Pioneer Behind Grass-Roots Conservative Web Site Gets Ready to Do Battle Again (Free Republic)

AP via St. Louis Today ^ | Tuesday, November 18, 2008 | John Ellis

[kristinn]

A Democrat is poised to take the reins of power in Washington, D.C., and Fresno resident Jim Robinson is feeling a sense of deja vu.

It was President Bill Clinton's 1992 election that sparked Robinson's political activism, driving him to create a Web site that made him a grass-roots leader among conservatives before Clinton's term was over.

This year, as Barack Obama prepares to sweep into office on another tide of Democratic votes, Robinson and denizens of that Web site, freerepublic.com, are preparing to do battle again.

"We'll double and redouble our efforts to fight for what is right," Robinson says. "We've got people just spitting nails."

Free Republic, founded by Robinson in September 1996, doesn't attract much attention from the national press and is not well-known among political experts. Many of its postings have a decidedly fringe feel.

But long before Red State, Daily Kos and Little Green Footballs arrived on the Internet political scene, Free Republic was building an audience -- and becoming a formidable political force among conservatives and libertarians that is admired even by some who disagree with its political philosophy.

In a study last month by the Internet ratings firm comScore, Free Republic ranked fifth among political blogs, just behind heavyweights The Huffington Post, Politico, Drudge Report and RealClearPolitics.

[rabidralph]

So, we’re number 5 behind blogs that accept advertising? JimRob is just giving the people what they want. Congrats!

[Czar]

* ping *

[TADSLOS]

Many of its postings have a decidedly fringe feel.

Heh. I'm feelin' all fringy inside...

[Sunnyflorida]

I just hope we are as intolerant of economic liberal idiocy as we are of social liberalism. In fact, I would love to see an attack on populism.

[RDTF]

woohoo!

[eyedigress]

Thanks for the hard work Jim and John, this is the best site on the web. Thanks for the ping LUV W. :^)

[Redbob]

FR is a “blog?”

Who knew?

[LayoutGuru2]

[txhurl]

I made the mistake of leaving the house, wandering over to family’s to cook for people who watch CNN, and believe me, people, it is 1992 out there all over again.

[George from New England]

We need coordination with ham radio operators in the event of an internet shutdown. Amateur’s should start their own thread and plan for the organized relay of information using previous published frequencies.

I am an amateur license holder, but lack the skills of how to set this up at FR. I will help of course.

KJ4AQM

Free Republic may not always be here. We can’t have Jim’s dream die with an internet quarantine or censorship move.

[Recovering Hermit]

"...and is not well-known among political experts."

Bullshit.

Just a fruitless attempt to downplay the impact of FR.

[traviskicks]

A nice walk down memory lane. One very notable story was missing however....Rathergate.

[AmericanGirlRising]

Thank you Jim! I love FR and hope to be a FReeper until I’m dirt.

[My Favorite Headache]

;) Good stuff

[Matchett-PI]

Whoo Hoo! bttt

[Sun]

Call talk shows, while we still can, and hopefully the (un)”Fair”ness Doctrine will not pass, and we will continue to have that First Amendment right.

[callisto]

get us the social network tools the Left has to organize conservatives on the Internet. We can't afford to outmanned and outorganized. EVER AGAIN!

Excellent idea! I suggest a pay-for-vanities approach to facilitate raising funds to finance the endeavor. We'd get needed tools, fewer but more meaningful vanities, and less kitty bait trolling the forum.

[holly go-rightly]

has FR been offline a lot today?

[AndyJackson]

Free Republic... is not well-known among political experts.

They wish.

[444Flyer]

Continue to hold their feet to the fire Mr. Robinson.

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