Free Republic

Many FReepers who frequent the Canteen threads might know MeekMom (known to many as Kristin). MeekMom passed away on July 15, 2016, at the age of 50. She was born March 11, 1966 in Indianapolis, IN and passed away at home in Valparaiso, IN of natural causes. Besides her sweet and loving Maine Coon cat Elsa, who lived with her, she leaves behind one son, her parents, one brother and one sister; as well as a niece and nephew who she loved dearly. She also leaves behind countless friends she made over the years online. But she spoke often of...

Read it and weep, Democrats. The shoe is on the other foot. David Bernstein at the Washington Post’s Volokh Conspiracy blog:

Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s Morning Joe has a book out. So he’s on the book trail, which last night, amazingly enough, included a stop with Fox’s Megyn Kelly. His performance was astounding.  Why astounding? Megyn grills ole Joe on the “perception” among conservatives that he is a “faux conservative” and a “RINO” because, among other things, he said of CPAC that it was filled with people who had “hate and resentment [and were] pushing talk radio” and that “you don’t get along with our own Hannity.”

SEDALIA, Mo - An incident at the Missouri State Fair on Saturday night is getting national attention via social media. A clown wearing a mask of President Obama came out in the arena during the bull riding event. The announcer then asked the crowd if it wanted to see Obama “run down by a bull.” An onlooker posted their account of the event on social media, which was then picked up by the Daily Kos and the Kansas City Star. “The crowd went wild. He asked it again and again, louder each time,” the onlooker’s account of the event said.

Glenn Beck is bringing his brand of conservative commentary back to the television set. One year after embracing an Internet-only distribution model, Mr. Beck is repositioning his streaming network, TheBlaze TV, as an offering for cable and satellite operators — in other words, TV the old-fashioned way.

The lobbying industry’s favorite senator has turned Big Bank protections into a flood of campaign cash. Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.) received nearly $300,000 from lobbyists in 2012, making him the top recipient of K Street dollars, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Tester has denied the fact on multiple occasions, saying it is “not true.” But a Washington Free Beacon review of campaign contributions reveals that Tester leads all Senators in lobbying cash. He is also flush in contributions from Wall Street firms and big banks, ranking second in the Senate for commercial bank donations, third for credit...

The long-time CBS Radio talker in Philadelphia has replaced El Rushbo not with Cumulus’ newly syndicated Mike Huckabee, but with Dial-Global’s Michael Smerconish, who was previously on the station’s afternoon drive. The move did not appear to be related to the Saandra Fluke controversy, but who knows. Smerconish is based in Philly, so the move is understandable. Premiere Radio Networks had informed WPHT they will be syndicating Rush Limbaugh on a new station in Philadelphia. Rumor has it that Merlin-Media acquired WKDN-FM may be the station he ends up on—along with Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, who’ve been off the...

Wow. As we often say here: you just can't make it up. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee took his first phone call of his new talk radio call-in show yesterday. From "Mike in San Francisco." Remember: the show is being positioned by the Cumulus Media Network as the conservative show with "more conversation, less confrontation." Or, as it is certainly being pushed in the anti-Rush Limbaugh media, the show for moderate Republicans that will Take Rush Out. RINO Radio, as we noted here last week. But there seemed to be something slightly out of whack. That something? The very first...

SIOUX FALLS, SD - We will know whether South Dakota Senator John Thune will run for president by the end of the month. Thune says he is close to making a decision and will announce his plans in the next few weeks. It may seem early to announce a run for president, but the first primaries are less than a year away. And, even though no other Republican has made an official announcement, Thune is prepared to announce his presidential aspirations within weeks. "It's such a big decision unlike anything we've ever contemplated before," Thune said. Thune and his wife...

HELENA — Bozeman business executive and Republican Steve Daines, seeking to avoid a divisive U.S. Senate primary against U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg next year, left that race Thursday and said he'll run instead for the House being vacated by Rehberg in 2012. Daines' decision clears the way for an uncontested primary for Rehberg, a six-term congressman, in the 2012 Senate race for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. Republican sources have said Rehberg plans to announce Saturday night his bid against Tester, who has said already that he's running for a second term. "By me running for...

If you believe that the cable news landscape is symptomatic of our two-party political system, then you also probably, and predictably, saw a different tone in last nights election results. Fox News presented its coverage with a patina of celebration, while MSNBC’s took a more gloom and doom approach. But there was one important distinction between the two outlets: Fox News offered a far more balanced set of analysts for the election coverage than did MSNBC. Almost all of the results from yesterday’s midterm elections are in, and there is little question that the GOP has good reason to celebrate...

It is with sad news that I report on the passing of longtime FReeper Carolinamom. Her daughter notified Howlin this morning and told Howlin that her sister found their sweet mother Carolinamom (Miriam) this morning on the bathroom floor. Her daughter told Howlin the neighbors said she had on the same clothes that she had on when she was working in her yard yesterday. The medical examiner said Carolinamom may have died from a heart attack or stroke and said she didn't appear to have suffered the affects, and died peacefully. She touched the lives of many here and elsewhere....

National Mall Left Spotless After Beck Rally (Video)

One would think the network with the “Best Political Team on Television” could tell the difference between Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin….not to mention spell Palin’s name right… Update: Or knew that she ran for VICE-President. How’d I miss that one? This may be the most Hazard riddled screen grab in ICN history. I think three Hazards for one still is a record…  

McCain's new re-election campaign ad, released this morning.

United Airlines and Continental Airlines agreed Sunday to a $3 billion merger that will create the world’s biggest airline, people familiar with the discussions said. The boards of both companies approved the all-stock transaction, these people said. A deal is expected to be announced on Monday. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. The combined company will keep the United name and will be based in Chicago. It will be run by Continental’s top executive, Jeffery A. Smisek. United’s chairman, Glenn F. Tilton, will be nonexecutive chairman for two years. After that, Mr. Smisek will become the...

Media mogul John Malone has agreed to reduce his voting control of satellite TV operator DirecTV Inc. to 3 percent by trading in his super-voting shares for common shares worth some $162 million more. Malone also agreed to resign from the board of directors, the company said Tuesday. The transaction was necessary to satisfy a concern the Federal Communications Commission had about Malone essentially controlling two TV signal providers that do business in Puerto Rico, DirecTV said. The Malone family controls Liberty Global Inc., which owns Liberty Cablevision Puerto Rico. Under the new arrangement, Malone, his wife and two trusts...

A conservation group warns they have just three weeks to raise $US3 million to save the iconic Hollywood sign from being razed by investors who want to build luxury houses on the site. "We feel good about where we are and we feel good about our chances to do this," said Tim Ahern of the Trust for Public Land. The group needs to raise $US3 million to reach the $US12.5 million needed to purchase the 138-acre parcel of rugged land surrounding the sign from a Chicago-based consortium that has acquired rights to build four luxury mansions along the ridgeline. The...

RAPID CITY -- The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint against the Rapid City Police Department, saying two officers were responsible for getting a lesbian Air Force sergeant tossed out of the military. Police went to Jene Newsome's Rapid City home last November to serve an out-of-state warrant on Cheryl Hutson, Newsome's partner. The officers allegedly noticed an Iowa marriage certificate showing the two were married and notified Ellsworth Air Force Base, which later gave Newsome an honorable discharge. The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy bans service members from acknowledging they are gay or engaging in homosexual...

That’s what it looks like and it reflects what I’ve been hearing too. The NRCC tells me directly that they are only spending money on anti-Owens ads. The anti-Hoffman YouTube? Gone. The anti-Hoffman press releases? Gone. The anti-Hoffman everything else? Gone. The pro-Dede Scozzafava stuff? Gone too. The RNC ground crews? They are pulling out to New Jersey. The Dede Scozzafava campaign says this is all false. Then again, they say she is a Republican too. H/T to Ali.