Free Republic

The upcoming twelve-candidate Democratic presidential primary debate is probably going to be another mess, but one highlight will be the return of Tulsi Gabbard to the stage — good news not just for Michael Brendan Dougherty, but for everyone who wants to see an actual debate. In a series of prime-time meetings that have included a lot of repetitive platitudes and all-too-convenient anecdotes about an American everyman that candidates met on the trail, one of the few genuine bits of drama comes from the question of who Gabbard will go after and why. The Hawaii congresswoman’s debate performances haven’t done...

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 Santorum’s Turn By The Editors At the moment Rick Santorum appears to be overtaking Newt Gingrich as the principal challenger to Mitt Romney. Santorum has won more contests than Gingrich (who has won only one), has more delegates, and leads him in the polls. In at least one poll, he also leads Romney. It isn’t yet a Romney–Santorum contest, but it could be headed that way. We hope so. Gingrich’s verbal and intellectual talents should make him a resource for any future Republican president. But it would be a grave mistake for the party to make someone...

I haven’t been keeping score, but my sense has been that National Review stays out of Republican congressional primary races, at least most of the time. This is a good thing. It reflects an ethos focused on the strategic direction of the conservative movement rather than tactical politics. It underscores that issues are more critical to us than personalities. As a practical matter, moreover, it avoids diminishing the magazine’s prestige. A candidate who wins despite NR’s endorsement of his opponent could become hostile — and less open to our ideas — especially because he knows NR’s endorsement of the other...