Free Republic

The Federal Reserve System investigated itself and determined that concerns about undue political influence surrounding its alleged role in the Nixon Watergate scandal and a subsequent cover up, as well as allegations that the Fed facilitated a massive weapons loan to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, were unfounded. Analysts and critics of the central bank, however, were not entirely convinced. The establishment press promptly celebrated the findings — inaccurately characterizing the privately owned U.S. central banking system as a government “agency” — while largely omitting the well-documented evidence of widespread malfeasance by the government-backed monetary cartel. Several mainstream media outlets...

His record isn't likely to win back the rural "pro-gun" voters who've fled to the Republicans in recent years, likely costing Gore the election in 2000. From the Chicago Defender, Dec. 13, 1999: Sweeping federal gun control legislation proposed by Sen. Barack Obama (D-13th) would increase the penalties on gun runners who are flooding Chicago's streets with illegal weapons. At an anti-gun rally held at the Park Manor Christian Church, 600 E. 73rd St., headed by the Rev. James Demus, Obama also said he's backing a resolution being introduced into the City Council by Alds. Toni Preckwinkle (4th), Ted Thomas...

He takes aim at race-poverty link and outshines Clinton, others DETROIT -- Sen. Barack Obama is indeed a quick study. After looking surprisingly unpolished in a nationally televised forum targeting black audiences nearly two weeks ago, Obama held his own against his closest rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, at the 98th NAACP National Convention at Cobo Hall in Detroit on Thursday morning. Obama, who is pitting change against experience in the 2008 Democratic primary, got off more than a few crisp one-liners while crafting a message that at times elicited thunderous applause that drowned out some of his words, but obviously...

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama told New Hampshire voters Friday that President George W. Bush grossly misunderstands his role as commander in chief. "When President Bush says, 'I just want to give the commanders what they want, listen to the generals,' he doesn't understand how we work here in America. Civilians control the military and we are supposed to set the mission for the generals and then the generals should carry out the mission," Obama said at an outdoor town hall meeting. "The military has done all we asked. We just asked the wrong things of them....

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Calling for an end to the war, democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke in Kansas City Saturday afternoon. In his first campaign visit here, Obama spoke to a crowd of more than 1,500 people at the Downtown Marriott, hitting hard on the war, health insurance and the president. In a packed auditorium, sweltering with body heat, Obama greeted the crowd. "How's it going, Kansas City," the presidential hopeful said speaking over applause and cheers. "The day that this president steps down, the entire world will breath a sigh of relief," said attacking President Bush.

Did you see that poll about Iraq suggesting that . . . What's that? Barack Obama? Oh, sorry. According to the new rules from the American Media Practitioners Association, we're obliged to make at least one flattering reference to Barack Obama per column, preferably accompanied by that picture USA Today used with his head framed by a kind of luminous halo thing. So OK, all together now: Barack Obama! What a wonderful phrase! Barack Obama! Ain't no passin' craze! It means no worries For the rest of your days! Barack Obama announced last week that he was forming an exploratory...

Barack Hussein Obama fired back at Autralian PM John Howard today, invoking the familiar “nutroots” chickenhawk meme. Responding to Howard’s criticism of Obama’s Iraq surrender-by-May plan, Obama lashed out at Howard by minimizing the Australian troop commitment of 1400, and said that if Howard believes so strongly in the American effort, he should commit an additional 20,000 Australian troops. (I have been reminded that “stategic redeploment” does not mean “surrender”, but failing to see the difference, I have decided to continue to use my original characterization.) Perhaps Obama thinks Howard is an easy target. Given Obama’s lack of experience on...

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record), citing the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, pledged on Saturday to bridge the partisan gridlock in Washington, end the war in Iraq and transform American politics as the first black U.S. president. Launching his 2008 White House campaign outside the building in where Lincoln began his fight against slavery with a famous 1858 speech that declared "a house divided against itself cannot stand," Obama said it was time to "turn the page" to a new politics. "Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation,"...

SEN. BIDEN SHOCK INTERVIEW: OBAMA FIRST 'CLEAN' BLACK IN MAINSTREAM... 'I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy'...

Many Democrats are already eyeing him as perhaps their best hope for the White House in the 2008 presidential election campaign. Now Barack Obama, the charismatic senator with near rock-star status, has won glowing praise from another, more unlikely source. Frank Luntz, the communications strategist who has helped mastermind a string of victories for the rival Republican party, has singled him out as the politician whose oratory puts him in pole position for next year's presidential election. "His whole message is one of hope and opportunity," Mr Luntz told The Sunday Telegraph. "He comes across as a real person, and...