Free Republic

I don't typically watch Oprah. But I won't miss Monday's interview with Sarah Palin. The appearance is supposed to be about Ms. Palin's new memoir, but a lot more will be riding on the encounter than book sales. After last year's brutal presidential campaign, Ms. Palin is now reintroducing herself to the American public. Nothing less than her future in American politics—and a possible run for the White House in 2012—hangs in the balance. Ms. Palin has two problems. The first is that she's become one of the most polarizing figures in the country. The second is that voters continue...

(IsraelNN.com) A top advisor to PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, considered to be a “moderate” and a peace partner by the U.S. government, has charged that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is a “liar” who is being bribed by “Zionists.” Omar Hilmi Al-Ghul, and advisor to Fayyad and a columnist for a PA daily made the comments in an article translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Under the headline, "Clinton, Why Must You Lie?" he wrote, "Why is Mrs. Clinton lying to herself, to the American people, and to [other] world nations by twisting the truth...

With President Obama falling in the polls, more will try and anoint a conservative leader to carry a mantle. Is that really a good idea? It seems that more is being done without a leader. President Obama cannot attack Bush, Chenay, Gingrich, Delay, Palin. They tried it with Rush without any success. As discussed in Rule for Radicals # 11: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Don’t try to attack abstract corporations or bureaucracies. Identify a responsible individual. Ignore attempts to shift or spread the blame. He needs and enemy and cannot find one without an...

Although completely unknown to the world east and south of Juneau one year ago, two words on Twitter by Sarah Palin sent the president of the United States in a panic to the op-ed page of the Sunday New York Times in opposition. It should have been a great week for Newt Gingrich. He said last week there should be questions about federal bureaucrats running this thing; there should be questions about something so heartbreaking as the death of a loved one being footnoted in an indecipherable bill hundreds of pages long; there should be questions about euthanasia. Gingrich is...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House called Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the "elected leader" of Iran on Tuesday when asked whether President Barack Obama recognized the Iranian president after the country's disputed election. "This was a decision and a debate ongoing in Iran by Iranians, they were going to choose their leadership," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "He's the elected leader."

A huge crack has surfaced in Obama's Jewish base in the person of Alan Solow, one of the president's closest Chicago friends and long-time supporters. Solow, who was named chairman of the Conference of President of Major Jewish Organizations last December, just released a highly critical statement on behalf of the 52-member group, in which he thoroughly disagrees with Obama's demand that Israel halt all construction of Jewish housing in East Jerusalem, including the Old City -- the holiest place in Judaism.

Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot multiple times among students at the school’s weight room this morning, officials have confirmed. Thomas was shot at point blank range, including once in the head, according to the school's business manager Pat Gosch. No one else was injured in the incident. The suspected gunman is in custody. The family of Ed Thomas released a statement through Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo: "The family of Ed Thomas would like the media to know that Ed passed away shortly after arriving at Covenant Medical Center," the statement read. Sports...

US Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sent a letter to President Barack Obama last week criticizing the latter for his administration's heavy pressure on Israel to be the facilitator of the Middle East peace process. Reid noted that Israel has already met many of its peace obligations, while the Palestinians after 15 years have not fulfilled even their most basic commitments, namely to recognize the Jewish state's right to exist and eliminate the threat of anti-Israel Palestinian terrorism.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered no concession to opposition supporters who are demanding the elections be canceled and held again. He blamed Great Britain and Iran's external enemies for the unrest, vigorously defending the ruling system in his first public comments since supporters of challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi flooded the streets. "The enemies (of Iran) are targeting the Islamic establishment's legitimacy by questioning the election and its authenticity before and after (the vote)," Khamenei said. During the address to a packed hall that included President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Khamenei said that if the Iranian people did not feel free they...

FORT KNOX, Ky., May 4, 2009 – A drill sergeant with two Iraq tours under his belt continued to show his mettle in the Senior Leaders Course at Fort Gordon, Ga. Army Staff Sgt. Mark Gomez shows soldiers in training at Fort Knox, Ky., how to improve their holds during a combatives exercise. U.S. Army photo by Maureen Rose   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Staff Sgt. Mark Gomez finished as the honor graduate by maintaining a grade-point average of 97 percent, in addition to passing his physical training and field training exercise with flying colors. On top...

Man, did that Joe Biden ever put President Bush in his place. Joe Biden was having a private meeting with George Bush in the Oval Office when President Bush - constantly preening blowhard that he is - blurted out for no apparent reason, "Well, Joe, I'm a leader." To which Joe Biden, hero of every story he tells, coolly said to Bush, “Mr. President, turn around and look behind you. No one is following.” Wow. What a slam. Except it never happened, other than in Joe Biden's diseased mind. The record will show that the "constantly preening blowhard" is none...

BAGHDAD , April 6, 2009 – Hours on a route clearance mission can lead to many inside jokes. For soldiers of the 688th Engineer Company’s 2nd Platoon, their platoon leader provided the ammunition. Army 1st Lt. Richard Warehime is pinned with the Bronze Star Medal, which is given for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service, just minutes before his team departs on its next route clearance mission in Baghdad, February 2009. U.S. Army photo by Scott Flenner  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The holder of three types of martial arts black belts, Army 1st Lt. Richard Warehime...

Gov. Sarah Palin isn't giving in to Reps. Craig Johnson and Jay Ramras, and she certainly isn't conceding defeat to bestselling author Joe McGinniss, who penned a damning article for Condé Nast Portfolio on her efforts to land a natural-gas pipeline. Palin issued a statement Tuesday in response to Johnson and Ramras' suggestion that her administration should now review the controversial $500 million in state subsidies that have been granted to TransCanada Corp. in exchange for it pursuing pipeline construction. (Read here for the background on the TransCanada deal.) "I agree with the premise, but I don't believe this resolution...

Alaska governor Sarah Palin strode through the produce section of Juneau's Fred Meyer supermarket Saturday morning, smiling and waving with an entourage of youngsters in tow. "These are my children, Willow, Piper and [11-month-old] Trig," Palin told an excited group of Girl Scouts. Then Palin, 45, motioned to a baby bundled in a hoodie, held and bottle-fed by Piper. "And this is my grandbaby Tripp," she said of the infant son of her daughter Bristol, 18. "He's only 2-months-old. It's kind of surreal!," she added. Palin was taking a break from governing the nation's largest state to help Juneau's Girl...

March 10, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin pledged her support today for Senator Bettye Davis' bill to extend Alaska's suspension of the motor fuel tax. Senate Bill 14 extends a portion of the governor's multi-phase statewide energy plan she introduced last year to help Alaskans combat the high cost of energy. "Alaskans are unique among Americans in the contiguous states in terms of transportation costs," Palin said. "In rural Alaska, particularly, many people are still paying outrageous fuel costs. Heating and fuel bills are double and triple what others pay in the Lower 48. I support any sound...

The mother of the notorious Waco sect leader David Koresh has been found stabbed to death at the house of a sister in Texas, police say. Bonnie Clark Halderman, who was in her sixties, was found dead at the home of Beverly Clark who has been taken into custody pending a court appearance. Police say they have no idea of a possible motive for her death.

The first Gallup poll out on President-elect Barack Obama's stimulus plan shows a divided country, with Republicans in a distinct minority and in opposition. Democrats support the $750-billion plan (67 percent to 19 percent) as do Independents (54 percent to 37 percent). But Republicans stand in opposition (56 percent to 34 percent). But taking a look at Republican Party reality inside the Washington beltway, we see a rudderless ship, out of touch with the grass roots of its own party.

The National Republican Congressional Campaign played a sorry game of defense in the 2008 elections. The net result in Florida was the loss of one House seat (Republicans lost two and gained one). Nationally, our net losses totaled 21. If one side is playing only (or primarily) defense and the other side has their offensive strategy down pat, the offensive team will almost always win spectacularly. That’s true in just about any field; business, national defense, exercise, politics, chess, you name it. The inefficiency of the GOP to communicate its ideas to the public is now as legendary as it...

Two months ago, John McCain pulled Alaska Governor Sarah Palin from relative political obscurity and placed her into the world spotlight. Now, less then one week before the presidential election, Palin reflects on one of the biggest moments of her youth; winning her high school basketball state championship. Outside the Lines' Sal Paolantonio discusses the biggest game of her life with Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. 3:27 runtime

Our expert pollsters have determined, with all of the accuracy and impartiality that modern statistical science and polling techniques can muster, that (1) the Presidential race is tightening while (2) Obama is pulling away and (3) the Presidential race remains remarkably stable. Say what??? Well, keep in mind that American novelist Samuel Clemens (a/k/a Mark Twain) wrote, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Presidential preference polls are, for better or worse, a form of statistics.

...Obama clearly operates at a decided perceptual deficit compared to McCain on this dimension. Eighty percent of Americans say McCain can handle the responsibilities of being commander in chief, compared to 53% for Obama. These views have not changed throughout the summer. McCain's edge almost certainly reflects in part that he was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and an officer in the U.S. Navy for decades, while Obama did not serve in the military. It may also reflect the fact that McCain is older, has more experience in the U.S. Senate and federal government, and has taken a...

I just heard speculation on FOX that Lieberman might take the opportunity, while speaking at the Republican Convention, to change party affiliation. My question, would this not give the majority back to the Pubbies? What are the ramifications?

“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” - these words are not something you would expect to hear from a Palestinian, let alone someone who grew up in the family that has led the radical and terrorist Islamic ideology of Hamas. But these are the words coming from non other than Masab Yousef - son of one of the leaders of Hamas in the West Bank, Sheikh Hassan Yousef. Masab Yousef - a Christian convert now living in California - in an interview with Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz talks about the “bottom...

"Durham, N.C. — A Durham couple charged with kidnapping, rape and assault was involved with a satanic cult, a prosecutor said Monday."

CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said Saturday he wants to work together with the next U.S. president and that Venezuela and the United States should cooperate to resolve problems including world hunger, energy shortages and climate change. But Chavez also warned that George W. Bush "will be much more dangerous during the last months that he has left" in the White House, and accused the outgoing U.S. president of attempting to orchestrate his assassination or spur a military rebellion in Venezuela. "Whoever is the next president of the United States, I'd like start preparing the way to start working...

  U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery tonight in New Orleans, LA: Good evening from the great city of New Orleans. Tonight, we can say with confidence the primary season is over, and the general election campaign has begun. I commend both Senators Obama and Clinton for the long, hard race they have run. Senator Obama has impressed many Americans with his eloquence and his spirited campaign. Senator Clinton has earned great respect for her tenacity and courage. The media often overlooked how compassionately she spoke to the concerns and dreams of millions...

(IsraelNN.com) Iranian Jewish leader Siamal Morsadegh, slated to become a member of the Iranian parliament, said he is calling on the Jewish community not to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary as a modern state because of the killing of "innocent" Arabs. The approximately 25,000 Jews in Iran largely enjoy religious freedom and economic prosperity and often distance themselves from pro-Israel stands. "We are in complete disagreement with the behavior of Israel," Morsadegh told Reuters News Agency. "We are Iranians. We have no relations with Israel."

But presidential elections tend to focus on the future. In spite of their past failures, whom do you trust more to conduct a flawed, messy war in the years ahead? Lincoln or McClellan? Nixon or McGovern? Bush or Kerry? McCain or Obama? At some point, most foreign policy debates, especially during a war, come down to a binary determination: Is a candidate strong or weak? Voters can disagree with a nominee on many things and still find him stronger than his opponent. So far, Obama has not taken this challenge with sufficient seriousness. His Iraq approach comes down to three...

BERLIN (Reuters) - The leader of Germany's Jewish community said on Friday she was surprised Pope Benedict could have allowed a new version of a Good Friday prayer for the conversion of Jews. Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, told Reuters Television she could not fathom Pope Benedict putting forward the new decree because he experienced discrimination against Jews in Germany as a young man. "I would have assumed that this German pope, of all people, had got to know first hand the ostracizing of Jewry," she said. "I could not have imagined that this...

BAGHDAD, Feb. 25, 2008 – Noncommissioned officers in America’s Army have always served as the vanguards by mentoring, coaching and training troops during peacetime and war. Sgt. William Hall, 39, has always led from the front. Throughout his life, he said, he has lived by the motto, “You lead by example.” Army Sgt. William H. Hall, a Foley, Ala., native, and team leader with the personal security detail for the commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, prepares for a mission Feb. 20, 2008. Hall, a father of six with another on the way and a former...

Monday, February 18, 2008 Dear Fellow Virginian, I am running hard to serve you as your next US Senator from Virginia. There are both principled and practical reasons I can beat Democrat Mark Warner this Fall and Republican Jim Gilmore on May 31, but I cannot do this without your help—both monetary and/or by attending the Republican nominating convention held in Richmond on May 31 and a local meeting. (http://bobmarshall2008.com/convention.html for filing forms and information.) First, there are many who are less than enchanted with some Republican leaders in Virginia and our faltering electoral performance. I want to offer those...

Crowds 'pick leaders to follow' By Roger Highfield, Science Editor Last Updated: 11:01pm GMT 14/02/2008 People in crowds behave just like sheep, scientists claim, by blindly following one or two people who seem to know where they are going. Researchers at Leeds University believe their findings could have important applications, notably in the management of disasters. The study found that people, like sheep, can be easily led The team, led by Prof Jens Krause, conducted a series of experiments in which volunteers were told to walk randomly around a large hall without talking to each other. A select few were...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2008 – U.S. troops found a diary belonging to an al Qaeda in Iraq leader that has Coalition forces believing the terrorist organization is “on its heels,” a senior military official in Baghdad said this morning. Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team on Nov. 3, 2007, captured a diary belonging to Abu Tariq, an al Qaeda emir in control of five battalions within two sectors, U.S. Air Force Col. Donald J. Bacon, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told online journalists and “bloggers” during a conference call. The soldiers found the diary during...

Poor Ronald Reagan. What did he ever do to deserve his role in the 2008 presidential campaign? And how did his beloved conservative philosophy go from an optimistic vision for America to an angry basis for division between the “true” and the heretics? The primary conservative theme of this election year is crystal clear. It’s the search for the True Conservative. Here’s how the True Conservative is defined: He takes The Correct Conservative Stand on every issue. Oh wait, there isn’t a No. 2. It’s all about No. 1. So what’s wrong with that? Why vote for someone who doesn’t...

ABC News' Christine Byun Report: At a post-debate campaign stop, Republican candidate Fred Thompson explained his reason for refusing to answer a debate question by a show of hands, calling it "monkey business." "I just decided that I wasn't going to engage in any of this monkey business that they like to engage us on sometimes -- making us look like trained monkeys reaching for peanut or something ... 30 seconds is brief enough and when they try to reduce your answer to just a hand raise -- I 'aint going to play that game," the former Tennessee senator said....

Representing the congressional district of San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi last year became the first woman speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives—the highest-ranking woman in government. Known for her energy, passion, and ambition, Pelosi, 67, established herself as a Democratic leader in Congress by promoting women's health, stem cell research, workers' rights, and the expansion of educational opportunities. A native of Maryland, she grew up surrounded by strong leaders—namely, her father, a former mayor of Baltimore. U.S. News's Danielle Knight recently asked Pelosi about the challenges faced by women leaders. Excerpts: I wasn't elected speaker because I'm a woman, but...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2007 – The Army is exploring new ways to accelerate the development of leaders prepared for the broad challenges they’ll face in what’s expected to be an era of persistent conflict, the Army’s chief of staff said here yesterday. “We are committed to investing in our officer, warrant officer, noncommissioned officer and civilian leaders,” Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. told attendees at the annual Association of the U.S. Army convention. “In this era of persistent conflict, it is absolutely essential that we develop leaders that can handle the challenges of full-spectrum operations.” Full-spectrum operations include the...

Here is an op-ed, by John Cox, a conservative republican presidential candidate, about his not being covered by many reporters. In the Texas Straw Poll, in Sept., he received more votes than Sen. McCain, Sen. Brownback, and Rep. Tancredo. His website is www.cox2008.com. Phil Collins News item: Paris Hilton announces for President and NBC invites her to next debate of presidential candidates. Is this what we want for the selection of our political leadership? The President of the United States is the most important post not only in our country, but the world. The leadership of the world's largest economy,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2007 – A top al Qaeda leader who coordinated efforts of foreign terrorists in Iraq was killed this week, a senior official in the region announced today. (Video) A photo released by Multinational Corps Iraq officials of foreign al Qaeda leader Abu Usama al-Tunisi, who was killed Sept. 25 in an air strike on a building south of Baghdad. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Abu Usama al-Tunisi, a foreigner who brought al Qaeda terrorists into Iraq, was killed Sept. 25 in an air strike on a building south of Baghdad where he was...

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed an al-Qaeda in Iraq military advisor during an operation Aug. 31 west of Tarmiyah. Coalition forces conducted a precision operation west of Tarmiyah Aug. 31. The assault force followed a vehicle containing two suspected terrorists and attempted to get the driver to stop. When the driver resisted capture, the assault force fired on the vehicle. Both the driver and the passenger were killed in the operation. Coalition forces later identified one of the men as Abu Yaqub al-Masri. Al-Masri, who is also known as Zakkariya or Doctor, was a military advisor to al-Qaeda in...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2007 – Three insurgents were killed and 16 others, including a key “special groups” leader, were captured in separate operations in Iraq today. In a separate set of coordinated operations in Baghdad, coalition forces killed one insurgent and captured an Iraqi terrorist with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Forces along with 11 other suspected terrorists. The operations targeted a senior special groups leader directly linked to several other high-ranking terrorists operating in and around Baghdad. Coalition forces detained six individuals at the first target area without incident and followed on with operations at two...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2007 – A new battalion of Afghan National Army commandos today completed it first operation, capturing a well-known Taliban facilitator and two suspected Taliban extremists. Working with a contingent of Afghan national police advised by coalition forces, the commandos led a two-day mission 30 miles southwest of Jalalabad in the Sherzad district of Nangahar province. During the mission, the commandos captured and detained Haji Shir Khan, a known improvised explosive device maker, who is responsible for numerous IED attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in the province. The assault force also found two weapons caches that contained...

*New poll shows Giuliani 2nd, Romney distant 3rd* Fred Thompson, who confirmed his candidacy just last week, has bounced into the lead ahead of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the GOP presidential nomination, according to a new nationwide poll. Rasmussen Reports' daily Presidential Tracking Poll today shows the former Tennessee senator favored by 26 percent of likely Republican primary voters. Giuliani, who has been the frontrunner most of this year, is in second with 22 percent, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is a distant third at 13 percent.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2007 – Iraqi security forces detained a militant extremist leader and one of his subordinate leaders during an early morning raid yesterday in southern Babil Province, military officials reported. The suspected terrorist is directly involved in the majority of terrorist acts in Hillah and mortar attacks on coalition bases and the Regional Embassy Office. Iraqi citizens have reported that he leads militias to assassinate locals and has recruited a sniper with training in Iran to target Iraqi police and Iraqi army soldiers. In other operations over the past several days: -- Scouts from the 6th Iraqi Army...

(KSL News) President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died earlier today. President Faust passed away at 12:20 this morning surrounded by family at his house. The cause is age-related. He was 87 years old. "I have always had a deep respect for President Faust and his tremendous example of selfless service and caring for his community and the world," Gov. Jon Huntsman said. "He left a legacy of public service and thoughtfulness to which we can all aspire." President Faust was set apart as second counselor to...

QUETTA, Pakistan - A Taliban veteran of Guantanamo Bay who became one of Pakistan's most-wanted rebel leaders killed himself with a hand grenade Tuesday after he was cornered by security forces, officials said. The death of Abdullah Mehsud, a stout, round-faced man in his early 30s who lost a leg years ago fighting for the Taliban, was a boost for Pakistani authorities under pressure from the U.S. to crack down on Taliban and al-Qaida militants fighting on both sides of the Afghan border. Mehsud was wanted in "many terrorist cases," Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said. "He was a...

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2007 – A suspected al Qaeda leader is among three terrorism suspects detained today in Mosul, Iraq, by coalition and Iraqi forces, and local citizens helped to foil a car-bomb attack in eastern Baghdad. Officials also reported that a firefight yesterday left about 12 enemy fighters dead. Among the three suspects captured in Mosul is an alleged al Qaeda leader believed to have been promoted within the organization after recent coalition operations created numerous vacancies in the terrorist organization’s leadership structure. Intelligence reports also indicate the individual is responsible for mortar and sniper attacks against Iraqi forces...

Former Knesset member said Israel should not be state for Jews JERUSALEM – Politicians, Jewish leaders and commentators here have been lashing out at a leftist former Knesset member, international Jewish leader and senior activist of Israel's "peace camp" who called for Israel to cease being a Jewish state. One Knesset member demanded Avraham Burg, who once was considered a potential candidate for prime minister and was a leading member of Israel's leftist Labor party, should lose his plot in a section of Israel's national cemetery reserved for the country's leaders. Burg recently published a book, "Defeating Hitler," in which...

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan soldier opened fire inside a military base Monday, killing four Afghans and wounding 12 others, including an American soldier, while a U.S.-led coalition raid in the east killed a Taliban leader and two children, officials said. Afghan authorities, meanwhile, showed off a captured 14-year-old boy from Pakistan whom officials said had intended to set off a suicide bomb against an Afghan governor. During the coalition raid at a home in eastern Paktia province, suspected militants fired guns and rocket-propelled grenades at the U.S. and Afghan troops, forcing the soldiers to return fire. Two children were...

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said. He was 73. Ron Godwin, the university's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. "CPR efforts were unsuccessful," he said. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but he said Falwell "has a history of heart challenges." "I had breakfast with him,...