Free Republic

The former campaign architect for U.S. President George Bush is urging Republicans to fund political attack ads, The Washington Times reported Monday. One-time White House adviser Karl Rove has been asking top GOP campaign contributors to give money not only to the Republican National Committee but also to independent political action groups that specialize in issue-oriented attack ads, the newspaper said. Rove is said to be especially favoring Freedom's Watch, a group co-run by former GOP campaign officials Carl Forti and Tony Feather.

Ads attack Las Vegas Sands kingpin’s largesse to GOP Sheldon Adelson is being taught some blunt lessons about politics after aggressively inserting himself into state and national races this year. The majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands and leading Republican fundraiser, who hasn’t been so publicly involved in politics since 1998, has himself become an issue in several House races across the country and could be targeted in many more. Adelson money — Forbes ranks him the 12th-richest man in the world — is pushing three ballot questions before Nevada voters. One would require two-thirds of voters to approve tax...

All too familiar with the gambles of war, Jimmy Kinsey, Kyle Riley and a few dozen fellow soldiers landed in the desert. But for these guys this Memorial Day, the most at stake is a few bucks. The soldiers-turned-high rollers took a private jet to Las Vegas over the weekend for an all-expenses-paid getaway with all the perks normally saved for casinos' richest regulars. They were greeted at the airport by Wayne Newton, chilled backstage with the guys from Blue Man Group and hobnobbed with Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul who runs Las Vegas Sands Corp. and paid for...

Democrats are trying to chase from the political playing field a new conservative group expected to spend tens of millions of dollars this year attacking liberal candidates. Using accusations of links to gambling and "forced abortions," the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is striving to make the group, Freedom's Watch, too toxic for Republicans to stomach. "House Republicans and Republican candidates need to decide whether they can afford to partner with Freedom's Watch, a group that embodies the Republicans' culture of corruption by consistently breaking the law and is bankrolled by money that is inconsistent with their values," said Jennifer...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The term "freedom's watch" is not distinctive enough to warrant a lawsuit over trademark infringement, a federal judge has ruled in a case that pitted a one-time hero of conservatives against former aides and financial backers of President Bush. Larry Klayman, who persistently took President Clinton and his administration to court a decade ago, lost his fight against a well- financed group that is planning to be a major presence in this year's elections and beyond. The group, called Freedom's Watch, is positioning itself as the conservative alternative to liberal organizations such as MoveOn.org and has recently...

A premature withdrawal from Iraq, giving al Qaeda a huge victory and giving terrorists a base from which to attack America, Europe, and Israel. An end to developing a missile defense system to protect us from missile attack, and "deep cuts in our nuclear arsenal." Cutting billions of dollars in programs needed to modernize our Army so it remains the most powerful force on earth. This is Senator Barack Obama's plan for a national "defense" - in his own words. Click here to view this video and then share it with your friends. We need to get out the word...

Here comes Big George again. Billionaire George Soros is weighing in heavily with more cash, delivering $2.5 million to a new political organization called Fund for America. According to a year-end campaign report filed with the Internal Revenue Service and uncovered by The Times' Dan Morain, Fund for America was organized by Taco Bell heir Rob McKay, former Clinton White House Chief of Staff John Podesta and Anna Burger of the Service Employees International Union. The SEIU matched Soros with another $2.5 million, too. Other major donors include investor Donald Sussman, who has given $1 million and AKT Development of...

Colonel Harry Riley, USA Ret, Chairman of EaglesUp has a message for America. You can read that message on the EagleUp website.Chris Hill, National Director of Gathering of Eagles has this message: All of us remember St. Patrick's Day, 2007. It was blustery, cold, bitter and just about perfect. The time has come to revisit that emotion. Those that would disparage our brave men and women in uniform are planning to congregate in our nation's Capital once again this coming March. On March 15, 2008, Gathering of Eagles, in coordination with Move America Forward, Freedom's Watch, The Band of Mothers,...

Would Network Air Comedian’s Troop Shows Today?NBC sank to a new low last week when it rejected ads thanking American troops for their sacrifice and offering them Christmas greetings. A network official deemed the spots produced by Freedom’s Watch, a pro-troop organization to be “too political.” The ensuing backlash from patriotic Americans convinced an adult at NBC to reverse the decision after a few days. The controversy underscored the liberal bias of the Old Media that can no longer be hidden or denied. The mindset that perceives a message of gratitude and support for American troops as "too political" defies...

You’ve all been following the moonbat-influenced decision by NBC to turn down pro-troops public service ads from Freedom’s Watch. The Peacock Network says the ads were too “political.” Because, you know, simply saying “thank you” to the troops and asking others to do the same is just like calling an American general a traitor or exploiting the death toll in Iraq…which MoveOn.org did in an ad that ran on the Today Show, according to Newsbusters. After enduring a nationwide backlash, it seems NBC may be flip-flopping. Drudge reports: Under pressure from outraged viewers, NBC has reversed its decision not to...

WASHINGTON -- NBC reversed course Saturday and decided to air a conservative group's television ad thanking U.S. troops. The ad, by the group Freedom's Watch, asks viewers to remember the troops during the holiday season. NBC had refused to air the ad because it guides viewers to the Freedom's Watch Web site, which NBC said was too political. But in a statement issued Saturday evening, NBC said: "We have reviewed and changed our ad standards guidelines and made the decision that our policy will apply to content only and not to a referenced Web site. Based on these amended standards...

Jeff ZuckerPresident and Chief Executive Officer, NBC Universal30 Rockefeller Plaza12th FloorNew York, NY 10112 Dear Mr. Zucker,My name is Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx. I've served in the military over seas. I know how hard it is to be away from family during the holidays. I can remember how the slightest mention or reminder of home, family, or loved ones would send my stomach and my emotions into full throttled anxiety. The feeling was an unbearable reminder of the overdose of loneliness I regularly experienced. But whenever I heard from home, in a letter or on the telephone, it was like a huge...

WASHINGTON — NBC has nixed holiday advertisements meant to thank troops for serving overseas in opposition to the inclusion of a non-profit's Web address. The ads, paid for by the non-profit Freedom's Watch, are a simple thank you, the group says, with people shown paying gratitude to members of the military and the final frame showing the group's Web address, www.freedomswatch.org. Click here to see the ads on Freedom's Watch's Web Site. NBC is refusing to air the ads as long as the address is included, according to an e-mail exchange between NBC and the group, which Freedom's Watch provided...

NBC has rejected a TV ad by Freedom's Watch, a conservative group that supports administration policy in Iraq, that asks viewers to remember and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season. NBC said it declined to air the ad because it refers to the group's Web site, which the network said was too political, not because of the ad's message. "Anybody in the world who would look at this ad would come away with nothing other than we should thankful for their service," Freedom's Watch president Brad Blakeman said. The spot was to be part of a seven-figure campaign that...

WASHINGTON — NBC has nixed holiday advertisements meant to thank troops for serving overseas in opposition to the inclusion of a non-profit's Web address. The ads, paid for by the non-profit Freedom's Watch, are a simple thank you, the group says, with people shown paying gratitude to members of the military and the final frame showing the group's Web address, www.freedomswatch.org. Click here and here to view the ads that NBC won't air.

WASHINGTON (AP) - NBC has rejected a TV ad by Freedom's Watch, a conservative group that supports administration policy in Iraq, that asks viewers to remember and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season. NBC said it declined to air the ad because it refers to the group's Web site, which the network said was too political, not because of the ad's message. "Anybody in the world who would look at this ad would come away with nothing other than we should be thankful for their service," Freedom's Watch president Brad Blakeman said. The spot was to be part of...

Freedom’s Watch is urgently calling on members for Congress to stop playing politics and fund the troops! Today, all across the country, advertisements will feature a real American hero, Sergeant Andrew Robinson USMC, and demand that Congress pay attention to the significant progress we are making in Iraq. Unfortunately, many members are determined to score political points instead of giving our troops the necessary funds, training and equipment they need to sustain victory. America’s troops deserve much better. “It is time for Congress to show resolve, to put aside politics and to unite behind victory.” –Andrew Robinson, USMC We need...

Freedom’s Watch, a deep-pocketed conservative group led by two former senior White House officials, made an audacious debut in late August when it began a $15 million advertising campaign designed to maintain Congressional support for President Bush’s troop increase in Iraq. Founded this summer by a dozen wealthy conservatives, the nonprofit group is set apart from most advocacy groups by the immense wealth of its core group of benefactors, its intention to far outspend its rivals and its ambition to pursue a wide-ranging agenda. Its next target: Iran policy. Next month, Freedom’s Watch will sponsor a private forum of 20...

The day after the Senate voted to condemn MoveOn.org for its full-page New York Times ad attacking Army Gen. David Petraeus, a coalition of conservative organizations met to plot their next move. Brad Blakeman, head of the new group Freedom’s Watch, proposed another full-page ad in the paper of record. But he suggested taking on a slightly less risky target than an active four-star general: the Iranian president. “Ahmadinejad Is a Terrorist,” blared the resulting creation. It was turned around quickly, landing in reporters’ in-boxes the evening of Friday, Sept. 21 — a good way to get it ignored. Still,...

WASHINGTON - They raise millions of dollars, conduct provocative ad campaigns, work with a vast network of like-minded allies and have the power to frame the presidential election going forward as much as the candidates themselves. ADVERTISEMENT That used to define only the liberal MoveOn.org, an organization of 3.3 million members that has raised $25 million in the past 18 months and is helping spearhead an anti-war coalition. Now, a group of conservatives and Republicans with close ties to the White House have formed their own enterprise, Freedom's Watch, landing on the political scene with a $15 million ad campaign...

Friday Freedom's Watch President Bradley A. Blakeman released a statement and a copy of the print advertisement it has requested to be run in the Monday edition of the New York Times. "Freedom's Watch could not sit back and allow a terrorist to come to America masquerading as a world leader. We have an obligation to warn the world of the dangers of a nuclear Iran and to uncover the true intent, that being, the destruction of the United States and the State of Israel. Let's be clear, Iran today kills American soldiers in Iraq and they will not stop...

WASHINGTON - Larry Klayman, once a hero of conservatives for persistently taking Bill Clinton to court, sued former aides and financial backers of President Bush on Monday for using the name "Freedom's Watch" to mount a multimillion-dollar campaign in support of the war in Iraq. In the federal lawsuit, Klayman accuses the group of appropriating a name he has used to promote his own public interest legal work. Klayman, who lives in Miami, said he first used the name Freedom Watch in 2004 on behalf of his nonprofit legal and educational activities and later registered it with the U.S. Patent...

WASHINGTON — A political group supporting President Bush's Iraq war strategy with a multimillion-dollar ad campaign is airing a new TV ad denouncing a liberal group's sharp criticism of Gen. David Petraeus.The campaign is the second rollout of ads by the group, Freedom's Watch, and capitalizes on Democratic Party unease over a newspaper ad run this week by MoveOn.org, one of the leading anti-war voices among liberal activists. Click here to see the advertisement that Freedom's Watch plans to run (.pdf).The MoveOn ad appeared Monday in The New York Times on the morning of Petraeus' first appearance before Congress to...

Declaring in a new ad that "Moveon.org is losing its battle because the forces of freedom are winning theirs", Freedom's Watch today released a new advertisement that supports the recent conclusion of Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) that the U.S. military is having success in the War on Terror, especially in Iraq. Congressman Baird was attacked in his district last week in ads by MoveOn.org for his statement that the military status in Iraq is improving. "It's really misguided and harmful what MoveOn.org is doing," said Bradley A. Blakeman, President of Freedom's Watch. "To see them attacking a Democrat representative for...

Attempting to counter increasing efforts by anti-war organizations to persuade lawmakers to back a U.S. pullout from Iraq, a conservative group, Freedom's Watch, has embarked on a $15-million ad campaign backing President Bush's Iraq policy. However, the New York Times's website reported today (Wednesday) that while Fox News and CNN have agreed to run its ads, the two NBC Universal-owned cable networks, CNBC and MSNBC, have balked. The Times quoted a letter that Freedom Watch has sent to the two channels, which states: "Your history of airing other issue advocacy advertisements makes the denial of FW advertisements troubling and raises...

We wrote here about the television commercials that Freedom's Watch has produced, featuring veterans and their families, that urge Congress and the public to continue supporting the Iraq war. The commercials are well done, and convey the simple message that the Iraq war is important and winnable, and that we should allow our troops to see the mission through. The ads are appearing in the context of a blizzard of anti-war ads by left-wing groups, intended to pressure Senators and Congressmen into pulling the plug on the Iraq effort. Freedom's Watch has placed its ads on Fox and CNN, but...

JUDY WOODRUFF: We are delighted that we now can go to Tom Matzzie. He is the leader of the coalition running the ads against the war in Iraq. He's Washington director of MoveOn.org.Tom Matzzie, thank you for being with us. And, again, our apologizes to you for the holdup and to the audience.We had just been talking with Brad Blakeman of Freedom's Watch. We asked him to look at one of the ads being run by the groups in your coalition arguing that the war should stop. He called this ad a scare tactic. He said you say things in...

The television ads launched this week by a new advocacy group called Freedom's Watch all have different storytellers tapping into the same narrative vein. There's the man who lost both legs in Fallujah last December saying if we pull out now "everything I've given and sacrificed will mean nothing." Another features a woman who says she lost two family members to al-Qaeda -- her uncle on 9/11 and her husband who died fighting in Iraq -- adding that should the United States pull its troops out now "it will mean more attacks in America." ............................................... As the ghost of Obi-Wan...

Freedomswatch is running a series of ads over the next few weeks. These ads ask good Americans to contact their Congressmen to support our continued efforts to attack terrorists in their breeding ground, before they attack again here. I was happy to participate in these ads. Please, contact your Congressman and Representatives and tell them that Surrender is NOT an option. Thanks, Deb Argel Bastian Proud mom of Derek Argel

Today a new organization named Freedom’s Watch announced it is launching a nationwide grassroots campaign aimed at ensuring Congress continues to fully fund the troops with the ultimate goal of victory in the War on Terror. Freedom’s Watch will spend approximately $15 million on radio and television ads as well as grassroots activities from now thru mid-September and has partnered with a host of veteran’s organizations in an effort to ensure terrorism is confronted all over the world. The ads begin running today. “The mission of Freedom’s Watch is to ensure a strong national defense and a powerful effort to...

"For the past few months, Vets for Freedom has been on the front lines of the Iraq war debate in America, with only a few allies. But this morning, in a very real sense, the cavalry appeared on the horizon in the form of a new organization called Freedom's Watch. Freedom's Watch has launched a multi-state advertising campaign featuring powerful stories from veterans and families that every household in America should hear. It's time that the rest of America heard the words of soldiers who have served (and been wounded) in Iraq and the stories of families who have lost...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Former White House aides are joining Republican fundraisers in bankrolling a $15 million, five-week advertising campaign putting pressure on lawmakers whose backing of President Bush's Iraq war strategy may be wavering. The group, Freedom's Watch, launched the ads Wednesday, even as Bush delivered a renewed call for keeping U.S. forces in Iraq. The money will pay for ad placements on national cable and local television stations as well as on radio and the Internet. The ads will run in 20 states and will urge viewers to ask their member of Congress to stand by Bush's plan. Organizers...

Pro-Bush group spends $15M defending war By: Mike Allen Aug 22, 2007 07:29 AM EST A new group, Freedom’s Watch, is launching Wednesday with a $15 million, five-week campaign of TV, radio and Web ads featuring military veterans that is aimed at retaining support in Congress for President Bush’s “surge” policy on Iraq. "For those who believe in peace through strength, the cavalry is coming," said former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who is a founding board member of the group. The big ad buy, funded by high-profile Republicans who were aides and supporters of President Bush, reflects a...

And now the Democrats, along with wavering Republicans, will face an advertising blitz from Bush supporters determined to remain on offense. A new pressure group, Freedom's Watch, will unveil a month-long, $15 million television, radio and grass-roots campaign today designed to shore up support for Bush's policies before the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, lays out a White House assessment of the war's progress.