Free Republic

John McCain's most powerful ad -- an open letter to Barack Obama in which an Iraq War veteran criticizes his stand on the war -- didn't cost the Republican candidate a dime. In "Dear Mr. Obama," army veteran Joe Cook stands in front of the camera and scolds the Democratic presidential candidate for calling the Iraq war a mistake. The two-minute video, which was posted on YouTube, has gotten more than 11 million hits and is the most popular election video on the site.

Moving Ad Made by Iraq War Vet September 11, 2008BEGIN TRANSCRIPTRUSH: This is such a great thing. I found it on YouTube yesterday. There is mild controversy surrounding this ad because it is suggested by Democrats that it was paid for by John McCain and his campaign. It has not been. It was not paid for by anybody other than the man who did it. His name is Joe Cook, and Joe Cook is an injured Iraq war vet, lost his lower leg, foot. But you don't know that until the end of the piece. The piece starts with...

The director of the Louisiana ACLU issued an apology Thursday for comments made in an Eyewitness News interview last week during which he compared the mindset of school prayer supporters in Tangipahoa Parish to that of the 9-11 terrorists. “I want to express my sincere regrets for my use of hyperbole and the analogy that I made regarding Tangipahoa Parish public school officials,” said ACLU Director Joe Cook. “I see how my unfortunate choice of rhetoric could be interpreted as disdain for religious beliefs, but that is absolutely not my position, nor the position of the national ACLU or any...

The director of the Louisiana ACLU compared the mindset of school prayer supporters in Tangipahoa Parish to that of the 9-11 terrorists in comments to Eyewitness News Monday. Joe Cook, the ACLU director, made his comments when asked about classes being held in Tangipahoa Parish Monday as school system officials tried to explain to teachers and administrators what can and can’t be done as far as prayers in the school room. The ACLU director, who has made legal moves against the Tangipahoa Parish school board following some incidents of prayers being said over loudspeakers and in classrooms, said the system...

By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON mmillhollon@theadvocate.com Capitol news bureau Gov. Kathleen Blanco is stepping into the fray over whether prayer should be allowed at Tangipahoa Parish School Board meetings. The governor issued a statement Sunday to express her unhappiness with last week's federal court ruling that school boards can't open their meetings with a prayer. Blanco urged the School Board to appeal and offered to file a brief in support of the efforts. "I believe that such prayers are entirely appropriate, constitutional and in keeping with a practice in our nation that dates back to the Continental Congress," Blanco said in a...

Trustees debate scooters Channahon board: Fewer restrictions on motorized vehicles? By Jeanne Millsap SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS CHANNAHON — There might be fewer restrictions on riding motorized scooters in town than previously planned come August. Trustees this week asked the village staff to draw up revisions to a motorized play-vehicle ordinance that had originally banned use by all residents, except on private property with permission of the landowner. With the changes, those age 16 and older would be able to ride the vehicles on village streets and sidewalks if they have a drivers license, yield to pedestrians and remember...

<p>The Tangipahoa Parish school system is being sued for the third time in nine years because it allegedly violated constitutional restrictions on government-backed religious activities.</p> <p>The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court earlier this week by the American Civil Liberties Union, alleges that the school system broke the law by endorsing public prayer at Loranger High School football games, at school functions and at School Board meetings.</p>