Free Republic

The Political Machine 2008 B For PC. Rated for ages 10 and up. $19 MY FELLOW AMERICANS: Do you cringe every time your favorite presidential candidate makes a stupid blunder or fails to support your pet cause? Well, now you can shape the message by taking the helm of the campaigns of Barack Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and various other historical candidates and presidents in The Political Machine 2008. But while this strategy game is a lot of fun in short doses, hardcore political junkies will want more. CLAWING TO THE TOP: In the campaign mode, you select a...

What I am talking about is a strategic alliance between Christians and Hillary supporters It may seem awkward at first, but if we unite we can defeat Obama. If we can put down our differences for a few months and unite in our common cause to defeat Obama and his far left liberal ways then we can at least keep our country safe for the next 4 years. I have been dialogging with some strong Hillary supporter blogs for a few weeks now. Sometimes it got a little confrontational, but now that she is probably not going to be the...

Democrats have placed a big bulls-eye on VA. Retiring Republican Senator John Warner's seat is in danger of being flipped by Democrat Mark Warner. Obama wants to make a play for the state. But the Dems can't keep their hands out of the cookie jar, giving Republicans a big stick.

"Today, the LA House of Representatives just spit in the face of the citizens of LA and approved an obscene pay increase (which goes up auto-magically annually without further action) for themselves starting in two week."

How the hell should any of us know...? Actually, I know. He's the laughable candidate slated to take on Republican powerhouse Tom Craddick. Bill Dingus' history pretty much goes like this...he went to college, got a graduate degree, had a family, and a job, was a city councilman for 3 terms and decided he wants to take on the Speaker of the House Tom Craddick...HA! But it's going to be okay because, as his campaign slogan reads he's "One of the good guys"... Call me crazy but with his last Cash On Hand report sent to the Texas Ethics Commission...

In a sad attempt to get the party to rally behind Rick Noriega, the Texas Democratic Party made him the keynote speaker at their Convention this past week. Noriega who is "challenging" incumbent John Cornyn in November put on his best "please elect me, sympathy tie" and went before the flock of Texas Demos to rally support. Noriega must appear so desperate because he currently is 10 points behind Senator Cornyn in the polls and significantly behind Cornyn in fundraising...I'd be sad too (mas triste). This is sad attempt on behalf of the Texas Democratic Party...couldn't they have picked someone...

Ernie Scherer of Pleasanton, who was found brutally murdered with his wife on March 14 in their home, has been elected posthumously to the Alameda County Republican Central Committee. Scherer had received 4,758 votes as of Monday’s tally at the Alameda County election web site. Voters were to choose six people among nine candidates and Scherer came in third place behind David Latour and Douglas Miller.The Central Committee must now vote to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.In order of votes, the other candidates were: Brian Eschen, Deslar Patten, Christopher Kuhn, Daniel Byards, Andrew Latour and Gregg Byars.The police still...

<p>So this summer,there will be another confrontation. BillO lives on Long Island. I plan on chartering at least one bus - hopefully more - from New York City. We'll visit Bill with vets and Jews and African-Americans and peacefully set forth our grievances. We'll ask for an apology and suggest ways in which BillO might improve his behavior in the future.</p>

One Bright Spot for Black Republicans in 08 Ralph Nader with money? A celebrity with money who thinks like Nader? A Clinton walkout at the Denver convention? None of the above, actually. Instead, it is Dr. Deborah Travis Honeycutt who declares herself the Democratic Party's worst nightmare. She says so in a letter I found in my post office box this morning. How does she back up this claim? Because "I am a black Republican woman and I am running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. " Yes, I was skeptical, too, for I didn't recall Democrats...

From the Liberals Hurt Our Kids File. Via the Washington Post. Fairfax County School Board members said they are likely to abandon a staff report that showed racial and ethnic gaps in some measures of student behavior, including in the demonstration of "sound moral character and ethical judgment." The board had delayed an April vote to approve the report after concerns were raised that findings were based on subjective measures, such as elementary report card data, and that they would fuel negative stereotypes. [snip] The school system's report was an early attempt to measure progress on a host of goals...

My desktop background at work features a beautiful night shot of the Texas Capitol. I chose it because it's something non-partisan that conveys my interests. I try to keep my political side out of the office as it isn't really work appropriate. The other day I was approached by a girl I work with who commented on my photo. She is an adamant Hillary supporter and life-long democrat. She looked at me and said "Your hispanic and Republican? Are you sure your not just a closet democrat?" My response was: "I've been a Republican for 22 years and nine-months. Are...

John McCain releases his first ad for the general election. In it, he discusses his families military service, his military service, his stay in a POW camps, and his hatred for war... Clint Eastwood fires back at Spike Lee over racial comments Lee stated about the number of black soldiers at Iwo Jima. Word to the wise...you don't mess with Dirty Harry...no good will come of it. Baby survives an abortion. Apparently, this is quite common for early tri-mester pregnancies...the babies are so small doctors often fail to locate them and remove them. Lovely. Clinton and Obambi meet up for...

Here's a list of what's goin on in Texas and across the nation so you can be In the Know... Susan Sarandon threatens to leave the country if John McCain is elected. Who wants to help her pack??? More importantly, is it possible for her to take Michael Moore, Matt Damon, Al Franken and every other annoying Hollywood person with her? Michael Hayden head of the Central Intelligence Agency informs us that al-Qaeda is largely on the outs...that's a good way to start the weekend. Al Franken shocks democrats in his bid for Senate while admitting that the Internet is...

Another Republican candidate for governor is working again on getting some support down east. Charlotte Mayor and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Pat McCrory announced this week he was hiring former Carteret County party chairman Bob Pruett to lead his grassroots efforts in 39 eastern counties. Eastern North Carolina voters remain predominantly Democratic, but more have voted Republican in federal races in recent years. But the GOP has had a hard time translating that to governor. In 2004, Republican nominee Patrick Ballantine of Wilmington didn't fare that well as incumbent Democrat Mike Easley – from Southport – racked up big wins there....

Our friendly neighborhood liberals over at BurntOrangeReport feel compelled to praise State Rep. Juan Garcia in HD 32, claiming he’s one of the “strongest voices” in our Texas legislature today. Fascinating. A strong voice he may be---but the real question is: Is anyone listening? In 2007 out of the 15 pieces of legislation that Garcia managed to scramble together two of them managed to make it by their respective committee’s and onto the legislative floor. Although Garcia’s website boasts his agenda as being increasing: public resources, public safety, & public education, his record doesn’t show him being successful. Sure it’s...

The stakes may be high for the six candidates vying for the District 15 Assembly seat of termed-out incumbent Guy Houston, R-San Ramon, but there may be more on the line for the four Republican candidates. With three-termer Houston being the only Bay Area Republican serving in Sacramento, the region's Capitol contingent could become GOP-free if the Democrats win District 15 in November. Four Republicans and two Democrats have been campaigning hard for the June 3 primary, each hoping to earn their party's nomination for the November general election. Both parties recognize the need for a candidate who can appeal...

I know that a lot of Republicans and Conservatives in general have been disgusted, saddened and otherwise disenchanted with our GOP slate of candidates this year. John McCain seems intent upon driving all conservatives from the party and our Congressional Leadership, in the face of a growing national crisis of confidence fueled by historically high oil prices, seems incapable of action. Well with all that said I wanted to share a little good news. There really ARE Conservative Republicans out there who hear what we're saying, aren't afraid to campaign as conservatives and who deserve our strong support. Jim Gilmore...

NMCEP will lead an event in early 2008 that will define the expectations of Americans that they be provided with reliable and competitively priced energy. This will be the first attempt to inject rural viewpoint into energy policy. Senator Pete V. Domenici is expected to deliver a major address at the event. Additional event details will be up soon.

President Bush threatened to veto the Foreclosure Bill proposed by the democrats. *link* This bill created by democrats wants to allocation billions of taxpayer funds to bail out individuals who basically bit off more they can chew it attempts to prevent foreclosure on homes across the county. Rep. Neugebauer from Texas brings up a valid point “The American people don’t want to make their neighbor’s payment when they’re having trouble making their own”, which is precisely what this bill would do. Assuming the bill passes, and homeowners are pulled from the brink of defaulting on their mortgage loan, what makes...

The Republican free-for-all to replace retiring GOP Rep. John Doolittle is ugly and getting uglier, with the campaigns spending plenty to tag one candidate as a greedy carpetbagger and the other as a big-spending liberal. Those are fighting words in the Fourth Congressional District, which rambles from the Sacramento suburbs of Rocklin and Roseville east to Lake Tahoe and north to the Oregon border. Former Rep. Doug Ose and state Sen. Tom McClintock are brawling for the GOP nomination in a district where Republicans outnumber Democrats 47 percent to 30 percent and the incumbent is leaving after being named in...

WASHINGTON — Local congressman Jerry McNerney, a freshman Democrat, has emerged as one of the Republicans’ top targets in Congress this year, making the race in his district that rarity in California politics — a national battleground contest and a true toss-up. In 2006, McNerney pulled off one of the big upsets of the year when he knocked out Republican Richard Pombo, a committee chairman who earned the ire of environmental groups. Now efforts by the GOP to retake the district, which stretches from Stockton through Alameda County to Morgan Hill, ensures an expensive campaign and one of the state’s...

Congressman Tancredo (R-Colorado) joined Congressman Ortiz in Brownsville on Tuesday for a joint committee meeting regarding the proposed fence building to attempt to curb illegal immigration (amongst other things) in the area. Not surprisingly, Tancredo was met with a rather cold reception with his known favoritism towards building the fence. “It really isn’t a border to most of us who live down here” said Betty Perez local activist. No need to guess which side she’s advocating. Now, on the not so stereo-typical side, you’ve got me to give you some insight into uber minority: the endangered Republican Female Mexican American...

Given recent results in congressional elections and current polls, and given the beating we took in 2006, there is significant concern that 2008 will result in the Democrats making sweeping gains in the House and Senate. Given the electoral history of the past few decades, I believe that the fears of Democrats picking up an additional 5 or more seats in the Senate, or 20 or more seats in the House, are WAY overstated, PROVIDED McCain wins by a few points or more in November. Why? I surveyed the Senate elections occuring in presidential years. In no year at least...

Peninsula GOP leaders asked Atherton Republican Greg Conlon "to take a bullet for the party," he said, and run against Jackie Speier in the special election to replace the late Rep. Tom Lantos earlier this month. The 75-year-old Conlon played the good soldier, dutifully finishing second with 9 percent of the vote, as Democrat Speier grabbed 79 percent for an easy - and expected - victory. Across the Bay Area, more Republicans are being asked to face that same electoral firing squad, marching into legislative contests where they have little or no chance of winning behind an increasingly tattered GOP...

LOS ANGELES, (AP) -- A splinter group of Republicans with ties to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and financed by six-figure donations will recruit candidates with hopes of reversing the party's disappointing record in recent statewide elections. Disclosure of the group Tuesday — California Republicans Aligned for Tomorrow — comes at a time when the California Republican Party has been struggling with financial and management problems and factional strife between moderates and conservatives. A list of supporters comes from across the party's political spectrum, but the organization appears geared to promoting Republicans who can compete statewide in a state that leans Democratic....

Do we have enough young people to carry the flag of conservative values in public office for the next generation? Specifically, people who fit the following description: under the age of 50currently holds office or is a declared candidate for US Senate/House or Governor...or...merits being recruited for officeholds all or most of these (or more) conservative principles: Pro-lifePro-2nd AmmendmentSmaller govermentLower taxesFewer entitlementsSecure bordersAggressively pursue war on terrorism Know anyone who fits the bill?

Bryan DeWinter spent his summer vacation in Israel, speaking with convicted terrorists at a maximum-security prison and venturing to the Syrian and Lebanese borders, where signs of the 2006 war with Hezbollah still remained. In Washington, D.C., he spent winter break meeting with Department of Homeland Security officials, analyzing government tactics to quell terrorist activities. Although young Democrats have dominated the spotlight this presidential election, helping to swell the ranks of new voters, college Republicans like DeWinter are just as impassioned about the 2008 presidential campaign. But instead of demanding a change of course from the Bush administration's policies, young...

Husband in double slaying had gambling, real estate, political ties; deaths appear 'motive specific,' official says -- The man who was killed alongside his wife in their Pleasanton country club home was a "complicated" and, at times, controversial local figure with political, gambling and real estate ties, those who knew him said. Ernie Scherer, 60, was a passionate conservative who once worked for former Republican Congressman Bill Baker. He dabbled on the professional poker circuit and was an active real estate investor who bought and sold homes across the country. "Local politics was as much a hobby to him as...

PLEASANTON -- A Republican activist and professional poker player and his university lecturer wife found slain inside their country club home in Pleasanton had been dead for several days before their bodies were discovered Friday, authorities said today. Ernest Scherer Jr., 60, and his wife, Charlene Abendroth, 57, were discovered at 12:30 p.m. Friday after their daughter could not reach them and summoned officials with the Castlewood Country Club association to the home at 18 Castlewood Drive. The couple had owned the home for about 18 months, a neighbor said. No arrests have been made, and authorities have not said...

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Republican Chairman Robin Smith says she stands by the state party's use of "Barack Hussein Obama" in party criticism of the Democratic presidential candidate - even though John McCain says it's inappropriate. McCain, holding a big lead in the Republican presidential race, Tuesday apologized for criticism of Obama by a radio talk show host who introduced McCain at a rally. Asked if it was proper to refer to Obama by using his middle name, the Associated Press reports that McCain replied: "No, it is not. Any comment that is disparaging of either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama...

Please Join Us for the Todd Hunter Campaign Kickoff Wednesday, February 20 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. USS Lexington in Corpus Christi with special guests: Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and hundreds of Coastal Bend residents who want to see real change for common-sense, conservative government

The cash-strapped California Republican Party is facing deeply divisive political and financial problems in this critical election year - beginning with a $3 million loan from a furious contributor who was supposed to have been repaid on Friday. The troubles of the GOP in the nation's most populous state - which backers of Sen. John McCain insist could be competitive in the fall presidential election - come at a crucial time. The California party convention is Feb. 22 in San Francisco, and conservatives and moderates will debate the platform and whether independent voters should be allowed to cast ballots in...

I have the utmost respect for Senator John McCain's service to our country as a career officer in the United States Navy, however, because of positions he has taken as a United States Senator, I can never vote for or support him for any public office, especially for the office of President of the United States. While acknowledging and appreciating Senator McCain's support for the sanctity of human life, his positions in regard to illegal immigration and trade make it impossible for me to support his candidacy for President of the United States, even if he does receive the nomination...

Just off the transom, State GOP Chairman Ron Nehring issued a hearty "congrats" to Senator McCain for his big win here in the Golden State: "Congratulations to Senator McCain for his victory across California today. Based on the results reported by the Secretary of State, Senator McCain has triumphed in every part of California, from the Oregon border to San Diego. California Republicans know how to win in our state, as Governor Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner demonstrated in 2006. While the contest for the Republican presidential nomination appears it may continue, we're confident the issues of this campaign...

Behind the scenes, Republican supporters of Arizona Sen. John McCain are grumbling about what they say was state GOP Chairman Ron Nehring’s glaring failure tonight to publicly congratulate the apparent GOP winner in California. (SEE UPDATE BELOW WITH NEHRING’S STATEMENT ON McCAIN’S APPARENT WIN.)Starting about 9:30p.m., media outlets projected McCain would take California but Nehring remained silent.Nehring, reached by phone a few minutes ago from San Diego, where the state party held its Election Night party, called it a non-issue and said he never planned to call the election himself or give a speech from the podium.“We will absolutely unify...

Dear RNC: I am very concerned about the direction toward which it appears that the Republican Party is headed. In the words of Presidential hopeful John McCain, “they voted us in to change government, and the government changed us.” John McCain’s own admission of how he failed in his duty as Senator, along with the rest of our fellow Republicans who were voted out of office in 2006, to make the changes that he promised is very telling. More specifically, his admission raises suspicion as to whether he will fulfill his current promises, which not only mirror the past promises...

9:53PM - Add Senator Mel Martinez to the list of winners tonight. He looks a lot better backing a winning presidential candidate than he does stepping down prematurely as chair of the RNC. - REID WILSON 9:46PM - The other big winner tonight? Gov. Charlie Crist. From the St. Petersburg Times today on the Crist endorsement: "For Crist, the move is a risky one, but one with a big payoff if it makes him look like a kingmaker." - BLAKE DVORAK 9:42PM - Giuliani dropping out helps McCain, right? Well, not so fast. According to the exit polls, 49% of...

THE MCCAIN WAY: ATTACK REPUBLICANS A Top 10 List… 1. Defending His Amnesty Bill, Sen. McCain Lost His Temper And “Screamed, ‘F*ck You!’ At Texas Sen. John Cornyn” (R-TX). “Presidential hopeful John McCain - who has been dogged for years by questions about his volcanic temper - erupted in an angry, profanity-laced tirade at a fellow Republican senator, sources told The Post yesterday. In a heated dispute over immigration-law overhaul, McCain screamed, ‘F— you!’ at Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who had been raising concerns about the legislation. ‘This is chickens—stuff,’ McCain snapped at Cornyn, according to several people in the...

Via the folks at the Trinity Foundation/Wittenburg Door, there is a report that GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee reached out to televangelist Kenneth Copeland for some fundraising help. Copeland is one of several televangelists under investigation by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and a proponent of the so-called "prosperity gospel." Trinity cites a blog post by former George H.W. Bush staffer Doug Wead to the effect that Huckabee called Copeland during a ministers' conference last week that Copeland was hosting. Wead reports: "Copeland, carefully observing all the laws governing non profits, as a private citizen, re-convened a private meeting, turned...

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, polling a distant fourth in the upcoming Florida primaries, continued to attack former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, while offering implicit support for his other rival, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in his appearance on "Fox News Sunday." When asked to take sides on a dispute between Romney and McCain over whether the former Massachusetts governor called for a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq last April, Huckabee sided squarely with McCain. “Dishonest? I’ve never seen John McCain say something that is just blatantly untrue,” Huckabee said. Huckabee later praised McCain, saying “we have a civil approach to...

That's the name of a new anti-Huckabee web site started by former Thompson staffer Darrel Ng. Jonathan Martin has more on the site: Now that his candidate is out of the race, one Thompson staffer has gone the next stop and is actively working against Huck. Sorta. Darrel Ng, perhaps the heartiest and most dogged of Thompson's aides and somebody who logged many a mile on the Fred bus, has launched a website called "Boycott Chuck Norris." Yup, Ng now wants people to show their disregard for Huck by not patronizing any companies that use Norris as a pitchman. The...

This is a weird article. I was never one who believed that politicians were - on the whole - smart enough to pull off something like this. I never thought the Democrats would pull Hillary in as the Party's savior in 2004. And I'm skeptical of what Steven Stark writes in the above-linked piece. What do you guys think? Is this author on to something, or is he certifiable? If McCain loses in Florida, the Republicans may well be headed to a deadlocked race and convention. And history teaches us that the likeliest candidate to emerge in that scenario is...

As has been reported elsewhere today, Fred Thompson's mother is gravely ill right now. Our prayers ought to be with Sen. Thompson, his mother, his wife, and their family. This must be a very difficult time for them. All of this political stuff is of only secondary importance right now. That said, here is what I would do, politically, if I were Thompson: I would just lay low. Just wait. See what happens in Louisiana's caucuses tomorrow. See what happens in Florida next week. See who drops out of the race at some point. And then consider reviving my campaign,...

McCain has become the closest thing here to the establishment candidate in a race that lacks a consensus pick. Photo: AP COLUMBIA, S.C. —The national media thinks John McCain is under siege again, and his campaign is only too happy to help reporters file their stories.At a rally Thursday, outside McCain’s headquarters just down the street from the state capitol here, the candidate and a key local supporter, Sen. Lindsey Graham, are explaining that sorcerers of the dark political arts are at work.“There’s a lot being said out there on phone calls, in the mail, that’s a bunch of garbage —...

While the once-imperiled California condor has made a striking comeback, there is another ailing bird in the state that should probably be considered for the endangered species list: California Republicans. As the 2008 Republican presidential contenders turn their sights toward California on Feb. 5, they might want to take stock of the sorry state of the GOP in the Golden State. Registered Republicans now constitute barely a third of the electorate in the biggest state — 34 percent — a decline from 39 percent just two decades ago. Even in Orange County, regularly described as “the most Republican county in...

Oh boy one has to believe that Huckabee will be getting some blow-back from this. These push polls have even brought out the South Carolina Attorney General to make this statement: “Last evening the Associated Press reported that that an out-of-state special interest group, Common Sense Issues, had launched a massive push polling effort disparaging John McCain and other candidates for president. In their push poll, Common Sense Issues makes several misleading claims regarding John McCain’s record.“Allow me to set the record straight. In the U.S. Senate, John McCain has been an unwavering voice for the rights of the unborn....

As we move on to South Carolina team Thompson is doing something a little different and fun. They are putting up a fun set of videos from their tour down there. They are getting video snapshots of folks who have flipped to Fred from other Candidates. Here is Riley, who flipped from Romney to Fred. Karen flips from Romney to Fred: Ann flips from Huckabee to Thompson: Jason goes from Romney to Fred: Well you get the idea. There is plenty more here. Meanwhile Fred layed the smackdown on the field on Fox News last night. So much so that...

Welcome to our Phone for Fred online phone bank! Person to person contact is the most effective way to make a difference in an election. We created the Phone for Fred program for all of you Friends of Fred who want to volunteer and do more for Fred! We need your help in the early primary states. Our Phone for Fred online phone bank makes it easy for you to make a difference! Fred only needs a small commitment of time and you will soon see that your phone calls and person to person contact will help Fred win!

The Republican Party in Minnesota, where the GOP will crown its nominee this summer, is a perfect reflection right now of the national party. It is all mixed up on the presidential race and struggling to hold an increasingly fragile coalition together. "There's a real battle going on here for what it means to be conservative, to be Republican," said Andy Aplikowski, a local party chairman. "Is it religion, is it defense, free markets ... states' rights? There's no common message." In Minnesota, as across the country, evangelicals are lining up behind pastor-turned-politician Mike Huckabee despite his record of tax...

Senator, I realize that John McCain is a friend and that you do not do your friends dirty. Unfortunately, Senator McCain is already doing himself dirty on the immigration issue. His backpedaling, blatant Janus-like turns on the border fence, open disdain for those of us who appreciate the rule of law, and shameless demagoguing on this issue is souring people on him more and more every day. These are voters you not only need on your side, but should very much want. These are not, as some would have us believe, a howling mob of racists or bunch of cruel-hearted...