Free Republic

Barack Obama hadn’t even clinched the 2008 election when a prominent Republican pollster took soundings on his party’s 2012 prospects. Neil Newhouse’s survey produced a surprising result. Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, often touted recently as the next GOP front-runner, finished third behind two 2008 also-rans, former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas.

A dozen Republican voters put a human face on the uncertainty over their party's 2008 presidential candidates and the downbeat mood of the nation that has been registered in recent polls. In a two-hour discussion Thursday night in this Richmond suburb, they expressed doubts about the leading candidates and readily shifted their allegiances in their quest for a conservative GOP standard-bearer. All but two identified themselves as Republicans or conservatives. Three said they were moderates. They participated in a focus group moderated by pollster Peter Hart, a Democrat who regularly conducts such nonpartisan sessions under the sponsorship of the Annenberg...

Six months from now, one of the two major parties will celebrate success in the November midterm elections. It looks now as if it will be the Democrats. They stand to win a majority of governorships, will probably narrow the Republican margin in the Senate, and could regain control of the House for the first time in a dozen years. None of this is set in concrete, and the renewed concentration of White House strategist Karl Rove on the midterm elections illustrates the importance President Bush places on keeping Congress.

In announcing he will resign his congressional seat, Rep. Tom DeLay did one last favor for his party, strengthening the likelihood that Republicans will retain the 22nd District of Texas this November and, with it, control of the U .S. House.     DeLay cited his desire to prevent "liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative, personal campaign." But the underlying and unstated factor is the growing belief that the House GOP's 12-year majority is in jeopardy and every single race could count.     Still, long before a mounting array of legal charges and political turmoil combined...

Carl P. Leubsdorf:If it's not settled by '08, the 'Iraq question' could split the Democratic Party 10:53 PM CST on Thursday, December 1, 2005 A former Green Party member and professional saxophone player says he plans to challenge Hillary Clinton for renomination to the Senate next year. The reason: her support of the war in Iraq. Steven Greenfield's challenge is unlikely to succeed against the heavily financed New York senator. But it illustrates the growing pressure in the Democratic Party on leaders who backed the war and are trying to distance themselves from its unpopularity. Another sign: Sen. Joseph Biden's...

...CARL LEUBSDORF: Looking back at the recently completed [2000] Supreme Court session, what do you think were the most important things that it did? JOHN ROBERTS: Well, as a ... taking this term as a whole, I think the most important thing it did was make a compelling case that we do not have a very conservative Supreme Court. Take the three biggest headline cases -- you know, Miranda, school prayer, abortion -- the conservative view lost in each of them. CARL LEUBSDORF: Now, how can that be after we have nine justices, of whom seven were appointed by Republican...

For more than a generation, Republican leaders have talked of cutting the overwhelming Democratic support among black voters. Now, under new chairman Ken Mehlman, they're trying again.

OAK HILL, Va. — In this month's Virginia Republican primaries, the issue is taxes. And the vote could be a preview of coming attractions in the national GOP. So while youthful legislative hopeful Chris Craddock stressed his conservative credentials on issues like abortion and gay marriage at a recent fund-raiser in this northern Virginia suburb, he made clear that taxes is "the main issue that got us into the race."

Journalists and the public are seeing a lot of the real George W. Bush these days, the genial, relaxed fellow whom handlers often kept under wraps in his first term. He seems a lot more like the friendly guy who was so popular as governor of Texas. But as the president nears the end of his second term's first 100 days, there's little sign yet that a more open demeanor is paying political dividends. Polls show Bush's standing with the public is lower than four years ago. The prospects for his major initiatives are dimmer, a reflection both of their...