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A friend came to me two weeks ago and, with great relish, displayed a hand-printed poster his young daughter had designed that urged the reader to ?Vote for America!? and listed Republican candidates who were vying for various local and regional offices. ?That?s my girl? he exclaimed, beaming with pride. Last week he returned with a much more somber look on his face. Knowing full well what was depressing him, I struggled to find a way to broach the subject. Not being worth a damn at subtlety, I said, ?So, how about those Republicans!? A defiant glare was quickly replaced...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, who won majorities in the U.S. Congress in last week's elections, said on Sunday they will push for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin in four to six months. "The first order of business is to change the direction of Iraq policy," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), a Michigan Democrat who is expected to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the new Congress. Levin, on ABC's "This Week," said he hoped some Republicans would emerge to join Democrats and press the administration of President George W....

The political debate and the election of 2006 are going to be about the war. And well they should be since no one knows where the president is leading us when he says “stay the course.” Bush got us into this mess, and he has offered no way to get us out. If you look at present conditions in Iraq and spin out the probable trajectories, it becomes very hard to envision a victory for democracy. Since we don’t know what we are doing, we are going to do the American thing. We are going to have a debate and...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2005 – President Bush respectfully disagreed with Americans who fault his rationale for maintaining U.S. military forces in Iraq, during a White House news conference today. Bush said many Americans, like himself, are convinced that the United States must continue fighting terrorists in Iraq until the new Iraqi government and security forces get onto their feet. The president said he too wants U.S. troops to depart Iraq as soon as possible, but not until victory is achieved over the terrorists there. "We must win, for the sake of our security," he said. On the other hand, "there...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...

Have Democrats once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory? Too early to tell but Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are clearly running scared because of liberal chatter the RNC is labeling as "Retreat and Defeat." Democratic leader Howard Dean says the Iraq War is a lost cause. Not true. But even if it were, I would warn Democratic candidates that they needed to bite their tongue before telling voters US troops can't beat a bunk of jackals who delight in blowing themselves up. John Kerry recently let it be known that he believed US soldiers were engaging in...

NBC News Updated: 1:01 p.m. ET Dec. 11, 2005 .... MR. RUSSERT: But first, the war in Iraq. Joining us, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, former secretary of state, Madeleine Albright. Welcome both. SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Thank you. FMR. SEC'Y MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: Nice to be with you. .... skipping to Graham SEN. GRAHAM: Well, I hope we have a larger turnout. We're about to democratically elect a parliament. We haven't done that yet. These are people who actually are running for office that will write laws for the Iraqi people. It will be a chance for the Iraqi people...

December 12, 2005 -- WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham yesterday said the Republican National Committee should take down an Internet ad that slams Howard Dean's controversial comments on Iraq and shows a white flag of surrender. "I don't think it's appropriate," Graham (R-S.C.) said of the ad that attacks Dean, the Democratic Party's national chairman. "Howard Dean is wrong when he says we can't win. [But it] doesn't mean he's not a patriot." "I wish we would quit running ads against each other and try to find consensus," Graham said yesterday on "Meet the Press...

The RNC's new Web video "Retreat and Defeat" starts with a flat-screen TV playing clips from Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, Sen. Barbara Boxer, and Sen. John Kerry. As they speak, a white flag waves over their faces while ominous music moans. Dean says the war in Iraq can't be won; Boxer says withdrawal should start after the Iraqi election; and Kerry says U.S. soldiers shouldn't be "terrorizing kids and children, you know, women." Then the camera pans back, and we learn that we've been watching these clips over the shoulder of a U.S. soldier dressed in desert camouflage,...

cnn has a video with Harry Reid on the White Flag GOP Ad CNN video

Let me guess. These words were taken out of context.

All my life, said Voltaire, "I have never made but one prayer. ... 'Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it."George Bush must have been praying the same way lately.In his "Plan for Victory" address to the Naval Academy, the president declared: "Against this adversary, there is only one effective response: We will never back down. We will never give in. And we will never accept anything less than complete victory."This is what one expects of a commander in chief in wartime, speaking to the patriotic young midshipmen, who roared approval.To which Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean...

Democrat Party Leader Howard Dean Promotes Retreat And Defeat Strategy For Iraq Democrat Leader Dean Forced To Defend US Won't Win In Iraq Statement:DNC Chair Dean:  "The Idea That The United States Is Going To Win The War In Iraq Is Just Plain Wrong." ("Dean Questions Commitment To Iraq Strategy," The Associated Press, 12/5/05)  Now Dean Defends That Comment By Saying:  "It Was A Little Out Of Context." (CNN's "American Morning," 12/8/05) Democrat Leader Dean Has Now Said It Was President Bush Who Said We Couldn't Win In Iraq:Dean: "The President Has Said Himself We Couldn't Win The War."  (CNN's "American...

The DRUDGE REPORT has learned from a top GOP operative that the Republican National Committee will provide state parties with a web video prior to release tomorrow afternoon that shows a white flag waving over images of Democrat leaders making anti-war remarks. The ad is in response to the controversial comments Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean and 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry made earlier in the week. A Democratic strategist who had the web ad described to her said, “This is way over the top but we have no one to blame but Dean, Kerry and others who continue...

 THE GOOD NEWS for the Democrats is that their leadership has settled on an electoral strategy for 2006. The bad news is that they have cribbed their game plan from one of the most disastrous campaigns in their history. The Democratic leadership has decided to elevate surrender to a party platform for the upcoming elections, with their national chairman, House leader, and last presidential nominee all running up the white flag as the Democratic war banner.When was the last time that an entire political party stood for backpedaling the way the Democrats have in the past two weeks? Since Rep....

Dems Debate Themselves Over Right Strategy In Iraq; President Bush Stands By His Clear Strategy                                                       DNC Chair Howard Dean: Immediate Withdrawal; US Won't Win In Iraq:  "Democratic Chairman Howard Dean On Monday Likened The War In Iraq To Vietnam And Said, 'The Idea That The United States Is Going To Win The War In Iraq Is Just Plain Wrong,' Comments That Drew Immediate Fire From Republicans."  ("Dean Questions Commitment To Iraq Strategy," The Associated Press, 12/5/05) Dean: "I Think We Need A Strategic Redeployment Over A Period Of Two Years ... Bring The 80,000 National Guard And Reserve Troops Home Immediately....

Contact: Tracey Schmitt 202-863-8614Chairman Responds To Yesterday’s Iraq Comments By Howard Dean Washington, DC – The following are excerpts from a radio interview by RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman on WOAI-AM, San Antonio.  Chairman Mehlman responded to yesterday’s comments on the same station by DNC Chairman Howard Dean. Host:  “Now I’m sure that you’re aware by now because it’s been everywhere, that we had an interview yesterday with Howard Dean, the, your counterpart over there at the Democratic National Committee, and he said some things that are lightning rod stuff.  Some would call them even more than that.  Without getting too graphic...