Free Republic

DICK GEPHARDT got teary-eyed on Saturday when the Teamsters endorsed him for President. “How proud my dad would be to see me here today getting the endorsement of his union that fought for him,” he said. Yeah, right. Gephardt’s own brother refuted the myth of Gephardt’s union-proud father months ago when he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “My father was in the Teamsters, but that’s because he had to be to get the job. I don’t recall him talking much about the union, how great it was. He prided himself on being a Republican.” Leave it to a politician to...

<p>For Democrats eager to retake the White House, it must be awfully tempting to view 2004 as a repeat of 1992. In that year, after all, the Republican incumbent was named George Bush, and he had just won a war, or at least a battle, against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. The Democrats went on to win their first presidential election in almost a generation.</p>

Gephardt the Chickenhawk A regular occurrence in the blogosphere revolves around liberals calling President George W. Bush a "chickenhawk" because he served in the Air National Guard (in their opinion to avoid service in Vietnam) and has been ordering American forces into combat. If service in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam era while supporting any war since then makes someone a "chickenhawk", why haven't these liberals stuck the same label on Dick Gephardt? According to his bio, Gephardt served in the Air National Guard from 1965-1971 following law school. I'm not saying I agree with the label for...

Right now.

PORTSMOUTH — Congressman and presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt was in town Friday discussing health care, the economy and education with local business leaders. Gephardt, D-Mo., participated in a roundtable discussion at the Old Ferry Landing to promote his health insurance plan and discuss local concerns. Gephardt’s health care plan proposal provides the best alternative because it covers everybody and reimburses 60 percent of the costs, Gephardt said. "This is an urgent need," he said. "It is irrational for anyone in America in 2004 to not have health insurance." Gephardt said his family was lucky to have insurance when his son...

None Dare Call It Treason By Jason Maoz Senior Editor The Jewish Press Controversial pundit Ann Coulter's best-selling book "Treason" has raised the ire of liberals, and not a few conservatives, who feel she wields too broad a brush in painting Americans on the left side of the political divide as unpatriotic - even, as the title implies, treasonous. Coulter's critics have a point, of course; her over-the-top generalizing makes it difficult if not impossible to take the book seriously (a far more judicious - and better-written - treatment of the subject is Mona Charen's "Useful Idiots"). But whatever degree...

<p>After all George Bush has done for steel, the United Steelworkers of America yesterday returned the favor and endorsed Richard Gephardt for President. Call it more evidence, if any more were needed, that the Administration's decision to impose 30% tariffs on steel imports last year was a major economic and political blunder.</p>

Last night in Chicago, the AFL-CIO held a Democratic debate with all nine Democrat presidential candidates: former Gov. Howard Dean (Vt.), Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), Rep. Dick Gephardt (Mo.), Sen. Bob Graham (Fla.), Sen. John Kerry (Mass.), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (Ill.), and Rev. Al Sharpton. The candidates were in true form – lamenting tax relief, urging more spending, demanding a balanced budget, carping about President Bush, doing everything one would expect from candidates who know they face an uphill battle. What follows are some interesting quotes made by the nine...

Gephardt Adds to Growing Union Support By LEIGH STROPE .c The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt added to his growing union support Tuesday, nabbing an endorsement from the United Steelworkers of America. Union President Leo Gerard extended the endorsement to the Missouri congressman, saying he was ``not just labor's guy,'' but the ``heart and soul and conscience'' of America's workers. An emotional Gephardt, who has staked his primary hopes on the support of organized labor, accepted the endorsement before more than a 100 rank-and-file members. ``It's not about me - it's about us,'' he said...

<p>CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Missouri Democratic Rep. Dick Gephardt received his 10th major endorsement from organized labor Tuesday when the United Steelworkers of America announced its support for his presidential campaign.</p> <p>In a written statement, USWA President Leo Gerard singled out Gephardt as "unflagging in his allegiance to working families and unsurpassed as a leader in the fight against trade policies that are devastating American manufacturing workers."</p>

A whopping 7 people have RSVP'ed for a Meet-Up with Little Dick in Washington DC. A respectable ZERO have signed up for Meet-Ups in Arlington and Alexandria Virgina. Little Dick's campaign is really picking up steam.

<p>Is Howard Dean on his way to the Democratic presidential nomination? Could be. Today's Iowa Poll of Democratic caucus-goers shows the former Vermont governor has moved into first place in Iowa, knocking Missouri Congressman Richard Gephardt from that long-held perch.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON - When Richard Gephardt announced his "leadership team" of Iowa supporters a month ago he said, "I don't take one bit of support for granted," and touted what he called "a great team of folks behind me."</p> <p>But in politics, a month can be painfully long, and if Gephardt looks behind him now he'll find that his leadership team is fading in a state deemed crucial to his presidential hopes.</p>

Generation GOP "TANK" to Drive News and Opinion Newest Addition, Youth for Edwards and DeanAfter much consideration and hard work, Generation GOP plans to officially launch the "TANK" next week. The Generation GOP "TANK" will serve as a forum by which liberals, their organizations and leaders will be exposed for a variety of reasons. Thus far Congressman Dick Gephardt has been placed in the "TANK" for failing to recruit enough activists for a MeetUP.com meeting in Washington D.C. In addition, the organization "Youth for Edwards" was tanked after they failed to generate online discussion and enthusiasm at www.youthforedwards.com. "The 'TANK'...

Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt made a personal appeal to gay and lesbian voters here Thursday, telling them that his support for gay rights has "taken on a whole new dimension" now that his daughter has come out as a lesbian. During a visit to the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, the Missouri congressman and former House Democratic leader praised the community for having the courage to demand respect and equality. "What you face every day, and we now see it clearer, is hatred and intolerance and animosity because of who you are," Gephardt said. Appearing...

Entertainment Union Endorses Gephardt By AMY WESTFELDT .c The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt picked up his seventh union endorsement Tuesday as the executive board of the 104,000-member International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees unanimously backed his candidacy. It was the first time in its 110-year history that the union, which represents film and television production employees in the United States and Canada, endorsed a presidential candidate. International President Thomas C. Short praised Gephardt's national health care plan and his opposition to the privatization of Social Security. ``For Dick Gephardt, affordable health care for...

A controversial Chinese-American businessman embroiled in the much-investigated 1996 fundraising scandal has re-emerged as a donor to three Democratic presidential campaigns. Campaign records filed with the Federal Election Commission show that George Chao-chi Chu, of San Francisco, contributed $2,000 each to the campaigns of Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Bob Graham (D-Fla.), and $1,000 to that of Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.). Chu had been one of the Democratic Party’s top fundraisers at a time when so-called soft-money contributions were still legal, raising more than $500,000 before the scandal hit in 1997. He also raised eyebrows because of his links to...

<p>Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman yesterday assailed his rivals for opposing the war in Iraq, saying "they don't know a just war when they see it."</p> <p>Critical of his competition for the party nomination but reluctant to name names, the Connecticut senator defended his strong support for U.S.-led military action, arguing that 12 years of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime warranted the military campaign to oust him, the Associated Press reports.</p>

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt (news - web sites) missed a House vote Friday on a Republican-backed bill that would overhaul the landmark Head Start education program, a measure that survived in the House by a hairbreadth margin. The 217-216 Republican victory came after midnight Thursday and was so tenuous that Rep. John Sullivan , R-Okla., recovering from a car accident, was brought in by wheelchair. But Gephardt, the former House Minority leader, had left Thursday evening for a two-day campaign swing through South Carolina, and the Head Start vote became one of hundreds he has missed this...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It was a classic Special Operations mission. Intelligence sources, including Iraqi nationals, indicated that several "HVTs" -- high value targets -- the U.S. military euphemism for everything from an important site to be attacked to a terrorist chieftain or an enemy leader -- were hiding in a Mosul residence. Within hours, U.S. Central Command approved a raid on the villa by Task Force 20 -- Delta Force commandos and Navy SEALs -- supported by elements of the 101st Airborne. When it was over, Qusay "The Snake" and Uday "The Wolf" Hussein -- ranked No. 2 and No....