Free Republic

Families of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group were told their loved ones won’t be coming home for Thanksgiving or Christmas as the conflict in the Middle East continues, according to a report. Relatives of the 7,000 service members who are part of the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group were left incensed after they were told the Iranian attacks continue to “pepper” U.S. ships enforcing the blockade of Iran, meaning their loved ones will not be coming home for the holidays, according to audio of a November 9 meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, obtained by MS NOW....

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) already has a replacement in mind for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as Senate minority leader once Democrats take advantage of their new congressional majorities in January. Sanders joined Jon Stewart on the latest episode of The Weekly Show, which will release in full on Wednesday, to discuss the midterm results and what comes next for the Democratic Party. [SNIP] “His institutional knowledge is helpful, but if it’s not helpful to utilize to move the system urgently, then what are we doing?” Stewart said. The Daily Show host asked Sanders if he had replacements in mind, and...

Drivers are starting to see some relief from high fuel prices. For the first time in months, the average price of a gallon of gasoline has dipped below $4, according to AAA. The price crossed below the $4 threshold on Tuesday, and is currently down to a national average of $3.94 for a gallon of regular. Prices have dipped about 40 cents over the past month, with much of that decline happening in the past two weeks. "Many will assume the election had something to do with it, but that's a myth," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at...

On Wednesday’s CNN This Morning, Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright rebuked Republicans, claiming they “did not learn any manners from the election last Tuesday.” Seawright then promptly demonstrated his own version of manners by personally attacking and taunting his conservative co-panelist. Seawright accused conservative Terry Schilling of "political malpractice"—in effect accusing him of incompetence—for noting that Senate Democrats blocked President Trump's agenda. He added that voting for Jim Jordan for leader is “a double, triple down on extremism the same way that full-blooded racist extremist Stephen Miller is." That your idea of "manners," Antjuan? And nothing says good manners like incoming...

There is a lot of misunderstanding out there about Ross Douthat who interviewed President Donald Trump Sunday on 60 Minutes. He is repeatedly described as a "conservative" without any reference to the fact that less than six months into Trump's first term in May 2017 he wrote in his New York Times column that although there were no grounds to impeach Trump, he still wanted him removed from office via the 25th Amendment because Douthat's sensibilities were somehow offended by the "childishness" of Trump's demeanor.One typical example of emphasizing Douthat as being "conservative" sans any mention of his history of...

CBS News Sunday Morning’s Robert Costa gave House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) a chance to explain what a Democrats’ congressional victory means. Raskin responded with comparisons to the French Revolution and the Battle of Gettysburg, while invoking Marie Antoinette to make his point about the Trump administration. All of that with zero push back from the CBS journalists. When asked by Costa how Democrats planned to hold President Trump accountable for his past two years in office, Raskin answered “Through the rule of law.” But, Raskin quickly reached for the French Revolution when Costa asked whether Congress should...

Days after Republicans faced a series of bruising midterm election losses, President Trump stood by his handling of the economy and the Iran war — but he acknowledged some "bad messaging" on economic issues and said his immigration crackdown was "too tough" at times. In a sitdown with 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat, the president also suggested some top administration officials could be on their way out. One hour later, he announced White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would depart her role and be replaced by Stephen Miller. Here are the biggest takeaways from the interview: Why did Republicans...

President Donald Trump’s White House reportedly informed thousands of conservative organizations that it is keeping tabs on their public remarks as some Republicans start to turn on the president following Tuesday’s disastrous midterm elections. According to a Thursday report from The Wall Street Journal, the White House Office of Public Liaison sent a memo to more than 3,000 conservative groups just two days after Democrats delivered a crushing defeat to Republicans, seizing control of both the House and Senate.

It’s not the sort of sentiment that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would likely share publicly, but according to a report from Time, Donald Trump’s longtime aide has expressed private concerns about the information bubble surrounding the president. Two White House sources told the magazine that Wiles shared her fears with officials that White House aides were giving the president “a rose-colored view” of how the war with Iran was being perceived domestically, “telling Trump what he wanted to hear instead of what he needed to hear.” The report added that the chief of staff urged colleagues to...

Democrats stormed to victory in the Senate on Tuesday, delivering a devastating loss for Republicans that once seemed improbable just a few months ago. In a dramatic blue tsunami, Democrats racked up shocking wins in deep red states, including Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, South Carolina, and Texas — in a massive rebuke of President Trump and GOP control of government.

The New York Times came in for online mockery Tuesday after a list it published of Jewish voters saying they would back Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for Senate included the unfortunate moniker “Jack Mehoff.”The Times initially reported Sept. 17 on the letter, which it said was signed by “more than 500 people who identify as Jewish leaders or voters” in the Mitten State and insisted that El-Sayed is “clearly the better choice for Jews.” *** Records reviewed by The Post lists someone named Jack Mehoff as living on campus at Michigan State University in East Lansing. The university did not...

Anakin Skywalker, the iconic character from the Star Wars saga, has gained renewed prominence on social media as growing numbers of users identify him with social disillusionment, distrust of institutions and rejection of political elites. The phenomenon has raised concerns among some analysts, who warn that his image could be appropriated to spread extremist narratives. For some internet users, Anakin represents a talented young man who feels betrayed by the institutions he once trusted. His frustration with the Jedi Council has become a metaphor for tensions experienced by certain sections of society, particularly those concerned about illegal immigration, public safety,...

Whenever a Republican crosses over to vote for a Democrat, you can bet on at least one of two things happening: the Democrats applaud this brave act of putting country over party or we learn that the so-called "lifelong Republican" was not. In this case, we learned that the Republican who penned an op-ed in The Dallas Morning News was actually a paid operative for Gina Hinojosa. But what The Dallas Morning News didn't dig into was that the writer, Suzanne Bellsnyder, received $57,000 in consulting payments from the Gina Hinojosa campaign.

Turnout, turnout, turnout. The New York Times’ final midterm prediction doesn’t look good for Republicans, as the NYT/Siena poll shows Democrats expecting to sweep every swing-state Senate race. Most other forecasts also paint a grim picture for Republicans’ chances of holding the Senate, while the House appears poised to swing toward Democrats, as the “people’s house” typically swings against the president’s party during midterms. But Republicans need to remember that polls are not the elections themselves. And while the polling picture favors Democrats, turnout is where Republicans have the opportunity to make these races far closer.

Risks growing as diplomatic efforts remain stalled and Iran threatens unrestrained retaliation DUBAI—America’s Gulf allies are steeling themselves for a heavy U.S. bombardment of Iran that they expect to trigger a vicious cycle of retaliation against their own economic and civilian infrastructure as early as this week.The Trump administration and Arab mediators are making a number of efforts to reach a negotiated end to the conflict. But the lack of progress paired with U.S. and Iranian threats of especially ferocious fighting if the conflict resurges are heightening concerns across the region.President Trump has been leaning toward a large postelection attack...

Donald Trump is secretly asking close advisers about whether Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine should be fired after the midterms, even as he weighs restarting the bombing of Iran.The president has been quizzing allies on the performance of his defense secretary and his Joint Chiefs chairman, the two men who assured him the war would be wrapped up well before the midterms, according to the Atlantic. *** As Republicans face the real possibility of losing the House and Senate, Trump has concluded the Iran war would be partly to blame and trained his attention on the advisers who promised...

The Dallas Morning News published a glowing opinion piece praising Texas Democrat gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. The author was billed as a “longtime Republican” and former staffer for Republican lawmakers. There was just one problem: the author was on Hinojosa’s payroll.

Republicans are trailing Democrats in seven key Senate battlegrounds, including longtime GOP strongholds Texas and Kansas, according to a poll released Sunday, just days before the midterm elections. The New York Times/Siena poll found Democratic candidates leading in five states currently represented by Republican senators — Alaska, Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas — while the race in Iowa is virtually tied. In Michigan, the only Democratic-held Senate seat surveyed, the party's candidate holds a double-digit lead. Don Levy, executive director of the Siena Research Institute, said the results suggest Democrats could capture control of the Senate, though he cautioned that...

• Stevens defends switch: Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens told CNN her decision to back Republican Mike Rogers is “rock solid,” but refused to articulate why she changed her mind. Her surprise switch came after a deepening rift with Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed. Since her switch, El-Sayed has raised $1.2 million, his second-largest total in a single day. He’s leading Rogers by 11 points in a New York Times poll. • Swift fallout: Democrats have condemned Stevens’ move, including Rep. Debbie Dingell, who expressed concern for her. Top Republicans, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump, have...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was right to grant a visa to Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and his family. As President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, grows increasingly vindictive and authoritarian, the United States should make clear that political persecution has adverse consequences. Supporting freedom and democracy in Latin America means standing behind those whose right to challenge the government is under threat. Offering protection to an opposition leader in the region’s biggest and most populous nation upholds America’s principles and serves its strategic interests. Bolsonaro and his family arrived in the U.S. this week after...