Free Republic

There's been a lot of political buzz about Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 2008 bid for the Republican presidential nomination, and now I know why: In one swoop, his Commonwealth PAC this week hired what could be the A-team of political consultants. "Mitt Romney means business," says media guru Alex Castellanos. The proof: Romney picked one of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's longtime advisers, Sally Bradshaw, who has worked for both President Bushes and was Jeb Bush's chief of staff for a while. What does her hiring mean? "Where Sally Bradshaw goes, a lot of Jeb Bush's people will follow," says Castellanos,...

I attended an American Spectator dinner last night featuring John McCain. McCain spent much of the evening casting votes in the Senate, but returned and spoke with impressive energy and at considerable length. He said it was fine if everything was on the record. Those who think that McCain is still smoldering with anger at George W. Bush over the 2000 campaign should think again: McCain spoke fervently and with obvious sincerity about how much he admires Bush and the job he has been doing as president.McCain addressed two issues that have the potential to divide the Republican base: spending...