Free Republic

Anita Dunn, the outgoing White House communications director who started the White House "war" on Fox News for having a conservative bias, on Friday defended MSNBC from the criticism that it is equally biased toward liberal politics.

Garrett: Why should millions of votes in New Jersey and Virginia matter less than a larger political atmosphere than the relatively smaller number of votes in New York-23? Axelrod: Well, i think you have to look at what those races were. The New York-23 race was the one race that was really a microcosm of the national debate. The other races in New Jersey and in Virginia were really state races very much focused on state issues and Jersey was very much focused on Governor Corzine. But in New York-23 the issues that we're discussing every day in Washington were...

"I've officially been saved, and soon, whether they like it or not, the rest of the country will be too. I will follow him....."

The White House is a risky place for on-the-job training, as Barack Obama and the rest of us are learning. But the president doesn't deserve all the blame for the installation of a handsome but unprepared matinee idol in the toughest job in the world. The adoring cult, the 53 percent of the giddily oblivious electorate that took a flyer on Election Day, deserves most of it. Matinee idols only do what matinee idols do, look pretty and inveigle softly with practiced seductiveness. Trouble arrives when the matinee idol and his public confuse role with reality. Reality arrives with the...

Hi, I'm the public health insurance option. People have been saying all sorts of untrue things about me lately, so I decided it was time to stand up and set the record straight. First off: the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I'm happy and healthy. And I'm proud to play a starring role in four of the five health reform bills currently on the table. Second: I have a lot of friends. President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi support me—as do 77% of the American people.1 In fact, I'm feeling pretty popular. But there is one...

Canada will reportedly boycott Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the United Nations Wednesday in protest of his anti-Israel comments and repeated Holocaust denials. Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and other Canadian delegates will vacate their seats at the U.N. General Assembly's annual debate in New York when the Iranian president approaches the podium, the National Post said, citing an unidentified Canadian official. "President Ahmadinejad's repeated denial of the Holocaust and his anti-Israel comments run counter to the values of the U.N. General Assembly, and they're shameful," the official told the newspaper. "He uses his public appearances to provoke the international...

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama told a Hispanic gathering on Wednesday that the proudest moment of his presidency was when Justice Sonia Sotomayor became the nation’s first Latina member of the Supreme Court.“ -SNIP- “Our own royalty, somebody who we have become so extraordinarily proud of, somebody who I’ve just come to adore, and who is somebody who’s going to make us proud for many, many years to come, because she’s not term-limited, the newest justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor,” he said.-SNIP- J.Lo looked slender and stunning in a figure-hugging nude dress during the day. Later, she changed...

Sometimes leaders lie to their followers to improve morale. People will lie to a mortally wounded person and tell the person everything will be alright. MoveOn.org, incredibly enough, is telling its supporters it is "winning" the fight to force government-run healthcare down the throats of Americans. It also keeps pushing its push poll that falsely reports that Americans support the socialist public option. Here is the group's latest email --filled with the usual lies and distortions about what the public wants-- to supporters: Dear MoveOn member,After a few weeks of health care craziness, there's good news: we're winning on the...

U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy went to his deathbed looking forward to a reunion with his assassinated brothers - certain he could proudly tell them he had continued their legacy through the president who will deliver his eulogy today, U.S. Rep. William Delahunt told the Herald yesterday. In a dramatic conversation with Delahunt, the ailing Kennedy “talked about a reunion with his brothers, and I’m confident he could say, ‘I did it. I carried the torch,’ ” said Delahunt. “From Jack to Bobby to the Obama moment, Teddy really was the bridge. He carried the torch and never wavered.” The...

London - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of a crucial round of diplomatic talks in Europe Tuesday that progress in the Middle East peace process would 'confound cynics and surprise the world.' Speaking in London after a meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Netanyahu said he had outlined what he called the 'winning formula' for Middle East peace. 'We need a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes Israel,' Netanyahu told reporters after the one-hour meeting. 'Recognition is the pillar of peace.' Brown said the talks had been 'as realistic as ever but more optimistic' than in the...

Try to keep a straight face when you hear this: President Barack Obama isn't getting enough media love. That's the world view of MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews - at least when it comes to the economy. According to Matthews, there has been a plethora of positive economic news - from a stock market that has shrugged off the threat of bad liberal policy, i.e. cap-and-trade or ObamaCare, to the actions of newly reappointed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke of pumping liquidity into the economy. "What do you make of this whole thing about the good economic news out there...

Let's call this what it is: A new bull market in stocks has emerged from the ashes of the financial meltdown and the deep recession that followed. And it's signaling the onset of economic recovery. Free-market capitalism is more durable, resilient, and self-correcting than its detractors would have us believe. This is not just a summer rally -- although a 12 percent market rise since July 10 is absolutely splendid. There's a lot more going on here. Over the last five months, since March 9, the broad-based S&P 500 is up 46 percent. If I'm not mistaken, a 20 percent...

Meghan McCain hasn't even released her first book, but she's already planning the movie version. "I want Hilary Duff to play me. I think she's really hot - hotter than me - but I'd still want her to play me," Sen. John McCain's daughter confided to us at the Trevor Project's summer gala on Monday night at Capitale. But the young Republican isn't dead set on Duff. "Really, I'd take anyone who's blond," she joked, adding that one actor in particular would certainly be welcome to join the cast. "Bradley Cooper is so hot," McCain swooned. "If he can be...

Of all the misguided schemes put forth lately to save newspapers (micropayments! blame Google!), the one put forth by Judge Richard Posner has to be the most jaw-dropping. He suggests that linking to copyrighted material should be outlawed. No, Posner does not work for the Associated Press (which also has some strange ideas on linking). He is (normally) considered to be one of the great legal minds of our time. Posner is a United States Court of Appeals judge in Chicago and legal scholar who was once considered a potential Supreme Court nominee. He is someone who should know better....

Four years from now, Mitt Romney will be president of the United States. My reasoning is as follows. Point One: The Obama team, while still basking in honeymoon-level approval ratings today, has pointed itself in a direction that will result in disappointed hopes for the American people.

From the Washington Post today: McCain had been left for dead politically this summer, and now his decision to return to a state he skipped altogether in his 2000 bid for the White House is one of the many signs that the GOP contest for president is still in search of a front-runner. McCain has surged back into a strong second place in New Hampshire, where former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the GOP front-runner there, returned Wednesday in the hope of shoring up his eroding poll numbers. The two men traded angry, long-distance insults that signaled an abrupt end to...

The Breath of God Today's Scripture "[It is] the Spirit of God that made me [which has stirred me up], and the breath of the Almighty that gives me life [which inspires me]" (Job 33:4, AMP) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria In Genesis, the Bible tells us that God breathed life into Adam. Not only does God breathe life into our physical bodies, He breathes life into our dreams and desires. He breathes new life and inspiration into your heart. I believe, even right now, He’s breathing a bigger vision into your spirit. One scripture says, “It’s not...

He Anoints Your Head with Oil Today's Scripture “…You anoint my head with oil" (Psalm 23:5, NKJ) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria In the Bible, oil is symbolic of the anointing of God. Do you know what oil does? It makes things flow. Whenever there is friction or something gets stuck, putting oil on it makes it become more fluid. That’s what God wants to do for you. He wants to anoint your head with oil. When he does that, notice what David says in Psalm 23, “Because God anoints me, because...

The Next Chapter Today's Scripture "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Psalm 139:16, NLT) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Did you know that God has already recorded every part of your life from the beginning to the end? He knows every disappointment, every loss, every challenge; and the good news is that your story ends in victory! God has written out a plan to bless and prosper you. Your final chapter concludes with you fulfilling your...

(CNN) -- Joel Osteen is the senior pastor for the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. It's America's largest congregation. His wife, Victoria Osteen, is the co-pastor there. The Osteens, known for their optimistic outlook on life, visited "Larry King Live" Tuesday night for a wide-ranging interview that covered President Obama, same-sex marriage, the recent outbreak of mass shootings, the state of religion in America and more. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity: Larry King: Since you were last on, we have sworn in our first African-American president. What are your impressions [of Barack Obama]? Joel Osteen:...

Pelosi: Historians to Judge Obama as 'Remarkable' @ 3:00 pm by Walter Alarkon Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other top House Democrats lauded President Obama for his leadership on the stimulus bill just minutes after it won the House's approval Friday. "Barack Obama, in just a few short weeks as president, has passed one of the biggest packages for economic relief in our country," said Pelosi during a news conference. She noted that the stimulus has "one of the biggest tax cuts" and has long-term investments. "American people will know and historians will judge that this is one remarkable president,"...

It was not even 50 years ago that black people were prevented from sitting in certain places, living in certain neighborhoods, having certain jobs and attending certain schools – just because a significant number of white people thought they were undesirable. And our nation’s laws permitted this. It was not even 150 years ago that white people could own black people as property – just because an entire region of the country regarded them as subhuman. And our nation’s laws permitted this. Talk of racism can become so trivial at times, we can lose sight of just how evil and...

In a surprising rebuke to the warriors who fought for him through tough times, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday sided with President-elect Barack Obama and scolded the Republican National Committee for fanning the Illinois corruption scandal. On ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked: “The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Mike Duncan, has been highly critical of the way President- elect Obama has dealt with this. "He's had a statement every single day, saying that the Obama team should reveal all contacts they've had with Governor [Rod] Blagojevich. He says that Obama's promise of transparency to the American...

OMAHA, Oct. 5 -- With a month to go before Election Day, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, touched down here Sunday for an unexpected rally in a state that President Bush won by 22 percentage points in 2004. This Story Candidates Prepare for Tuesday's Town Hall Debate Monday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. ET: Post Politics Hour Monday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. ET: Election 2008: Conservative Concerns About Palin Registration Gains Favor Democrats Nebraska Becomes Unlikely Battleground GOP Seeks Probe of Donations to Obama Death in Biden Family Obama and Biden on the Trail McCain...

After last night, there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that "He, Who's Middle Name Must Never Be Spoken", is a well rehearsed, finely groomed American superstar. What is the difference between someone like Brittney Spears and BHO? They both came out of nowhere. No one knew anything about them until the train wrecks were in sight. From day one they were told by their handlers what to do or say. How to act, how to respond, all to prefect the desired image. Everything choreographed and timed to make them appear appealing, flawless and charismatic. Make no doubt about...

Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Obama's Mile High Fantasy Flight Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: My Opinion! Barack Obama's move to Mile High is an exercise in stagecraft and a smoke and mirror job for the American people. First, it is an affront to the Hillary Clinton delegates who would have comprised half the room if Obama were to appear at the Pepsi Center. It is a calculated move to force networks into the very real choice of only covering his speech on the final day - denying the American people a true look at what the Democrat's platform and policies...

Planning an eco-friendly wedding just underlines how committed Jamie Hanson and Mark Hamlyn are to living an environmentally respectful life. "Sometimes we choose things that are not absolutely perfect, but we do our absolute best," says Hamlyn. An operations manager at Suncor in Fort McMurray with a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta, Hamlyn, 37, met Hanson while on the job. "He wandered into my office to thank the girl I shared an office with for recommending someone to hire and we got to talking," remembers Hanson. Hanson, 32, works for TransAlta Utilities, Suncor's partner, as manager...

A group supporting North American integration is holding its fourth annual "North American Model Parliament" for 100 university students from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The North American Forum on Integration, or NAFI, began is "Triumvirate" sessions Monday in Montreal's City Hall with a plan to conclude Friday.

<p>While listening to McCain's policy speech, Sen. McCain incredibly stated the following regarding illegal immigration. I repeat this is not a joke.</p> <p>MODERATOR ADDITION - CRITICAL CONTEXT WAS MISSING FROM THIS POST. CONTEXT HAS BEEN ADDED IN ITALICS. POSTER'S ORIGINAL TEXT WILL RESUME AFTER THE ITALICS.</p>

The head of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign refused to concede Sunday that she has no chance to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Terry McCauliffe said it is still possible for Clinton to win the nomination, even though most pundits have concluded that she cannot overtake her rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, to become the Democratic Party nominee. "Look, tomorrow -- something new could happen," said McCauliffe. "Nothing's impossible. You are talking to Terry McAuliffe. I don't believe anything in life is impossible." McAuliffe argued that Clinton would be a stronger candidate than...

I do not think the President of the United States should be a liar, and believe that the overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens agree with me. For security reasons, the whole truth cannot always be revealed, but it is quite obvious that lies are seldom made to protect our nation. Almost invariably, the political fortunes of the prevaricator are at stake. During my campaign for the White House in 1976, veracity was a very important issue, because of the known falsehoods having been told during the Vietnam War and the revelations of the Frank Church senatorial investigation that our government...

Screaming tabloid headlines have declared her campaign "Over!" and calls for her withdrawal from the race are mounting, but Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton - despite lackluster primary results this week - has put out her own steely message: She's not going anywhere. "I'm staying in this race until there's a nominee, and, obviously, I am going to work as hard as I can to become that nominee," the New York senator said at a Shepherdstown, W.Va., news conference today. "I believe that I'm the stronger candidate against Sen. McCain. And I believe I would be the best president among...

America's tax code needs a serious overhaul. The last clean-up was in 1986, when Ronald Reagan turned away from his tax-slashing past to partner with a Democratic Congress and close loopholes, change rates, and broaden the tax base. Over the intervening decades, lobbyists have left their Gucci footprints all over the code, and our system is a bigger mess than ever -- one that should give both Democrats and Republicans pause. For instance, America taxes corporations at the second-highest rate in the industrialized world but collects the fourth-lowest amount of corporate tax revenue. Why? Loopholes, special deductions, tax credits, subsidies,...

"My husband has such a great commitment to me and to my campaign. You know, he loves me. Husbands and wives get out there and work on each others' behalf. I certainly did that for him for many years. And I'm very grateful for all of the help he's given both supporting me, along with our daughter, and making the case for my candidacy.”

<p>Elizabeth English is a mother of two, a partner in a four-year relationship, a social worker. On Saturday, she will add one more title: Catholic priest.</p> <p>English is a member of a small, independent Catholic church that does not recognize papal authority and ordains women to the priesthood.</p>

Jimmy Carter, America’s most powerless, indecisive President, who allowed a mob of uneducated Iranian students to hold Americans hostage for more than a year, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently. Speaking with XM Radio’s Bob Edwards on Tuesday, former President Jimmy Carter (you know, the guy who gave the “malaise” speech) told the radio host that he “would not want to have changed anything” during his presidency. Well, okay, maybe one thing. Referring to the Iran hostage crisis, Carter said, “I have a specific regret in not having one more helicopter when I wanted to rescue our hostages. If...

An inmate filed a $500 million civil rights complaint last week against Terri Schiavo, her parents and husband, claiming her feeding tube was diverting food from his stomach. He also sought a restraining order against them. But a U.S. district judge in Tampa tossed out the complaint Tuesday, saying it describes several “fantastic and delusional scenarios.” South Carolina inmate Jonathan Lee Riches’ handwritten complaint said Schiavo’s feeding tube caused him to suffer hunger pains and dizziness and that her family conspired with the Bureau of Prisons to prevent him being provided food with proper nutritional value. Schiavo died in a...

The politics of being caught in an airport sex sting are tough enough for Sen. Larry Craig, but a legal fight against his guilty plea won't be any easier. The Republican on Wednesday relayed word that he would resign his seat by Sept. 30 only if he fails to withdraw last month's guilty plea to a charge of disorderly conduct. Legal experts say it's tough to convince a judge to allow a guilty plea to be withdrawn, and that even if the tactic succeeds, it could backfire if it leads to a trial where the lurid allegations against the senator...

Let's cut to the chase: conservative Republicans have only one choice for President in 2008: Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. Unlike the GOP frontrunners, Paul is the real deal. No real conservative could support Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Fred Thompson, or Newt Gingrich. When it comes to historic conservative principles, each of these men is as phony as a three dollar bill. That they are now attempting to cast themselves as conservatives is more than laughable: it is downright hilarious. [ snip ] If one wants a true photograph of how a congressman or senator votes on conservative,...

Jack Cafferty was just on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and said that if we weren't spending a total of 1 Trillion dollars in Iraq we could have repaired that bridge and all of the bridges in the U.S.A. instead of building new bridges for roads in Iraq. He laid blame on...guess who? But of course...Bush! When all else fails...CNN and the Liberals find a way to blame Bush. Don't the Democrats run that state for the most part?

Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, said the country is in "great danger" of the U.S. government staging a terrorist attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation, as the war in Iraq continues to deteriorate. The Texas congressman offered no specifics nor mentioned President Bush by name, but he clearly insinuated that the administration would not be above staging an incident to revive flagging support. During the radio interview, Paul said the government was conducting "an orchestrated effort to blame the Iranians for everything that has gone wrong in Iraq."

he Iranian president says Iran is planning to revolutionize its oil industry and turn into a petrol exporter within next five years. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday the country intends to start a "revolution in the country's energy sector" and export 150 million liters of petrol on a daily basis by implementing a five-year plan, Fars news agency reported.

Which opens the door to a Swiftian modest proposal, one that might appeal to any billionaire independent presidential candidate who knows the art of a deal: Rather than try to win the White House outright — a long shot — an independent candidate could instead try for a king-making (or queen-making) bloc of votes in the Electoral College. In doing so, a moneyed candidate like Mr. Bloomberg could advance his post-partisan national agenda — and gain a great deal of power — by introducing coalition politics to America’s system of government, through a power-sharing plan that catapults either the Republican...

Janeane Garofalo's voice was used to torture Iraqis, and they "hated" it. Tony Lagouranis is a former military interrogator, who's now telling his story. And, believe it or not, the formerly cute comedienne and former Air America hostess played a role: Not long ago in Iraq, [Lagouranis] felt "absolute power," he said, over men kept in cages. Lagouranis had forced a grandfather to kneel all night in the cold and bombarded others in metal shipping containers with the tape of the self-help parody "Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction," by comedians Ben Stiller...

The Wall Street Journal is at it again today, giving the White House free rein over its editorial page. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman do their best to sell the amnesty deal to a skeptical public and enraged conservative base. With the latest Rasmussen poll showing that just 16% believe the bill will actually reduce illegal immigration, the White House is pulling out all everything at its disposal to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, Bush and Mehlman's argument is the same rhetoric that we're tired of hearing. They even have the gall to say...

IN SPEECH, JOHN EDWARDS DENOUNCES WAR ON TERROR, CALLING IT A 'BUMPER STICKER' SLOGAN...

How conservative evangelists are trying to make the United States a Christian nation President Eisenhower famously said, "Our government makes no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith, and I don't care what that faith is." The people Chris Hedges writes about in his new book have a different view: They care a lot about the religion on which our government is based and they think it should be Christianity — their version, of course. "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" is a call to arms against what Hedges sees as the...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Al Gore is garnering wide praise following his documentary's win at last night's Academy Awards -- even from White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. Asked in a press briefing Monday what he thought about Al Gore's documentary film, "An Inconvenient Truth," winning an Oscar, Snow said, "I'm happy for him," and mused, "It's good to have a second career."

I just thought I would throw it out there for your consideration. Duncan's choice is NOT negotiable. Newt's IS :) Why Newt?... Because yes, we can forgive those who deserve a second chance, and besides, he will pay the price by running in the second slot, as the Vice-President (Not that there is anything wrong with that!). Then, having gained invaluable experience, fully rehabilitated for his indiscretions, THEN, he will be ready to be president. He is still a young man so he's got the time.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Jimmy Carter defended his new book on the Middle East on Thursday against sharp criticism from Jewish groups and said a majority of U.S. citizens including many Jews supported its main proposals. Letters he received since the publication in November of "Palestine: Peace not Apartheid" were largely supportive and included support from many readers who described themselves as U.S. Jews, said the former president. Jewish groups have expressed outrage at the book, arguing that its title and contents could undermine perceptions of Israel's legitimacy. Carter, 82, was addressing a forum at Atlanta's Emory University in which he...