Free Republic

Patrick Gaspard, considered one of the most powerful figures in the Obama White House, is a "longtime ACORN operative" and former union official, according to a report posted Monday on the American Spectator's online blog. Gaspard's name recently surfaced as the official President Obama dispatched to urge beleaguered New York Gov. David Paterson not to run for another term. Paterson insists he'll continue to run for governor even without Obama's support. Gaspard has extensive ties to organized labor and community-organizing groups. One measure of his influence in the White House: He holds the same "political affairs director" title that belonged...

WASHINGTON — Outed CIA spy Valerie Plame last fall gave a campaign contribution to go toward an anti-Bush fund-raising concert starring Bruce Springsteen, it was revealed Tuesday night. It's the first revelation that Plame participated in anti-Bush political activity while working for the CIA. The $372 donation to the anti-Bush group America Coming Together (search), first reported by Time magazine's Web site, was made in Plame's married name of Valerie E. Wilson and covered two tickets. The Federal Election Commission (search) record lists her occupation as "retired" even though she's still a CIA staffer. Under employer it says: "N.A." A...

The Shadow Democratic Party met in New York City last night, but not without freepers there to let them know they were not totally in the shadows. America Coming Together (ACT) is one of the new groups formed to try to circumvent the McCain-Feingold ban on soft money. They met for a "Hate Bush" strategy session at the hilariously named Society for Ethical Culture.The likes of Tim Robbins, Glenn Close, Al Franken, Harvey Weinstein, Larry David, and Michael Moore were met on the sidewalk at 64th Street and Central Park West by none other than Raoul Hussein, Cacique (the only...

and a number of other wealthy Americans are contributing millions of dollars to grass-roots organizations engaged in the 2004 presidential election. We are deeply concerned with the direction in which the Bush administration is taking the United States and the world. If Americans reject the president's policies at the polls, we can write off the Bush Doctrine as a temporary aberration and resume our rightful place in the world. If we endorse those policies, we shall have to live with the hostility of the world and endure a vicious cycle of escalating violence. In this effort, I have committed $10...