Free Republic

Anthony Fauci says he’s not breathing a sigh of relief that Republicans — who vowed to investigate him if they retook the Senate — didn’t win the majority in the upper chamber, because he has “no problem at all” testifying before Congress. “I have nothing to hide at all, despite the accusations that I’m hiding something,” Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert and President Biden’s chief medical adviser, told ITK at a gala in Washington over the weekend. “I have nothing that I could not explain clearly to the country and justify,” Fauci said. Sen. Rand Paul said earlier...

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Friday shrugged off a recent barb from former President Trump, who lashed out at him as speculation builds that Youngkin might run for the White House in 2024. “Listen, you all know me. I do not call people names,” the governor told reporters. “I really work hard to bring people together … That’s not the way I roll and not the way I behave.” Trump made fun of Youngkin’s last name in a post on Truth Social, suggesting that it sounds “Chinese,” while also claiming that the Virginia governor could not have won in...

President Biden on Friday brushed off a second month of disappointing jobs-growth figures, claiming “monthly totals bounce around” before walking off without taking reporters’ questions. Biden spoke about 90 minutes later than scheduled and emphasized that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.8 percent in September — the lowest since February 2020 — even though economists say that reflects fewer people seeking work. “Today’s report has the unemployment rate down to 4.8 percent, a significant improvement from when I took office and the sign that our recovery is moving forward,” Biden said. He added, “The monthly totals bounce around, but if...

US brushes off 'crap' accusation Mr Prescott made "an honest and good point", Mr Cohen said The White House has made light of reports alleging that John Prescott said George Bush had been "crap" on the Middle East peace process. Tony Snow, a White House spokesman, said: "The president has been called a lot worse and I suspect will be." Mr Snow added that President Bush would have to face "piquant names" being hurled at him from time to time. The deputy prime minister said the reports of his comments in a private meeting with MPs were inaccurate. However, Mr...

Blair brushes off Iran's call for troop withdrawal By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor (Filed: 18/02/2006) Tony Blair dismissed Iran's call for Britain to withdraw its troops from Iraq yesterday as a tactic designed to divert attention from the international campaign to curb Teheran's nuclear programme. The Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, demanded the pull-out of British forces around Basra, saying their presence was causing turmoil both in Iraq and southern Iran. The Prime Minister meets Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin "Iran demands the immediate withdrawal of British forces from Basra," Mr Mottaki said during a visit to Lebanon. "We...