Free Republic

As Massachusetts senators John Kerry and Scott Brown get set to introduce Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan to the Senate Judiciary Committee today, a new Boston Globe poll finds Brown, elected just five months ago to fill the remainder of the late Ted Kennedy's term, is the most popular elected official in the state. Brown, a Republican, out-polls both Kerry and President Obama in the blue Bay State, as 55% hold a favorable opinion of him and just 17% view him unfavorably. Broken down by party, 79% of Republicans, 55% of independents and 42% of Democrats view Brown favorably.

Scott Brown blasted his rival Martha Coakely for invoking the legacy of Martin Luther King in asking for votes at the Boston Martin Luther King Day breakfast this morning. "I thought it was inappropriate when she started asking for people's vots when they're trying to remember Martin Luther King, Jr.," he said. "I didn't know this was a rally for Martha." Coakley asked for the votes of the audience, which included Brown, at the Hynes Convention Center: "Tomorrow we act on the dream and we make sure that we allow me to continue that work," Coakley said. "We remember the...

V: Remake of the classic alien-invasion miniseries plays in the trailer, weirdly, like an allegory of the Obama election: aliens come to Earth, promise "hope" and "change" (words actually used), inspire cult-like devotion, but have creepy intent and are secretly lizards. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. But it has potential to be Glenn Beck's new favorite show.

PLANO, Texas (AP) — A police officer was put on desk duty after pulling over an NFL player rushing to see his dying mother-in-law in the hospital and holding him in the hospital parking lot as she died. Dallas police officer Robert Powell stopped Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats' SUV outside Baylor Regional Medical Center during the early hours of March 18 after Moats rolled through a red light. Moats and his family had gotten a call saying his mother-in-law was dying. Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer's vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an...

I sure hope this doesn't mean what I think it does: Lost heroine Elizabeth Mitchell has been cast in ABC's eagerly anticipated V pilot. Are you thinking what I'm thinking -- that this confirms Juliet as the major character who gets bumped off at this season's end? Yeah, I kinda thought you might be with me on that one. However, my moles at ABC and Warner Bros. (which is producing V) say we need to chill, because Mitchell is just a guest star on V. But, however much I may want to chill, that's pretty hard to do, since everyone...

State Sen. Bill Cassidy ousted U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux on Tuesday night in the 6th U.S. Congressional District race. Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, had 150,226 votes to Cazayoux’s 125,716 votes according to complete but unofficial results from all 520 precincts. State Rep. Michael Jackson, No Party-Baton Rouge, trailed in third place with 36,133 votes. The winner only has to get the most votes, not a 50 percent-plus-one majority. In his concession speech, Cazayoux said, “I was lucky to serve at all.” He congratulated both Cassidy and Jackson. “It’s a conservative district, and I’m a conservative,” Cassidy said. The 6th District includes...

The exploding interest in Sen. John McCain's campaign, fueled in part by the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the ticket, has his staff scrambling to expand events. A loosely organized and sometimes ad hoc approach to campaigning has been part of Sen. McCain's political persona. But after he announced his running mate two weeks ago, thousands have been attending the rallies that have replaced Sen. McCain's intimate town-hall meetings. The campaign is expanding the number of Pennsylvania offices to 30 from 14, and its Ohio offices to more than 35 from 18. The formerly lean McCain campaign and...

Natalie Portman has inked a two-year production deal with Participant Prods. for her newly formed Handsomecharlie Films shingle. Banner's first project is "A Tale of Love and Darkness," on which Portman plans to make her feature helming debut. Story is based on the bestselling memoir of Amos Oz, with Naomi Foner ("Running on Empty") in negotiations to adapt the screenplay. That project, however, is not set up at Participant. Annette Savitch has been tapped veep of development for L.A.-based Handsomecharlie Films, which will develop socially relevant films. Portman said she was inspired by Participant's mandate to produce such forward-thinking projects...

Baker man charged with child porn Suspect nominated for city post at the same time By ADRIAN ANGELETTE and JAMES MINTON Advocate staff writers About the same time Thursday that John Mickelson was indicted on charges of possessing child pornography, a Baker planning commission nominated him as its vice chairman. An East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Mickelson on 25 counts of possessing child pornography. Mickelson, 53, 4309 Chapeau Drive, Baker, is accused of possessing the pornographic images between Nov. 6, 2002, and June 9, the indictment says. State Assistant Attorney General James Piker, who presented the case to...

<p>OLYMPIA -- A man spent hours chained to the wrong building Tuesday in an ill-planned effort to protest war with Iraq, police said. Jody Mason padlocked himself to an entrance of the Washington State Grange building at 924 Capitol Way S., thinking it was a sub-office of the U.S. Department of Energy.</p>

If Christy Smith, the first disabled competitor on Survivor, thinks she's facing adversity in the Brazilian jungle, wait till she gets back home and faces some of her deaf fans. As the newest and most visible deaf celebrity on TV, Smith, 24, has become a magnet not only for praise, but also scathing criticism. On one hand, the deaf community is proud of the Colorado native who is a graduate of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the world's only liberal-arts college for the deaf. But on the other, many deaf people are angry that she is not openly displaying more...

Web of fantasy turns the boy wizard blue IT IS the type of conduct that would have him expelled from Hogwarts in a flash. Boy wizard Harry Potter is being cast as a gay porn star on the internet. The craze, which has attracted the attention of author JK Rowling’s lawyers, features the schoolboy sorcerer in explicit gay sex stories for the benefit of heterosexual women. The so-called ‘slash’ fiction portrays Potter in uncompromising scenarios with other male characters from the hugely-successful books. These include Draco Malfoy, his arch enemy, and the sinister potions teacher Professor Severus Snape. Lawyers for...

A 10-year-old child playing in a Zachary Church yard was electrocuted last week when he brushed against an air conditioning unit, said Zachary Firefighter Thomas “Pokey” Anders. Anders, one of the first rescuers on the scene, said he found the unconscious form of Christopher Brown lying behind St. Patricks Episcopal Church. Brown was not breathing and unresponsive. Brown, whose mother works for St. Patricks, was rushed to Lane Memorial Hospital where he was stabilized and then airlifted to the Our Lady of the Lake pediatric intensive care unit. He was listed in guarded of press time, but his condition is...