Free Republic

Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Reps. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA) battled over the divide between the moderates and Freedom Caucus conservatives in Congress deciding who will be the next Speaker of the House.

After my last two columns on Donald Trump, several people have written to ask what I think about some of the other Republican presidential candidates. So I thought I’d address that question this week. Hey, I’m nothing if not responsive to my readers. Please excuse me if I don’t mention everyone. I’ve only got 500 words. Ben Carson. No question, Dr. Carson is manifestly the smartest person in the race, on either side. His slogan should be, “It’s just politics, folks. Not brain surgery.” I don’t necessarily agree with him on every issue, but I believe he’s a man of...

A professor at the University of Pennsylvania called presidential candidate Ben Carson a “coon” because he said he’s cool with NASCAR flying Confederate flags during races if that’s what its fans want. “If only there was a ‘coon of the year’ award . . .” Religious Studies professor Anthea Butler tweeted last Tuesday in response to a tweet sharing a Sports Illustrated article about Carson’s comments. Her post has since been deleted, but not before a screenshot of it was captured, according to an article in Campus Reform.

<p>Quinnipiac has Trump up in FL 28-16 (up SEVEN from last ) over Carson, 14 Rubio, 12 for Bush, 6 Cruz.</p> <p>Q is salvaging that Buden beats Trump and, according to Q Trump's unfavorables have gone 180 back to 35-50.</p> <p>Really pushing the draft Biden movement.</p>

If all you’re interested in is the topline then this is the best poll for Trump in weeks. Only once since the second GOP debate had he reached as high as 26 percent in a national poll — until today. He’s still 10 points better than his closest competitor here. And although he’s dropped two points, from 29 percent to 27, since PPP published its last national poll on September 1st, no one else except for Marco Rubio has gained more than two points in that time either. Rubio picked up six points to move from fifth place to...

On Breitbart News Sunday Sirius XM radio with host and Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) 80% discussed the findings of his Senate Judiciary Immigration and the National Interest Subcommittee, which document how births to current Americans will be vastly outnumbered by mass immigration unless Congress hits the “pause” button on issuing new green cards. In an impassioned interview, Sessions challenged donor-driven Republicans who are “too close to the corporate class,” for supporting a “radical” pace of immigration that would push the U.S. past all known records. “America is surging past all historical [immigration]...

KALAMAZOO, MI — Controversial Michigan Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema is close to endorsing Ted Cruz for president and is considering a Congressional run. Agema, who attended a Monday morning Cruz rally at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, said he is impressed by Cruz's knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, because "we have a president right now that is, in my opinion, ruining the constitution by his executive orders." A tea party favorite and social conservative, Agema said his initial list of top candidates in the crowded GOP presidential field included Cruz, Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Bobby...

On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum went on the left-wing talk show The View, where the debate turned to one of the more persistent myths about Planned Parenthood’s services. In response to Whoopi Goldberg asking of Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer funding, “What will you replace it with if you take it away?” Santorum answered: Well, first off, I’m for reallocating every dollar that goes to Planned Parenthood and put them in women’s health centers that actually provide more comprehensive services than Planned Parenthood does. Planned Parenthood, for example, doesn’t provide mammograms. Now, I know people say...

---SNIP--- The lead story on the diversity of education in city schools features a photo that has no African American students, even though their school is 60 percent non-white. Tom McGrath, the magazine's editor, took responsibility for the photo, which shows seven students from Albert M. Greenfield Elementary School sitting along a brick wall outside its Center City campus. "We blew it," McGrath wrote. "To include not even one African American child on the cover fails to reflect not just the diversity that exists at the Greenfield School, but also that within the city of Philadelphia."

PPP's newest North Carolina poll finds that Donald Trump is holding his ground- at least compared to where he was in the state six weeks ago. Trump leads with 26% to 21% for Ben Carson, 12% for Carly Fiorina, 10% for Marco Rubio, 9% for Ted Cruz, 6% for Mike Huckabee, 5% for Jeb Bush, 4% for John Kasich, and 2% for Chris Christie. Rounding out the field are Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal at 1%, and Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, and Rand Paul all at less than 1%. Trump's 26% is almost identical to his 24% standing...

First, there are the GOP’s “True Believers,” to use Eric Hoffer’s term. Among the four categories of voters, the True Believers in 2016 have already picked a candidate and are sticking to him come hell or high water—at least unless and until he drops out or wins. It’s clear that the True Believers are lining up primarily behind Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Rick Santorum or Donald Trump. The second category of GOP voters are the “Buckley Voters,” so-called because they tend to follow the “Buckley Rule” and support the most conservative candidate they see...

I grew up in a blue-collar family in a working class neighborhood (the South Bronx) where just about everybody (if not literally everybody) voted Democratic. In college, I was a liberal – and proud of it. The big issue was civil rights and liberals were on the right side of that one while conservatives – yes, mostly Democrats from the South – were on both the wrong side of history and the wrong side of decency. When the issue of women’s rights came along, I was on board with that too. I didn’t think much about taxes, mainly because I...

He cited an online post he had seen from a 17-year-old gay Catholic. "The church has a lot to say about what I'm not supposed to do," the youth wrote. "But ... I couldn't find any church document (about) what a gay person is supposed to do with his life. I feel abandoned by the church." He said the church teaches much about the beauty of marriage, but then tells its gay members they "can't have this wonderful thing."

Rand Paul’s on the departure list too, insiders predict. Bobby Jindal and George Pataki are the next two quitters in the Republican field. That’s the assessment of Republicans in the POLITICO Caucus, our weekly bipartisan survey of the top activists, operatives and strategists in Iowa and New Hampshire. . A quarter of Iowa Republicans say it’s Jindal, a frequent visitor to their state, who is on his way out. "He's become desperate," an Iowa Republican said. "He's taken to attacking Trump (we know how that worked out for Perry and Walker) and has nothing going on here in Iowa." Added...

FOREST CITY, Iowa — County No. 88. There were 25 people waiting, and a few empty chairs. “Just to tell you a little bit about myself, uh — I’m, uh — running for president of the United States,” Rick Santorum said. People laughed at the tentative way he said it. As if Santorum knew that this huge ambition did not belong in this room. “That’s the reason I’m here. I’m running for president. We brought free pizza.” After a brief speech, Santorum took questions. The first one was about — animal breeding. “There are a lot of activists in Iowa...

In 2003, Senator Rick Santorum was widely criticized for making a slippery slope argument about what can happen to a society and country once we turn away from Biblical morality. A mere 12 years later the former-Senator’s prediction has come tragically true. It is only Tuesday and yet already this week Salon has published a lengthy article written by a pedophile asking for our understanding. Although he claims to have never acted on his impulses (but spent years in a chat room with those who have), the entire piece condemns society — you and I — as bigots for ostracizing...

Donald Trump got some back-up on Friday evening from two of his fellow Republican presidential candidates in the controversy over the town hall questioner who claimed the president is a Muslim. Trump did not take the man on as he brought up old birther claims and asserted that the current White House occupant is not an American. He's come under attack for the incident, which took place Thursday evening, and he today cancelled an appearance at a major conservative gathering, issuing his policy proposal on the second amendment instead. With Trump gone, his opponents were peppered with questions about the...

With Rick Perry Out, the Culling of the GOP Herd Begins—Here’s Who’s Next By Liz Peek September 13, 2015 5:15 AM /snip Those two are easy to dismiss. Others who should withdraw will likely take more convincing. On the basis of today’s polling, Lindsay Graham is facing ultra-long odds. (A prominent London bookmaker places his chance of winning the nomination at 66 to 1, only slightly worse than John McCain, who isn’t running). A recent survey of GOP primary voters in his home state of South Carolina showed that 78 percent think Graham should drop out of the race –...

One of the most knowledgeable and respected political analysts in the country has changed his mind about Donald Trump, now believing the real estate tycoon is for real and is in it for the long haul. Stuart Rothenberg first thought that “once Iowa Republicans start to see the caucuses as an opportunity to select the next president, rather than an opportunity to express their frustration and anger, they will turn away from Trump (and other outsiders) and toward politically experienced, mainstream contenders.” But with the recent rise in Trump’s favorable rating, and after speaking with GOP strategists in Iowa, Rothenberg...

Tenth farking place. Three months ago, I would have told you that a midwestern evangelical governor with Scott Walker’s record could stay home in Wisconsin and never campaign and still do no worse than, say, third in Iowa. Remember, this is supposed to be Walker’s must-win early state. Donald Trump has the support of 27 percent of Iowa likely Republican Caucus participants, with 21 percent for Ben Carson and 9 percent for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This compares to the results of a July 1 survey by the independent Quinnipiac...