A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-31-02

JohnHuang2 and Billie | JohnHuang2

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues;  salute
and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new
word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who
are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which
we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.  I
can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands
of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett

MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17

BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,

dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony

BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx

MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law

BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog

MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son

BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7,
AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad,
Aomagrat

                     

Mondale's no shoo-in

by JohnHuang2

It was mid-afternoon Friday, the harrowing news had just crossed the wires: A plane crash in northern Minnesota had claimed the life of Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife, daughter and several campaign workers.

Democrats were in a state of shock, not so much over the tragic deaths as the chilling implications -- for November.

Seeking a third term, Sen. Wellstone had been locked in a tight race with former St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman, a Democrat-turned-Republican widely depicted in the media as Bush's own 'hand-picked' candidate in a bid to retake the Senate, where Democrats hold a 1-vote margin.

Wellstone, though regarded by insiders as highly vulnerable, appeared to have leapt ahead of Coleman after a 'nay' vote on the Iraq war resolution -- 9 points according to Zogby. (Internal GOP polls still had the race a toss-up, with Coleman 2% ahead.) Conventional wisdom, ignoring Minnesota's long history of isolationism, held the vote would hurt Wellstone's chances, particularly after 9/11.

Top Democrats, after prodding Wellstone to change his mind, if only to save his seat, were breathing a sigh of relief.

Then came the news Friday afternoon. As Wellstone's body smoldered, frantic Democrats scrambled for a replacement, trial-ballooning a list of possible substitutes in the media, then settling late in the day on former Vice President Walter Mondale, who retired from national politics after a crushing defeat in '84 by then President Ronald Reagan.

Democrats, while publically mourning the death of Paul Wellstone and mouthing platitudes about his legacy, behind the scenes conducted ghoulish polls and focus groups as election lawyers scoured Minnesota law to see how much the party can get away with.

As these grave-robbers ferreted political advantage, Democrats decided on a four-prong strategy:

1) Cannibalize Wellstone politically, a la Gov. Mel Carnahan; play on voters' heart strings, ride on Wellstone's coattails.

2) Get a jump-start on Republicans now -- mount a full-tilt campaign on Mondale's behalf. Get the media bandwagon going. Don't wait for the funeral. It's the dead body, stupid! Use it.

3) Make the Mondale pick by Party bosses a done deal; get Wellstone's kids to say they back the choice. So what if they barely know him? Winning is everything!

4) Portray any GOP reaction to Mondale's selection as an 'outrage', an abomination, a sacrilege of Wellstone himself, his memory, his legacy. Scream bloody murder, feign indignation, anger and shock; don't worry, no matter how phony, the press will back you to the hilt.

Sure enough, there was CNN's Judy Woodruff Monday on Inside Politics, berating RNC Chair Marc Racicot. She lectured and she scolded. 'How can Republicans be so insensitive, so unfeeling, so inhuman, so cruel, so heartless, Marc!! How dare you criticize what-cha-ma-call it, uh, ummm ... Walter Mondale! You're not even crumbs off the table, compared to him!' (Exaggerating? Yes, but that was the clear insinuation by her line of questioning).

Terry McAuliffe, also on the show, sat there poker face. But over his head, a thought bubble hovered, which read: 'Thanks, Judy, for doing our dirty work! hehehe!'

So, now that the gloves are off, does Coleman have a ghost of a chance? The pincers are closing on Republicans, says the giggling media gleefully. Coleman beats Mondale? Fuggedaboutdit!, elated pundits laugh. Too many hurdles, too many mountains to climb, proclaims Conventional Wisdomism. Pulling Mondale out of mothball was a masterstroke, it's Missouri all over again, say Beltwayers. Mondale will lock the empathy vote, ride a tidal wave of sympathy to victory next week. For Democrats, this election is in the bag.

Oh, really?

Memo to Dems: Ever heard of not counting chickens before they hatch?'

I say, 'thou celebrateth too much.'

Walter Mondale, a washed-up 'has-been' in his twilight years, political prima donna? The notion doesn't square in a state that elected Jesse Ventura for governor, eschews machine politics and prides itself in nonconformity. Minnesota, which relishes the unconventional, is a horse of a different color. Those drawing analogies to Missouri don't know which end is up.

JESSE VENTURA
"THE BEST GOVERNOR
MINNESOTA HAS HAD IN A LONG TIME!"

Moreover, last time I checked, Walter Mondale isn't even a widow -- just a jaded retread who hasn't won statewide office in 30 years. Name recognition? Yes, but Coleman has it too, without the baggage: Norm is no 49-state flameout like Mondale. Name I.D. isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Another factor: The burgeoning Green Party movement in Minnesota. The Greenies were drawing considerable Democrat defections, cutting into Wellstone's support, which made the race all the more tighter.

Will Wellstone voters now rally behind Walter Mondale, now without even a fig-leaf of avant-garde populism to motivate them?

Don't bet on it.

Can Coleman lose? Yes, but don't bet on that, either. (Internal GOP polls have Coleman and Mondale neck-and-neck and less than 50% of Minnesota voters were old enough to vote in Mondale's last Senate race in 1972).

For Democrats nationally, moreover, having Walter Mondale as the Party's most visible face down the homestretch isn't exactly a terrific idea.

As Dem vultures swoop down and feast on Wellstone for political advantage, bear in mind that 'it ain't over till it's over.'

Anyway, that's...

My two cents...

THIS WEEK'S THREADs

10-28-02 Salvation
10-29-02 Patriciaruth
10-30-02 Halloween Party

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

     1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
     2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
     3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
     4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
     5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Mixer]

Daisy....WOW 2 years of FReeping. I am glad we met.

[lodwick]

This is great! Say Hi to everyone for us and have a super time together.

As you know, pics will be required, as well as an in-depth sitrep. ;-)

[lodwick]

CHEESE & MUSHROOM OVEN OMELET w/PANCAKES

[WVNan]

It is great, isn't it? We've heard so much about Eric and we know what a fan of Dubya ohio is. Daisy, happy second and many more. Loveya.

[lodwick]

Like a goof, I thought we were talking about Daisy's wedding anniversary...though once you become addicted to FR, the relationship could last longer than some marriages. ;-)

[dutchess]

Happy Holloween! What a great job you did with the pic!!!

WVNan. What an adventure with OWFan and Eric. Can't wait to read all about it!

John. Great essay today. I pray that your analysis is right on!!!

[WVNan]

dutchess, I wish you were coming too. We cooked this up in a rush and we're depending on getting our tickets at the Civic Center. It will all depend on cell phone connections.

[Pippin]

Yep! Sure is! :^)

[Pippin]

"Howl" do you do, DD?

[Pippin]

Cheese and Mushrooms!?

I'll be right over! :^)

[blackie]

Finest...Bump !!

Death To all Muslim Extremist's !!

Snuff Saddam, NOW !!

The RATS Are In Disarray...Eradicate The Rodents !!

Fire Democrats, Hire Republicans !!

GWB Is The Man !!

The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Let's Roll !!

Molon Labe !!

[Pippin]

Howdy, Blackie!

[JustAmy]

Two men were walking home after a Halloween party and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery just for laughs. Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows.

Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

"Holy cow, Mister," one of them said after catching his breath, "You scared us half to death -- we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?"

"Those fools!" the old man grumbled. "They misspelled my name!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Mixer]

That looks delicious. see those are the tpyes of pictures I was reffering to yesterday.

[blackie]

Hi Pippin, Let's Roll !!

[Pippin]

BOO!

That's the first funny ghost story i've herd in awhile.

Can I tell you a story?

When my grandfather was a boy growing up in the mountians of North Carolina, in the small community he lived in there was a small cemetary along side the main road leading from his family's farm to the church.

There was a rumor going around that the cemetary was haunted by a ghost who grabbed people who come past there at night.

One year, near Halloween, granddad was at a party at the church when he decided he should go home and it was getting to be dark and he still had chores to do. He was half way through when he heard a bleeting noise, he saw an open grave that was dug to bury an old man who had died earlier. This grave was were the bleeting was coming from, he went to investigate, a creature was trying to jump out of the hole. My grandad ran so fast out of that cemetary, thinking the devil was coming for him.

The next day he told his story, an old farmer nearby heard this and exclaimed "So that's were that old goat got to!"

It turned out that what my grandfather saw was the old farmer's goat that had run off and fell into the open grave.

[Pippin]

I was rolling Saturday! ;^)

[Pippin]

Howdy, Mixer!

[JustAmy]

That's funny, Pippin. I can just picture your granddad. LOL

[Pippin]

I have another ghost story to tell you.

This one I read in a book about the White House. I suppose you know the White House is haunted?

Well, if you don't believe me, ask Pres. Lyndon Johnson's daughter!

One night, some time after her father became president, I can't remember which daughter this was, but she had invited some friends to a sleepover in the Lincoln bedroom. She and her friend had gone to bed and talked for a while when they heard a tapping on the door. It was around midnight and both girls grew scared. Finally Johnson's dauther got up and whent to the door and opened it.

In the doorway was a tall figure in a stovepipe hat and dressed in 19th centuary attire and had a beard. It was Lincoln! Both girls started to scream. Until Pres. "Lincoln" suddenly took off his hat and part of his disguise to reveal Pres. Johnson, who had thought to play a practacle joke on his daughters and thier friends.