Free Republic

At tonight's Hanukkah party at the White House, President Obama seemed to slip a little off script when he told party goers that "we never need an excuse for a good party." All his guests laughed. From the official White House transcript: So while it is not yet Hanukkah, let’s give thanks for our blessings, for being together to celebrate this wonderful holiday season. And we never need an excuse for a good party. (Laughter.)

San Diego, California (CNN) — When five students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, taunted Latino students by wearing T-shirts bearing the American flag on Cinco de Mayo, even though administrators had told students beforehand not to wear flag clothing that day, they caused a ruckus, divided a community and reignited the culture wars.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - President Vicente Fox apologized to those who believe he lied about rushing Cuban President Fidel Castro out of Mexico, but Mexico's foreign secretary on Thursday accused the Cuban leader of trying to blackmail Fox. Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda accused Castro of trying to blackmail Mexico into voting against a U.N. resolution targeting Cuba's human rights record - and then, after Mexico voted for it, trying to embarrass Fox by making public a private conversation between the two leaders. "It was blackmail, and the release of the conversation was revenge, a vile revenge," Castaneda told TV Azteca....