuals in the military and gives his opinion on "don't ask, don't tell." BIOGRAPHY -- CY HUERTER Cy Huerter is a business and property developer, President of Lake County Indiana Right to Life and Chairman of the Highland, Indiana Republican Central Committee. His Pro-life support predates the many pro-death government decrees since 1973. Huerter is a retired Naval Officer, has served on the Board of Directors of Lake...

Dear folks, You guys are good. Real good. You are truly a force on World Wide Web and I tip my hat to you. That's based on my first hand experience of your work regarding our CNBC Republican candidate debate. After the debate, we put up a poll on our Web site asking who readers thought won the debate. You guys flooded it. Now these Internet polls are admittedly unscientific and subject to hacking. In the end, they are really just a way to engage the reader and take a quick temperature reading of your audience. Nothing more and nothing...

Newt Gingrich, who must wake up each day spewing ideas and dispensing advice, offered a gloomy prognosis today of his party's chances of winning the White House in 2008 and his own prospects of running. "I believe for any Republican to win in 2008, they have to have a clean break and offer a dramatic, bold change," he said. "If we nominate somebody who has not done that...they're very, very unlikely to win it." Republicans must break with President Bush and separate themselves from the current state of the political system, he said, and so far none of the current...

Hollywood is known for its entertainment and this week Hollywood Producer Mogul David Geffen gave the best entertainment to come from that group in a long time. Geffen, a long time democrat major fund raiser and part of the famous 3 (SGK-Dreamworks Inc) also had been a friend of the Clintons during X42s rule in the 90s. However, times do change, and a new more interesting candidate has appeared on the political screen to give Mr. Geffen and Hollywood libs someone else to throw their money at. Mr. Geffen threw a Hollywood party for Illinois Senator and 2008 Presidential hopeful,...

<p>WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent much of the last month behind closed doors, putting the final touches on a presidential campaign-in-waiting.</p> <p>Her hectic schedule has been crammed with private lunches and phone conversations with elected officials and political operatives. She has sounded out Democratic Party officials from New York to Des Moines about her chances and hired a cadre of new campaign aides.</p>

The latest- the blogs are all over this- go to them and use their links:   Foley Setup? - Part V - Uncovering the Conspiracy--I don’t think I’ve ever seen a political conspiracy unravel as fast as this one that involves former representative Mark Foley. These you must read to catch up on the story...MacsMind - Foleygate Part IVMacsMind - Foleygate Part V   [Foley Outer] Mike Rogers Tried To Blackmail Senator On Alito Vote--Rogers was named as one of Genre Magazine’s Men We Love. http://www.pageonenewsmedia.com/docs/bio.html Here's the list of intimidation. http://www.blogactive.com/2006_06_01_blogactive_archive.html I don't think that these Gay activists who...