Free Republic

Some months back I wrote that Sarah Palin was likely to be the Republican candidate for president in 2012 and a number of disparaging comments were posted. But now the Guardian newspaper in London is leading with the news that Irish American Palin will headline a dinner in Iowa on Friday. They say it is clear that this is her opening salvo in the race for the 2012 nomination. Can't say I'm surprised. The Guardian quotes Kathie Obradovich, political columnist at the Des Moines Register, who says Palin's visit is highly significant. "Palin is aware that there are flames of...

Few predicted that Rhode Island’s 1st district — occupied by the retiring Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D) for 16 years — might be up for grabs this November. But few predicted a bloodbath in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, either. Despite calls for civility from the state Democratic Party chairman, political newcomer and local businessman Anthony Gemma has attacked primary opponent Providence Mayor David Cicilline with such ferocity in recent days that Republicans are beginning to see an opportunity. “The only hope here is a completely bloody primary,” a GOP campaign aide said. “And Gemma has stepped up to the...

Marcel Albert, who became one of the leading French fighter pilots of World War II, flying Soviet-built planes in duels with German aircraft on the Eastern front, died Monday in Harlingen, Tex. He was 92. His death, at a nursing home, was announced by France’s Order of the Liberation, founded by Gen. Charles de Gaulle during the war. The cause was complications of cancer, his nephew Jean Mavinger told The Associated Press in Paris. Mr. Albert was among four pilots of the Free French’s Normandie-Niémen fighter unit to be decorated as a Hero of the Soviet Union, receiving the citation...

Alaska's Libertarian Party candidate for Senate said in an interview Sunday that he will not give up his line on the ballot to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was upset in the Republican primary last month by "tea party"-backed challenger Joe Miller and has been considering a third-party run for her job. But once again in Alaska, it's not over even when it really looks like it's over. "I will not be stepping down to allow Sen. Lisa Murkowski or anyone else to take my place as the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate from Alaska," David Haase told The Washington...

Raw Story has gotten a hold of a memo closeted Governor Crist plans to release this week. The document announces support for a variety of issues related to the LGBT community. The document provided to RawStory.com includes Crist's vocal support for gay couples, including hospital visitation, inheritance and adoption rights; opposition to the ban on gays serving in the military; support for anti-discrimination laws and appropriations for HIV and AIDS programs. "It's great to hear a sitting governor take such a strong stand on equality issues," Nadine Smith, Director of Equality Florida, told RawStory.com by telephone Sunday night. "This is...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL is looking into how a female television reporter was treated at New York Jets practice Saturday. Ines Sainz, a reporter for Mexico's TV Azteca doing a story on quarterback Mark Sanchez, had footballs thrown in her direction by a Jets coach during practice, and players later called out to her in the team's locker room. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday that the league and the Jets began looking into the situation when they were made aware of it Saturday night.

A beetle known asthe coffee berry borer that threatens the health of Hawaii’scoffee industry has been found on several farms in Kona on the Big Island. Officials at the state Department of Agriculture says the beetle was discovered last week by a University of Hawaii graduate student who was in theprocess of conducting research. “She was finding about 90 percent of the trees in the field she was doing her research in were infested,” said state entomologist Neil Reimer. The beetle is a native to Central Africa but is found inmany of the world’s coffee growing regions, including Central and...

Louisiana State University Endowed Chair of Banking and nationally-renowned economist Dr. Joseph R. Mason estimates that President Obama's proposed energy tax changes would trigger grave economic consequences. In the newly released "Regional and National Economic Impact of Repealing the Section 199 Tax Deduction and Dual-capacity Tax Credit for Oil and Gas Producers," Dr. Mason finds the resulting fallout over the next ten years would include: •Initial losses of over 154,000 jobs by the end of 2011, not only in the energy sector but across the whole economy; •More than $341 billion in lost U.S. economic output; and •In excess of...

Excellent series of videos on Islam. The link posted is part 6 -- explaining Islam is more than a religion to its followers.

Susana Martinez was a cheerleader and member of the Rangerette drill team at El Paso's Riverside High School. But when a group of seniors running for student council asked her to join their slate of candidates, she took a pass. "I told them I don't want to be (council) secretary," Martinez recalled, noting that it was the only slot still open on the ticket. Martinez studied the job descriptions and decided she'd rather be student body president. So she ran against the candidate whose ticket tried to enlist her. And she won. The Democrat-turned-Republican has already risen to national prominence...

There's deputies in Orange County who will never, ever live this downDoes Homeland Security's terror alert system have a Code Glue? Orange County sure does. Charred pavement and bits of plastic are all that remains of a stuffed toy pony found in a culdesac outside an elementary school there after it was blown to bits by a very, very serious bomb squad. The pony, posthumously identified as a Hasbro "FurReal" toy, was examined by a robot as a possible explosive device while students inside Waterbridge Elementary were placed under a "modified lockdown" and no one was aloud to enter or...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A group of Brazilians has been busted for trying to get New Mexico driver's licenses illegally. State police moved in on the group of men after a Motor Vehicle Division worker noticed one of the suspects had been there before. The three Brazilian men face serious charges after state police and the state's tax fraud investigators division busted the men at the MVD downtown on Friday. "One of the investigators down there with the Office of Inspector General recognized an individual who had been in there numerous times over the last year," Major Pete Kassetas said. Kassetas...

Green jobs training programs provide a great opportunity for the nation's underserved communities to gain valuable work training to help lift them up out of poverty. This includes individuals that have served prison sentences. A Recovery Act-funded green jobs training program in Chicago will help provide jobs for 650 ex-convicts. And the green jobs for cons trend isn't limited to the Midwest; inmates at San Quentin State Prison in California recently were treated to a green jobs fair.

At this years 912 March on Washington DC, these patriots wore T-shirts that read 'GOD'S TEA PARTY IS NOT RACIST." Awesome patriots. They wanted to spread the truth that it was the Democratic party who supported the KKK and was against Civil Rights. Enough said. And this was just icing on the cake. Gay conservative who's sign read...."Gay and Proud, Conservative & Voting. Any questions?

At the Beck-Palin Aug. 28 D.C. Mall rally (of mostly Tea Partiers), one of the T-shirts read “Take back our country.” From whom? To what? Is TBOC the new name for the Tea Party? A new name is needed since the NAACP accused Tea Partiers of racism. But new name or no, the group remains an unholy alliance of bigots, rich people, big corporation and the Grand Old Party. The bigots can’t abide the social progress America has made this last half century: the liberation of African-Americans, women, gays, Hispanics and others. Glenn Beck has decided the civil rights movement...

EXCERPT I've been asking these questions for a few years now and described our "massive overreaction" in a 2008 Newsweek essay but with little effect. During the Bush years, there was a reluctance on the left to acknowledge that the administration could have done anything worthwhile to counter terrorism. The far greater problem is on the right, where it has become an article of faith that we are gravely threatened by vast swarms of Islamic terrorists, many within the country. This campaign to spread a sense of imminent danger has fueled a climate of fear and anger. It has created...

Save a runoff in October, Tuesday's primary action will be the last for House candidates this cycle. And it's fitting that we end this anti-incumbent primary season with a few incumbents -- Reps. Charles Rangel (D) and Carolyn Maloney (D) -- in some degree of danger. And it's also appropriate that several races will feature Tea Party challengers facing more establishment favorites in GOP primaries. So, we end where we began. Very fitting. Here are our top 10 primaries to watch on Tuesday[analysis at link]: 1. 1. NY-15 [Primary challenge to Charlie Rangel] 2. NY-23 [Doug Hoffman vs Matt Doheny]...

For decades, Time magazine was a valued weekly source of news. But in recent years − with cable news, talk radio and the Internet − it became redundant. Now, however, it is making itself objectionable. That’s why I have resolved not to buy it again. Two weeks ago, Time’s cover accused America of Islamophobia. First, does Time mean all 310 million Americans, or even most of them? If so, the cover is deceptive and defamatory. Yes, some Americans, and some citizens of all nations, are guilty of any misdeed you can name. But why does Time indict our entire nation?...

Imam Feisal Rauf, fresh from his Middle East “Good Will Tour,” where he went to spread the message of inter-faith love, unicorns and candy canes (and not to raise money to build an insulting victory mosque at Ground Zero to speed U.S. domination) appeared on Larry King Live last Wednesday night and said something that seemed sorta … kinda … well, threatening—which was peculiar given his “world healer” status, his Mr. Rogers persona, his affinity for Justin Bieber, his Benny Hinn wardrobe and his religion’s peaceful, easy feelin’. For those who missed it, Feisal Rauf, whose name according to CAIR...

TALLAHASSEE — In his final months as governor, Charlie Crist is phoning it in — literally. As his U.S. Senate campaign shifts into high gear, Crist's official daily work schedule shows him spending less and less time as governor, and more and more time checking in with his aides from the campaign trail. Crist's schedule for the past month shows no official events on 11 weekdays and only one event on six other days. A day-by-day review shows that even on most days his schedule showed him working, he did not have a crowded calendar. On Aug. 3, he attended...