Free Republic

The Governor worries Donald Trump and Nikki Haley now won't bother to debate him in the Granite State, where he trails badly. Gov. Ron DeSantis denies that he was “petrified” by the news Chris Christie was suspending his presidential run, but he is admitting in Iowa that he would have preferred a different outcome. DeSantis wanted the former New Jersey Governor in the race to ensure a televised debate in New Hampshire actually happens, an outcome apparently in doubt now. “I wanted him to stay in because I think if he was in the WMUR debate on Thursday and I...

The death of "The Dynamite Kid" Tom Billington came on Tuesday, his 60th birthday, his health battles post-wrestling front and centre for years, proof that there was a huge price paid to be one of the most innovative, influential professional wrestlers in history. How influential was he? Even the curmudgeonly Bad News Allen Coage once gave Dynamite Kid props: "Pound for pound, Dynamite Kid was probably the best wrestler ever because you've still got these young guys today trying to emulate him in the ring. He was one of my favorites to work with. In our matches, the people just...

In the small Gulf Coast city of Victoria, Texas, there are several churches, but just one synagogue, and one mosque — at least, until the mosque mysteriously burned down on Saturday, according to the New York Times. Now, in a sense, the synagogue has become a mosque: the Jews of Victoria handed the Muslims the key to the building, so they would a place to worship while rebuilding. “Everyone knows everybody, I know several members of the mosque, and we felt for them,” said Robert Loeb, the president of Bnai Israel, which affiliates with the Reconstructionist movement. On Sunday, the...

For the upcoming presidential debate, the powers that be have chosen to go with a town hall-style set-up and two moderators. Those two mods are CNN’s Anderson Cooper and ABC’s Martha Raddatz and according to Page Six, they are beefing. Specifically, each one of them reportedly wants to be the one who hits Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump with the hard questions. Page Six reported that sources close to the two networks are describing the D.C. meetings between both networks’ producers, talent, and executives as “acrimonious at best.” Here’s the full quote: Getting the two networks together has been a...

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura thinks he and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders would make a good tag team Former Minnesota Governor and retired pro wrestler Jesse (The Body) Ventura is into Bernie Sanders. Ventura stirred up controversy last month by hinting he might be interested in serving as Donald Trump’s vice president, but the fiercely independent rabble rouser told Confidenti@l that a Sanders/Ventura ticket might be a better fit. “Would I run with Bernie? Sure, I’d give him consideration,” Ventura tells Confidenti@l, reasoning that Sanders, quickly gaining traction, is the candidate most likely to bring our troops back from the...

WASHINGTON–Sen. Ted Cruz caused a stir when he met in July with Donald Trump. But the two could be making a joint campaign appearance soon, according to The Daily Beast. The two Republican presidential candidates’ campaigns discussed holding an event together in Washington, D.C., and Trump invited Cruz on his trip to the border, a Trump insider told the website. While other candidates have denounced Trump’s controversial comments on immigration and Sen. John McCain--including former Gov. Rick Perry–Cruz defended the real estate mogul. “One of the reasons you’re seeing so many 2016 candidates go out of their way to smack...

In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Herman Cain said a new accuser would be coming forward to accuse him of having a 13-year affair with him. No links yet as the story is currently breaking and details are still being released. Apparentally a Georgia TV station has the exclusive.

SUPERCHEF Mario Batali has taken to wearing a "Dem tag" around his neck to express his disdain for President Bush. The culinary king says that every waiter and maitre d' at his crown jewel, Babbo, also wears the tags, which are inscribed with various anti-Bush slogans. "My favorite one says, 'President Cheney?'" Batali told us. "Everyone's wearing them at Babbo. We don't have one fence-sitter." The left-leaning chef says he has a "big box" of the necklaces - made by his friend, designer Corrine Calesso - that he plans to pass out at his eateries Otto and Lupa. "I'm voting...

The new "taglines" after people's usernames are really distracting to me. Is it the intense pressure to think up something too cute? Is it the odd little eye-pulling font that makes it less comfortable to read the article? I can't say for sure. It just doesn't seem to detract from the message board format, at least for me. Does anyone else think so? I love FR but find this new tagline thing a little annoying. Maybe Jim could give us the option to view or not view taglines as part of our user preferences.