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The post-Iowa consensus appears to be coalescing around the idea that Trump ought to ignore his GOP challengers and turn his focus entirely on Joe Biden. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton, of the Clay and Buck Show, suggested this would result in the “longest general election campaign in modern history.” While I accept the premise, I wholeheartedly disagree with the target. Yes, Trump’s energies ought no longer be directed toward swatting flies on his rear, but pivoting toward Biden entirely is a strategic error. Biden is a symptom, not a cause of America’s illness. The cause lies in the embrace...

Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) will not seek a fifth term in the House, joining Reps. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Ken Buck (R-CO) as he becomes the latest retiree among the 25 insurgents who voted against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for Speaker in October. In a Thursday announcement, the last scheduled voting day for 2023, Ferguson said he and his wife “look forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren” while touting his home state of Georgia as “the best state in America to live and do business.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that former President Donald Trump, who he described as “the leading candidate” for president on the Republican side, was being prosecuted by his opponent.” Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked, “Donald Trump said repeatedly that he didn’t do anything wrong. Do you believe that?” Graham said, “Here is what I believe. We live in America where if you are a Democratic candidate for president Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State you can set up a private server in your basement to conduct government business and when investigation is had about your activity –”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is set to take part in a fundraiser for Jennifer Strahan, who’s challenging Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) in a GOP primary early next month. According to a flier first obtained by Punchbowl News, Cassidy will attend a reception for Strahan hosted by the Republican women’s group VIEW PAC on May 3.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski proclaims today that she may not be able to support the reelection of President Donald Trump.  President Trump fires back:Long term CTH readers will well remember how Tea Party candidate Joe Miller was backed by Sarah Palin when he stunningly defeated Lisa Murkowski during the republican primary in 2010.  However, Murkowski would not accept the primary defeat and the entitlement-minded incumbent ran as a write-in candidate, and enlisted the assistance of democrats in Alaska to retain her seat in the general election.The Tea Party was furious at the level of elitist refusal to accept the primary...

2003 photo via WikipediaBoris Nemtsov, a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin was gunned down Friday night while walking near the Kremlin, according to news reports. Jon Williams        ✔ @WilliamsJon Follow #Nemtsov killed in shadow of St Basil's Cathedral, just yards from Red Square. #Russia

The Miami Herald is reporting that Martin County Sheriff Robert Crowder will enter the Republican primary race in the yet to be finalized 18th Congressional District that will have him facing off against Congressman Allen West. Crowder’s entrance to the race is very peculiar, as his endorsement of Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink in 2010 over now Governor Rick Scott is still very much remembered by Martin County Republicans.

"'He is not running, and he is not cracking the door open even a little bit.' — Gov. Chris Christie’s spokesman Mike DuHaime" EXCLUSIVE President Obama's re-election campaign is trying to dig up dirt in the Garden State. Despite New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's repeated pronouncements that he will not seek the GOP presidential nomination, Obama operatives are compiling a dossier of what they call "opposition research" -- material that could be used to damage Christie if he changes his mind, The Post has learned. The Obama campaign is trying to keep its efforts from public view, concerned they...

Decorated Vietnam prisoner of war Orson Swindle Wednesday endorsed Republican Rob Simmons in the Connecticut Senate race. The support comes at an opportune time -- just two days after the New York Times reported that leading Democratic candidate Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had wrongly said he had served in Vietnam. Swindle was Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC) from 1997 to 2005 and he also served the Reagan administration. He retired from the Marine Corp as a Lieutenant Colonel. In a statement, Swindle praised Simmons as “my fellow Vietnam Veteran” and offered a sharp critique of Blumenthal that recalled his own days...

CINCINNATI - Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) campaigned on Tuesday for a conservative congressman who publicly disagreed with the potential 2008 presidential candidate on how to deal with illegal immigration. Six-term Rep. Steve Chabot (news, bio, voting record) made it clear that while he welcomed McCain's appearance at a breakfast fundraiser, the two are on opposite sides on how to deal with the nation's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. "This happens to be an area where the senator and I don't agree," Chabot said after McCain attended the fundraiser for the Ohio congressman's re-election campaign. Chabot said...

Ronald Reagan's defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger, credited with engineering the demise of the Soviet Union, once predicted – because of illegal immigration and social unrest south of the border – the U.S. would be at war with Mexico by 2003. As the U.S. becomes increasingly concerned about just those issues – and one more, the growing power and violence of the drug cartels operating in and around the border – some U.S. intelligence and military analysts are dusting off Weinberger's "Operation Aztec" battle plan for review. Weinberger's scenario outlined a rapid three-pronged military invasion designed to control domestic Mexican unrest...

Sen. Hillary Clinton is "abusing the system" -- using New York State voters as a springboard to the presidency, according to a 38-year-old Republican who would like to stop Mrs. Clinton in 2006, well before the 2008 Democratic race for president. "[Clinton] is not even running for U.S. Senate, she is running for president and she clearly has no intention of fulfilling a six-year Senate term if she is re-elected," said likely GOP Senate candidate Adam Brecht in an interview with Cybercast News Service. "Unfortunately, she's abusing the system," Brecht said. "I think putting everyone through the charade of a...

The coming economic crisis. Unemployment. Health care for the poor. The almost 1,500 dead soldiers. The almost 100,000 dead Iraqis. Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher. The Christian Conservative takeover of our nation. The missing 9 billion. The missing weapons of mass destruction. The impending invasion of Iran, and Syria. The total failure to protect us on 9-11.

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has long been rumored as desperately seeking the democratic nomination for president in 2008. And while many political observers fully expect the power hungry former First Lady to hit the campaign trail within only a few months of being re-elected as a US Senator in 2006, US News & World report claims to have a confirmation of sorts. From USNews.Com's Washington Whispers: Hillary's in… You don't have to take it from us about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 's desire to run for president. Her brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, say it's true. Friends...

The purpose of FreeRepublic.com's multiple message boards is to limit the topics for each board to particular topics. Posting the same message on all the boards defeats the purpose of multiple-boards for special topics. It is very annoying to see the same message on every bulletin board. PLEASE! DO THE READERS A FAVOR. STOP CROSS-POSTING YOUR MESSAGES!

<p>The hawkish Lieberman, a senator from Connecticut, lambasted Dean and his consistent anti-war message, saying that if Dean "had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison."</p> <p>Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, told "Fox News Sunday" that "I personally have said all along that saying 'no' is not a policy. And Howard Dean has only basically been saying 'no' and been angry about the war."</p>

PM against war without UN nod Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 12 Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today strongly opposed any military attack against Iraq unless such an action were to have “the collective concurrence of the international community.” Mr Vajpayee advocated for a wait and watch option to be exercised by the international community. “If permitting more time and formulation of a clearer criteria can facilitate a decision with in the UN framework, we believe this option should be given a chance.” In an identical statement made in both the houses of Parliament on the Iraq situation, Mr...

Mugabe opponent forced to seek safety in London By Basildon Peta, Southern Africa Correspondent 21 January 2003 A leading Zimbabwean opposition MP has sought sanctuary in London after three of his colleagues were tortured by police in Harare last week. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Tafadzwa Musekiwa, MP for the impoverished Harare district of Zengeza, would not be returning home until the volatile political atmosphere in Zimbabwe had calmed down. He would risk torture if he returned, a party spokesman, Paul Nyathi, said. Job Sikhala, an MP from a neighbouring constituency, told a court in Harare last week...

<p>BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An anti-abortion extremist was indicted on a new murder charge Tuesday, almost a month after he admitted in a jail interview that he killed a doctor who provided abortions. James Kopp, already charged with intentional second-degree murder, pleaded innocent to the new charge of reckless murder with depraved indifference to human life. If convicted, he could get 25 years to life in prison.</p>

With all the war fever about re-invading Iraq, the press and politicians are ignoring the opinion of the veterans of our last war in the Gulf. But we veterans were there, and we have unique and critical first-hand knowledge of the course and consequences of warfare in Iraq. Our opinions should be solicited and heard before troops deploy for battle, not after they have returned wounded, ill or in body bags.