Free Republic

ASHLAND, Neb. - Presidential candidate John McCain may have differences with Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, but he made it clear Wednesday that he respects his fellow Republican's views on the Iraq war. McCain said that Hagel's criticism of the war, unlike Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's, amounts to an "informed decision" because of the time Hagel has spent in Iraq and studying the issue, McCain said. This was McCain's first campaign trip to Nebraska. The Arizona senator, here to raise money for his presidential bid, praised Hagel and declined to talk about speculation that his Republican colleague and fellow Vietnam...

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Don Perata were friends and allies again Wednesday, a day after a political dispute threatened to torpedo a bipartisan effort to pass $37 billion in state infrastructure bonds. Perata and Schwarzenegger each spoke at a $50,000-a-head breakfast fundraiser at the Palo Alto Hills Country Club, then strolled out to the patio by the golf course to ask reporters what all the fuss was about. "There's been some noise recently, last day or so, that Republicans and Democrats, specifically the governor and the legislative leadership, are not going to be campaigning...

Forget the Newt-orchestrated House vote for Bill Clinton's impeachment. This is a new millennium, baby, and the conservative Fire Dragon is lying down with the liberal Ice Queen. Figuratively speaking, of course. All this chummy talk of bipartisanship between former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Sen. Hillary Clinton makes one wonder: An unholy alliance or a political marriage of convenience? The two had their lovey-dovey photo-op last week to promote health information technology. Gingrich has written a book that delves partly into the issue. Clinton, whom Gingrich tarred when she sought to reform the health-care system, knows plenty about the...