http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/ar-gop/ en-us Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:18:11 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2183666/posts The Arkansas House on Wednesday approved a bill allowing concealed handguns in churches, despite hearing arguments that lawmakers should put their faith in God, not guns. The bill, which passed on a 57-42 vote and now heads to the Senate, removes churches and other houses of worship from the list of places where concealed handguns are banned. Currently, the only private entities where concealed weapons are banned are churches and bars. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, said she introduced the measure after a series of church shootings across the country. She said it would be up to each... The Oregonian / The Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2183666/posts#comment Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:18:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2131190/posts But now, in its current configuration, President Obama doesn't have a vote to spare, which means Arkansas' own Sen. Blanche Lincoln will be forced to cast some very unpopular votes. She will no longer be able to straddle the ideological fence between a Republican administration and her own party. Lincoln would have been vulnerable heading into 2010 regardless of the outcome of the presidential contest, but with her party taking a decidedly left-of-center approach, many state and national Republicans believe Arkansas could be a GOP pick-up. With respect to the other chamber of Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's majority is... The Afkansas News Bureau http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2131190/posts#comment Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:44:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2060300/posts There’s speculation on the US site, VP Watch, this evening that Barack Obama might be considering the former general and 2004 contender for the presidential nomination - Wes Clarke - for the VP slot. This is the report: “Gen. Wes Clark’s slogan — “Securing America’s Future” — is the theme for the night Barack Obama’s running mate is scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention. Clark’s political action committee is called WESPAC — Securing America’s Future. It could just be a coincidence. After all, Clark appeared to dash his hopes of running with Obama in late June when he... Political Betting http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2060300/posts#comment Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:50:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1971549/posts The state GOP chairman says a Little Rock health care executive who lost the Republican primary for an Arkansas congressional seat in 2006 is considering running against Democratic Senator Mark Pryor. Tom Formicola of Little Rock is forming an exploratory committee for a potential run against Pryor, who is seeking a second term in November and has not yet drawn any major party opponents. Dennis Milligan, chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said Formicola approached him after Milligan initially said he thought the GOP would be unable to field a candidate against Pryor. Milligan provided copies of a statement... WREG TV Channel 13 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1971549/posts#comment Sat, 16 Feb 2008 21:12:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1961215/posts Via the folks at the Trinity Foundation/Wittenburg Door, there is a report that GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee reached out to televangelist Kenneth Copeland for some fundraising help. Copeland is one of several televangelists under investigation by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and a proponent of the so-called "prosperity gospel." Trinity cites a blog post by former George H.W. Bush staffer Doug Wead to the effect that Huckabee called Copeland during a ministers' conference last week that Copeland was hosting. Wead reports: "Copeland, carefully observing all the laws governing non profits, as a private citizen, re-convened a private meeting, turned... The Ledger http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1961215/posts#comment Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:40:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1960596/posts Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, polling a distant fourth in the upcoming Florida primaries, continued to attack former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, while offering implicit support for his other rival, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in his appearance on "Fox News Sunday." When asked to take sides on a dispute between Romney and McCain over whether the former Massachusetts governor called for a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq last April, Huckabee sided squarely with McCain. “Dishonest? I’ve never seen John McCain say something that is just blatantly untrue,” Huckabee said. Huckabee later praised McCain, saying “we have a civil approach to... Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1960596/posts#comment Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:38:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1959748/posts That's the name of a new anti-Huckabee web site started by former Thompson staffer Darrel Ng. Jonathan Martin has more on the site: Now that his candidate is out of the race, one Thompson staffer has gone the next stop and is actively working against Huck. Sorta. Darrel Ng, perhaps the heartiest and most dogged of Thompson's aides and somebody who logged many a mile on the Fred bus, has launched a website called "Boycott Chuck Norris." Yup, Ng now wants people to show their disregard for Huck by not patronizing any companies that use Norris as a pitchman. The... Real Clear Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1959748/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:21:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1954945/posts Oh boy one has to believe that Huckabee will be getting some blow-back from this. These push polls have even brought out the South Carolina Attorney General to make this statement: “Last evening the Associated Press reported that that an out-of-state special interest group, Common Sense Issues, had launched a massive push polling effort disparaging John McCain and other candidates for president. In their push poll, Common Sense Issues makes several misleading claims regarding John McCain’s record.“Allow me to set the record straight. In the U.S. Senate, John McCain has been an unwavering voice for the rights of the unborn.... NW Republican http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1954945/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:45:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948781/posts Apparently, small government Republicans [Huckabee’s] aides are wary of New Hampshire. “It’s all no tax, no government there,” said Bob Wickers, a top strategist. “It’s not ideal.” But they believe that the message of economic anxiety that he preaches will help in Michigan’s primary on Jan. 15 and in states in the South, which have high poverty rates in addition to strong groups of social conservatives.” Mike Huckabee is skipping New Hampshire because it’s too fiscally conservative. Instructive, yes? Huckabee’s brand of identity politics is as dangerous as anyone else’s - after nearly eight years of a fiscally liberal Republican... Moore Thoughts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948781/posts#comment Sat, 5 Jan 2008 16:27:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948186/posts Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is already attacking the politician who appears to be his chief rival in New Hampshire, Arizona Sen. John McCain. On MSNBC's Morning Joe, Romney attempted to spin the Iowa caucuses as a defeat for John McCain, lumping McCain with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton as the big losers. "The Washington insiders are being rejected," Romney said. Romney placed a distant second to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. McCain and Fred Thompson were in a virtual tie for third. Romney continued to say that placing ahead of big-name candidates Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and McCain in Iowa... The Turner Report http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948186/posts#comment Fri, 4 Jan 2008 13:00:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948063/posts Ed Rollins is a nasty, nasty piece of work. Here he was tonight on Fox News: Rollins: The wise men like you who say Huckabee doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in heck - well, he can still go out and take his message to the people. And we’ve seen all the wisdom doesn’t live in Washington, and all the wisdom doesn’t live in the press corps.” Wallace: You can accuse me of a lot of things, but I would note we’ve had Mike Huckabee on Fox News Sunday several times— Rollins: —and we’re very grateful for the opportunity to take... The Sundries Shack http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1948063/posts#comment Fri, 4 Jan 2008 04:11:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1947519/posts Johnny Dollar’s got the video of that irascible Ed Rollins shooting off his mouth. Nothing serious. Usually when Rollins shoots off his mouth he finds himself in the unemployment line or wounding the candidate he alleges to support with friendly fire. The Man Who Helped Reagan Win 49 States ™ indeed. Yea. Take “Reagan” out of that bio and what’s left of Vallejo’s finest? Ed Rollins - guiding the gay, yet somehow married to Arianna, Michael Huffington to Senate defeat? The mastermind behind billionaire Ross Perot’s Presidency? Claiming that he bribed black ministers to suppress the black vote to help... Six Meat Buffet http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1947519/posts#comment Thu, 3 Jan 2008 04:30:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1946085/posts David Yepsen has a horrifically bad column in the Sunday Des Moines Register. In it, he distills each candidate down to the usual cliches of the leftist/"centrist" newspaper agenda: Mike Huckabee The former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister has soared in the GOP race following his second-place finish in the Iowa Republican straw poll in August. He has rallied party social and religious conservatives as well as supporters of a big national sales tax to replace the income tax. He's a witty speaker and an affable politician whose criticisms of the nation's economic policies sound a lot like the populist... State 29 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1946085/posts#comment Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:24:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1944586/posts Breaking with tradition for presidential candidates, Mike Huckabee is continuing to accept paid speaking engagements in the thick of his insurgent presidential campaign, although churches get a break from his usual fee of up to $25,000. It's not surprising that Huckabee, as a former Arkansas governor who has wowed audiences in debates, would charge for speeches. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, one of Huckabee's rivals for the nomination, made a fortune doing just that. But Giuliani and other major candidates have put their paid speaking careers completely on hold to focus on the flurry of early nominating contests. Huckabee,... The Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1944586/posts#comment Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:53:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943430/posts Somebody in the Huckabee camp made the mistake of insulting the leader of the conservative movement in the U.S., Rush Limbaugh. Rush responded on Friday's show and basically ripped the Huckabee camp a well-deserved new one. Whoever made the original comments clearly has not been paying attention. Some are questioning whether the Huckabee campaign can survive the shellacking it got on Friday's program. Huckabee is trying to stop the bleeding: SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The best-talking Republican politician in America has a message for the best-talking conservative voice in the country: Let's talk to one another. Mike Huckabee, taking questions... Holy Coast http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943430/posts#comment Sun, 23 Dec 2007 06:04:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943393/posts After reading this question that was posed to Fred Thompson and his answer, I can't help but think it's a shame that he's not doing better in the campaign (h/t Instapundit): AKD: What will you do for the farmers of Bremer County? FT: (laughs) AKD: You knew this was coming, right? FT: I would continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor. I’ve been looking all over Iowa for a bad steak and I can’t find it. Been trying my best. It’s not a matter of what I would do for the farmers. Farmers are not looking for a president... Holy Coast http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943393/posts#comment Sun, 23 Dec 2007 02:40:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943367/posts Mike Huckabee is still supporting illegal immigration: So what happened to Tom Tancredo’s Iowa supporters after his ‘big announcement’ earlier this week? We know that the former-candidate threw his support behind Mitt Romney, but on Friday Tancredo’s Iowa state chairman Bill Salier announced that he was supporting Fred Thompson. And while riding through Muscatine on the Huckabus this week, Mike Huckabee was confronted by a very well informed former Tancredo staffer who argued with the Iowa frontrunner over the issue of immigration. Deb Miller described herself as “looking” for a candidate after her old boss dropped out of the race,... PoliPundit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1943367/posts#comment Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1942974/posts Almost as I'd thought. The endorsement of Rep. King has begun having an impact in the Iowa poll numbers and the Thompson campaign is on the move according to this latest Strategic Vision poll. - Huckabee -31% - Romney - 25% - Thompson - 16% The anomaly in this poll right now is Huckabee (another post on that later) who when this poll was taken was at 31%. I have not heard the entire show, however the internet is abuzz with Rush's cremation of Huckabee (and for good reason...again more on that later). Huckabee's numbers are going to plummet down... The NW Republican http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1942974/posts#comment Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:24:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1942944/posts Yesterday the news was full of a new poll showing Mitt Romney coming from nowhere to tie Rudy Giuliani for first place among Republicans nationally. The surprising NBC/Wall Street Journal poll,conducted between Dec. 14 and Dec. 16, showed Romney and Giuliani with 20% each, Huckabee with 17%, and the resurgent John McCain with 14%. Combine that with an Insider Advantage poll taken on Dec. 16 and Dec 17 showing Romney recapturing the lead in Iowa,with 28% to Huckabee's 25, and a Rasmussen Poll taken on Dec. 17, showing Huckabee's Iowa lead over Romney cut to only one per cent, and... Watersblogged http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1942944/posts#comment Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:19:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1941083/posts Stick a fork in him: With fewer than 20 days until the Iowa caucuses, three men in the Republican Party stand to get their tickets punched out of the Hawkeye State. While everything is still in flux, those likely winners will be Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson. Notably missing out on Iowa’s political rocket fuel is national frontrunner Rudy Giuliani. While most political insiders and pundits have known for months that Giuliani had no plans to compete in Iowa, the general American electorate probably does not. Known to not pay attention to the early political pontificating, the average... Politik Ditto http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1941083/posts#comment Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:12:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1940478/posts That's right Huckbots, while Brian Pickrell does not rule out a Huckabee win, he claims that the race is really between Fred and Mitt. As a supporter of Mr. Thompson, I'll live with Mitt as well. According to Pickrell... I find it hard to believe that Huckabee is actually leading in the polls here in Iowa. Every person I spoke with told me that they’re supporting Romney or Thompson and that everyone they knew or worked with (who are also Republicans) feels the same way. None of them have even considered Huckabee as a serious choice. It could be a... Red State http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1940478/posts#comment Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:01:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1940024/posts Yesterday I posed a question to Governor Huckabee about whether his new immigration proposal punishes children for the actions of their parents - something he decried just weeks ago in an exchange with Mitt Romney. Here's the response I received last night from Governor Huckabee: "Under my Secure America plan, immigrants and their families here illegally would have to return to their home countries. "Because we are talking about a policy that has profound implications for people's lives, I suspect that some people will attempt to use these hard cases to discredit the idea that anything can be done about... Real Clear Politics Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1940024/posts#comment Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:28:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1938534/posts In an obvious effort to diminish Huck, Fred gets off a line he wants Iowans to chew on in the weeks ahead: Citing a face-off with America's enemies, Thompson asks: "Who do you want sitting on our side representing you? "That ought to be who you elect president." Then, in an attempt to put his foot down on debate silliness, he refused to play along on the raise-your-hand-if line of questioning on global warming. "I’m not doing handshows today," Thompson said to applause. Not offered a full minute to respond, Thompson said, "Well, then I'm not going to answer it."... The Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1938534/posts#comment Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:33:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1938016/posts Huckabee’s opinion on gay marriage is out there, but we should also be publicizing Huckabee’s opinions on heterosexual marriage. Specifically, what he believes about a women’s role in a marriage. In August of 1998, Huckabee was one of 131 signatories to a full page USA Today Ad which declared: “I affirm the statement on the family issued by the 1998 Southern Baptist Convention.” What was in the family statement from the SBC? “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ.” Read on… The... Crooks and Liars http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1938016/posts#comment Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:18:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1937686/posts A quick note about my various Huckabee postings. As many (most) readers know, I am supporting Fred Thompson in the Republican primary (and wrote an article explaining why in NRODT). This is not the reason why I have been posting so much that is critical of Huckabee, however. Rather, I find Huckabee's record and various positions to be particularly problematic, far more so than any of the other candidates. (Note I have not been posting items critical of the other candidates, even though I prefer Fred.) In my view, Huckabee is a big government populist liberal, not a conservative. In... The National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1937686/posts#comment Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:48:02 GMT