Free Republic

It wasn’t twenty years ago today, as the Beatles once sang – only four, to be exact (though at times, it feels like two decades). And while Donald Trump isn’t Sgt. Pepper, he has succeeded in making American march to a different beat. It was four years ago on this date that Trump did the improbable – he descended down a Trump Tower escalator and leapt into a busy Republican primary field. Some of us who follow these things for a living refused to take him seriously at the time. That includes yours truly. I thought Trump was trying to...

America doesn’t lack for superhero movies in the summer of 2019: an X-Men sequel will premiere a few days from now, followed in July by another Spiderman instalment. But what of the Democrats’ search for a superhero of their own? May I suggest: Aquaman? Here’s why the submariner seems appropriate (other than the film’s preachy environmentalism): remove former Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg from this Quinnipiac Poll of 2020 Democratic candidates and what one discovers is a field that’s “underwater” (higher negatives than positives). Biden’s numbers: 49% favorable; 39% negative. His rivals for the nomination:...

Arnold Schwarzenegger's victory in the California gubernatorial recall election was stunning. It was solid. But it was not inevitable. After getting off to a rocky start with many GOP activists, Schwarzenegger and his advisers retooled the campaign, running fiscally to the right and actively courting conservatives. As a result, observers say, he was able to motivate the party faithful as well as expand the Republican base. "He went out of his way to unify the party on conservative themes," says California Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Riverside, state chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a group that represents conservative state lawmakers....

HERE'S AN UNLIKELY recall winner: George Schwartzman. The San Diego businessman ran as an independent on Tuesday's ballot, wanting to ban cookies and soda pop from public school vending machines (child obesity is, ahem, a growing concern in California). What makes Schwartzman notable? He finished ninth in the race to replace Gray Davis--undoubtedly because the first six letters of his last name coincide with that of the governor-elect's. Let us give thanks that Tom Arnold and Arnold Ziffel sat this one out. On the day after recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger's mandate grew clearer. In a 161-candidate field (135 names on the...

The Schwarzenegger campaign is finally getting that feeling of inevitability. The only thing that could derail it would be some kind of bombshell. Oops.by Bill Whalen 10/02/2003 8:45:00 AM THIS IS THE FACE of momentum and confidence (maybe too much so), six days before an election: Arnold Schwarzenegger, standing before a few hundred fans and advisors, a few hundred yards from the state Capitol, saying what he'll do in the first 100 days after he takes the oath of governor. Not if he's elected next Tuesday--when he's elected. "We are ready to take office," the Terminator declared yesterday. "We...

Gray Davis is looking increasingly desperate. The numbers may mean that he's finally finished. ELECTIONS, like warfare, come down to turning points. And should Governor Gray Davis go down in flames a week from tomorrow, remember last Friday as the pivotal moment in California's recall election. The event was a West Hollywood rally for women voters. His guest of honor was former Texas governor Ann Richards (talk about the B-list), plus a phone call from Hillary Rodham Clinton, who tried to pump up the estrogen by predicting "California is not going to be stampeded by the same right-wingers who gave...

Arnold Speaks He's smooth and polished and comes fully equipped with wiggle room on taxes. by Bill Whalen 08/21/2003 12:00:00 AM THE TERMINATOR broke his silence Wednesday, holding a press conference in Los Angeles to talk fiscal fitness and introduce his California Economic Recovery Council advisory team. As far as opening nights go, there were no signs of jitters or stage fright. The candidate was sharp, had command of his facts, and didn't back down from reporters' questions. The press will complain that he was short on specifics--but it's gonna stay that was until Election Day. Schwarzenegger is betting that...