Free Republic

In their speeches this week to the National Council of La Raza, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain illustrated why the American public holds Congress — and politicians in general — in such low regard, particularly on the issue of illegal immigration.

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama and John McCain vie for African-American votes this week with appearances before the NAACP convention in Cincinnati, a stop with potential opportunities and pitfalls for both candidates.

John McCain today is poised to make the biggest mistake of his 2008 presidential run. The presumptive Republican nominee will address the annual convention of the National Council of La Raza in San Diego. La Raza is billed by too many as simply "the nation's largest Hispanic rights group." But this is perhaps the most radical apologist group for illegal immigration and the "rights" of illegal aliens -- and worse.

Dozens of Fox Valley Hispanics will get the chance to talk with Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party's nominee for president, later this month. And they'll get to do it for free. McCain will be in Chicago on June 18 for a fundraiser at the Drake Hotel, but he'll stick around that night to hold a town hall meeting with Illinois Hispanics. » Click to enlarge image John McCain to speak in Chicago More than 100 are expected to attend, according to the meeting's organizers, Julie Brady and Gabriela Wyatt. Brady, of St. Charles, is the deputy co-chairman of McCain's...

According a very poor analysis offered this week by the Politico, which was highlighted by Drudge for all of about half a hour before he realized how false it was and removed it,... ... Allen West is a true military leader. He’s also a dedicated public servant who decided to spend a year teaching high school in the district before announcing his candidacy. Most importantly, he brings vast knowledge and well thought out solutions to key issues, ranging from small business development to healthcare and pragmatic solutions to the mortgage crisis and job creation. The fact that he’s African-American just...

Allen West is a true military leader. He’s also a dedicated public servant who decided to spend a year teaching high school in the district before announcing his candidacy. Most importantly, he brings vast knowledge and well thought out solutions to key issues, ranging from small business development to healthcare and pragmatic solutions to the mortgage crisis and job creation. The fact that he’s African-American just goes to show that the GOP is the party of people of all races who share in common sense. That the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) has failed to pay proper attention to this...

Sen. John McCain used the anniversary of Cuban independence from Spain to declare his opposition to talking to the Castro government until extensive Democratic reforms take place, while sounding his support for a free trade agreement with Colombia. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee also attacked his Democratic rival, Barrack Obama, saying the Illinois senator was "naive, inexperienced and lacks judgment." McCain won applause from the mostly Hispanic audience of 700 at the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel when he lambasted Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. He touched on other themes as well including Haiti. "We have not been successful, and there are...

So if Bill Clinton was our first black president based on various things, considering all McCain has done so far to bolster the amnesty fight, I think that would make him our first mexican president.

His lead strategist says if McCain were to get 20 percent of these voters he will win. WASHINGTON - With the other party still waist-deep in its presidential nomination fight, John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, has been quietly courting the white working-class Democrats who have proved elusive for Barack Obama, his most likely rival in the fall. In the two weeks since Senator Obama's loss in Pennsylvania, Senator McCain has visited the struggling steel town of Youngstown, Ohio, to promote programs to retrain workers. He has gone to Allentown, Pa., to push a gas-tax holiday and argue that the...

How many points do you get for just showing up? John McCain will get an idea at the end of the month when he travels to venues where Republicans don't usually campaign. McCain is planning to speak in inner cities, heavily African-American sections of the South, and poor sections of Appalachia. Most of his stops will be in areas where voters have traditionally supported Democrats. How many points do you get for just showing up? John McCain will get an idea at the end of the month when he travels to venues where Republicans don't usually campaign. McCain is planning...

Non-Christians are more receptive to the Gospel today than at any point in recent American history, according to one research team. Tue, Apr. 08, 2008 Posted: 15:19:18 PM EST Non-Christians are more receptive to the Gospel today than at any point in recent American history, according to one research team. "We are seeing a new level of curiosity among those who are seeking out religion – and we rejoice that people are willing to hear about Jesus," said Sam S. Rainer III, who heads Rainer Research. While Rainer said he finds the increased receptivity among non-believers encouraging, the problem lies...

If Senator John McCain needed to prove that he is a real Republican, he did it when he continued an old Republican tradition of utterly inept attempts to appeal to black voters. Senator McCain was booed at a recent memorial on the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. In typical Republican fashion, he tried to apologize but the audience was not buying it and let him know it. Why would Senator McCain choose a venue where his rejection was virtually guaranteed? Not only did he not get his message out, the message that came out through the...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate John McCain plans a wide-ranging campaign that would go after voters often ignored by his Republican party, which in the past has focused on getting conservatives to the polls. "We need to go all over America ... (and) compete hard in every section of the country," McCain, the party's presumptive nominee, said on "Fox News Sunday" in an interview taped on Friday. McCain, who still has not won over many conservatives, made clear he planned a broader campaign than those waged by President George W. Bush when he faces either Barack Obama or Hillary...

SEATTLE — In an effort to broaden his ministry's reach, evangelist Jeremy Balfour has started using filthy words he'd once banned from his vocabulary. "I've been an evangelist for ten f***ing years and I've never felt such f***ing freedom," he says during an interview. Balfour's change of heart came when he realized that obscene words are a key to open the hearts of many unsaved people. "With some people, you're not in their club unless you get R-rated in your speech," Balfour says. "They test your allegiance to their culture. A few choice s***heads and f*** yous can build trust....

Easter Sunday is less than a week away and most churches have already laid out their strategies on how to reach the unchurched and non-believers during arguably the most important Christian holiday. Mon, Mar. 17, 2008 Posted: 09:44:22 AM EST Easter Sunday is less than a week away and most churches have already laid out their strategies on how to reach the unchurched and non-believers during arguably the most important Christian holiday. But in case a little help is still needed, C. Michael Johnson, president of Breakthrough Media, suggests 18 factors that can “really” impact a church or ministry’s Easter...

Thank you for accepting our invitation to learn more about Catholics Come Home and returning to your Catholic faith. God, our Father, created a big and loving family in His Church. Jesus prays that we are one (John 17:21-23), as He and His father in heaven are one. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we wish to invite you to learn more about our family in faith:a Church filled with beauty, miracles, heroes, history, love and peace. Whether you are on a journey into the Catholic Church or returning to the Catholic Church, you have come to a good place....

John McCain has retained the services of a conservative public relations firm to assist with right-wing outreach. Shirley & Banister, well-connected in both conservative and mainstream media circles, have been helping McCain for a few weeks now placing surrogates on TV and in news stories. They also helped craft an open letter sent out earlier this week signed by five longtime "Reaganauts" -- Craig Shirely, Frank Donatelli, Jack Kemp, Dick Allen and Peter Hannaford -- urging their fellow followers of the Gipper get on board. The firm is led by Shirley and Diana Banister. Shirley is longtime conservative consultant who...

Moving to a new country and trying to fit in with the community can be difficult, and for some immigrant families in Madison, it's a church that can provide a sense of home. That's been the experience of Sy Inthachak, who attends Bethany Evangelical Free Church on the city's east side. Inthachak grew up in Laos but fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and spent 10 years in a Thai refugee camp before coming to the United States. Along with another family of five, Inthachak and his family started attending Bethany Evangelical Free Church 10 years...

Fred Thompson's campaign named a handful of volunteer grassroots leaders in Miami-Dade to help boost its outreach to Latino voters -- a territory rival Rudy Giuliani is putting great effort in reaching. County leadership positions announced today include co-chairs: Homestead Mayor Lynda Bell and Miami-Dade Commissioners Joe Martinez and Natacha Seijas. The latter two previously endorsed Thompson when he appeared at Miami's Urbeita Oil in October. Other's involved Lois Jones, Chris Miles and Luis Rodriguez.

Rudy Giuliani has never been shy about saying he is the only Republican who can beat Hillary Clinton. And lately he has been cranking up the volume on his pragmatic plea for the nomination, saying he is the only one who can scramble the Electoral College in the G.O.P.'s favor. Speaking to a group of Jewish Republicans on October 16, Giuliani made the case that he alone could put states in play that Democrats have long taken for granted. "We need a candidate that, you know, the day after the nomination, we don't close down our offices in 20 or...