Free Republic

As some of our readers know, I'm heading off to Iraq, where I'll be reporting for CNS, the news agency of MRC.Our focus at NB is of course exposing liberal media bias, and to the extent I have a chance to "cover the coverage" I'll certainly be blogging on that. At the same time, I'm thinking that our NB readers might enjoy experiencing more generally some sights, sounds and impressions from the trip. So, with the indulgence of my editors, I'll maintain an 'Iraq Diary' here with written reports, photos and even some video clips - internet connections permitting.Here's the...

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. "Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

I thought it might be interesting for Freepers to record their experiences while voting and their impressions of the electorate's mood. I'll start. I am in South Florida, a Congressional district where 12-term Republican Congressman E. Clay Shaw is in a close race. Despite the intense liberal sentiment in this district, I have yet to meet anyone who is voting against Shaw. Both my mother and sister are extreme left-wing Democrats, but they will be voting for Shaw because his office helped them unsnarl some bureaucractic problems with the Federal govt. Mom got a replacement Social Security card and sis...

Do you need some motivation to get you to the polls today? I do. And here's mine. As you know, I've been extremely disappointed by the Republicans who have been in control of Congress and the presidency since 2001. They waited far too long to act on border security. They increased spending beyond imagination. Far too often, they talked and acted like Democrats. I've been a strong advocate of not voting for the lesser to two evils as a means of stimulating more competition in the political marketplace. But I'd like to present the other side of that story today,...

Seven very BIG reasons to vote Republican tomorrow: 1) The war against global jihadism. There is no reason whatsoever to trust the Democrat Party with our national security against the global jihadists. They don't even recognize the threat, much less possess the spine to actually fight the enemy. And the cut and run Democrat Party will not stop at surrender. Make no bones about it, their overall objective includes making the US completely defenseless. 2) The ongoing battle for the constitution and against liberal judicial activism. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to trust the liberal/socialist Democrat Party with majority...

I wrote last week that we'd see more outbreaks of anti-military vandalism leading up to Election Day. In upstate New York on Halloween eve, "(expletive) Bush" and a depiction of a penis were scrawled on the 20-by-40-foot flag and similar pictures in the same shade of green were painted on the American Legion Mohawk Post. Now there's this despicable act in Boise, Idaho reportedly committed by the sons of a state Democrat legislator: Police arrested 24-year old Michael Burkett of Boise early Sunday morning after officers with Capitol Mall Security reported spotting him vandalizing two flag polls on the grounds...

South: A storm in the lower Mississippi Valley slowly sloshes eastward dumping rainfall by the bucket in the South and Southeast through Wednesday. Rainfall amounts should not approach those in the Pacific Northwest, but 2 to 5 inches could fall in the southern Appalachians by the time the storm departs. Tuesday this system should make for a messy election day from Kentucky to Virginia to Georgia and Alabama. Chilly temperatures mainly in the upper 40s and 50s add to the dreariness of the day. Scattered heavy thunderstorms are forecast along the Gulf Coast from Mississippi to Florida. Lighter showers and...

Thoughts from my USO tour to IraqI've just returned from a trip to Iraq after an initial stop in Kuwait with actor Marshall Teague, who you know from films like ''The Rock,'' ''Armageddon,'' and TV programs like, ''Babylon 5,'' ''Sliders,'' and of course ''Walker, Texas Ranger.'' We went to visit and encourage service members as part of a United Service Organization (USO) tour. I'll share some of the inspiring moments in next Monday's article (and maybe a photo or two)! As in past years, I left the region more inspired by our troops than I believe they were by me....

Granted, longterm weather forecasts are like flipping a coin but the Weather Channel is showing long-range forecasts through next Wednesday that indicate a warm and rather dry Election Day for most of the country. Highs throughout most of the heartland will be in the 50s and 60s. Rain is forecast for states in the Mississippi Valley (including Missouri) but it should otherwise be dry throughout the rest of the country. If this proves accurate, I don't think there will be significant reasons for low turnout on Tuesday.

Rain expected across Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut. Will keep the fair weather voters at home.

When a reporter for The New York Times Magazine recently asked White House political adviser Karl Rove if President Bush is too closely identified with big business at a time of corporate scandal, Rove began reciting the latest poll findings. "Forty-five percent of the people think Bush's proposals for reforming accounting go too far or are about right," he noted, "versus 39 percent who say they do not go far enough. Now that's compared to 39 percent who said they go too far or are about right a month ago, and 43 who said they do not go far enough."...

show up and vote. They really, really, really, want you to stay home and fume. Tell them, "In your dreams, moonbats!!" and pull that lever, push that pin, punch that button. It'll drive them wild!

The Liberty Bell tolls for America on election day ... are we listening? Kevin Fobbs September 29, 2006 America may not only be losing its identity it may very well be losing its most defining quality: our American liberty unless pro-American candidates are elected on November 7th. With the mid-term general election season upon us a crucial question we must ask ourselves as we enter the polling place is whether or not the gubernatorial, congressional, and state senate or representative candidates will be voting for our American liberty or for the liberty of illegal aliens who are carefully disassembling our...

Voting Early--and Often Maryland swims against the election-reform current. (Enough reason to get you to rip their heads off) John Fund writes in the Opinion Journal, “It should normally be difficult to pick the worst state legislature in America, but Maryland’s is way out in front.” Democratic legislators there have “passed three election-related bills and again mustered the necessary three-fifths votes to overturn his vetoes. Together the election laws would so weaken safeguards against voter fraud as to make Maryland the nation’s prime example of Election Day irresponsibility…When voters are disenfranchised by the counting of improperly cast ballots or outright...

Fourteen months after John Kerry narrowly carried Wisconsin in the 2004 presidential election amidst allegations of voter fraud, five campaign workers for the Kerry-Edwards campaign team are set for trial Tuesday in Milwaukee on felony charges of damage to property.The "Milwaukee Five” is charged with slashing 40 tires on 25 separate Republican vehicles on the morning of the 2004 presidential election. The vehicles were rented by the Wisconsin Republican Party to transport less-mobile voters to the polls on Election Day. In total, the vandals disabled 25 percent of the Republican Party’s "Get Out the Vote” fleet. The defendants include Sowande...

Five Democratic campaign operatives charged with felony counts of property damage in the slashing of tires on Republican Party get-out-the-vote vehicles before polls opened Nov. 2 will be tried early next year, under a schedule laid out Monday. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jean W. DiMotto, who has handled the case, authorized switching the case to Judge Michael Brennan because she will move to small-claims court duty in August. Attorney Robin Shellow, who is representing Sowande Omokunde, the son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), had requested that the cases remain with DiMotto, but attorneys for the other defendants had asked...

U.S. Army Doctor Delivers Iraqi Election-Day Baby Iraqi army soldiers helped transport an Iraqi mother, experiencing delivery complications, to a combat support hospital where she gave birth to a baby girl on Iraq's election day. By U.S. Army Spc. Rick Rzepka Scimitar Assistant Editor BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 28, 2005 — During the early morning hours of parliamentary elections on Dec. 15, a birth took place at the 10th Combat Support Hospital here. "A beautiful baby like that can give us hope for the future in this troubled land." U.S. Army Col. (Dr.) Brian Crisp On the outskirts of Habbaniyah,...

The Hugh Hewitt Show is heard on 112 radio stations nationwide. You may obtain information about affiliates by e-mailing: johagan@hughhewitt.com. Location Call Letters Frequency Show Times Ashburn, GA WTIF 107.5 6-9 PM Sat., Sun Atlanta, GA WLTA 1400 AM 10-12 PM WNIV 970 AM 10-12 PM WGKA 1190 AM 6-9 PM - "Best of" 7-10 Sat. Bakersfield, CA KNZR 1560 AM 7-10 PM Baltimore, MD WITH 1230 AM 6-9 PM Bartlesville, OK KWON 1400 AM 7 PM Black Mountain, NC WFGW 1010 AM 6-9 PM Boone, IA KFFF 1260 AM 99.3 FM 5-8 PM Boston, MA WTTT 1150 AM 6-9...

The Hugh Hewitt Show is heard on 112 radio stations nationwide. You may obtain information about affiliates by e-mailing: johagan@hughhewitt.com. Location Call Letters Frequency Show Times Ashburn, GA WTIF 107.5 6-9 PM Sat., Sun Atlanta, GA WLTA 1400 AM 10-12 PM WNIV 970 AM 10-12 PM WGKA 1190 AM 6-9 PM - "Best of" 7-10 Sat. Bakersfield, CA KNZR 1560 AM 7-10 PM Baltimore, MD WITH 1230 AM 6-9 PM Bartlesville, OK KWON 1400 AM 7 PM Black Mountain, NC WFGW 1010 AM 6-9 PM Boone, IA KFFF 1260 AM 99.3 FM 5-8 PM Boston, MA WTTT 1150 AM 6-9...

The Hugh Hewitt Show is heard on 112 radio stations nationwide. You may obtain information about affiliates by e-mailing: johagan@hughhewitt.com. Location Call Letters Frequency Show Times Ashburn, GA WTIF 107.5 6-9 PM Sat., Sun Atlanta, GA WLTA 1400 AM 10-12 PM WNIV 970 AM 10-12 PM WGKA 1190 AM 6-9 PM - "Best of" 7-10 Sat. Bakersfield, CA KNZR 1560 AM 7-10 PM Baltimore, MD WITH 1230 AM 6-9 PM Bartlesville, OK KWON 1400 AM 7 PM Black Mountain, NC WFGW 1010 AM 6-9 PM Boone, IA KFFF 1260 AM 99.3 FM 5-8 PM Boston, MA WTTT 1150 AM 6-9...