Free Republic

President-elect Barack Obama brought in nearly $750 million for his presidential campaign, a record amount that exceeds what all of the candidates combined collected in private donations in the previous race for the White House, according to a report filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission. Underscoring the success of his fund-raising, Obama reported that he had nearly $30 million in the bank as of Nov. 24, despite spending furiously at the end of his campaign.

----------------------------------------------------DEMOCRATS NOT TO BLAME?  NONSENSE ! About Nancy Pelosi.  She says the Democrats share absolutely none of the blame for the current financial goings-on.  She's wrong.  In fact, she's lying because she knows her statement to be untrue ... here's your primer:    1.  Almost all of the financial problems we see today are based on bad mortgage lending.  That would be lending money to people to buy homes who didn't qualify for a loan.    2.  The Democrats, under Clinton, strengthened a government-created monster called the "Community Reinvestment Act."  This law was then used by "activists" and "community organizers" (like Obama?)...

Obama prides himself as being a community organizer. This may sound benign but it isn't when done according to Shaul Alinksy's playbook. Alinsky preached seizing power by any means. We see those means in the work of ACORN. We see them in Obama refusing to discuss the past truthfully or allow any one else to do so. Everyone who knew him is mum. For Obama, no lie is too big. Deny, deny, deny. Here is the latest outrage. Secret Service says "Kill him" allegation unfounded. This fits in totally with the Alinsky playbook. Now we learn of another success by...

Americans Are About To Make a Mistake As someone born in Ecuador with friends and relatives in Latin America, I’m terrified watching how people in the United States are being manipulated just like people in Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador to put a Marxist in power. The similarities between Rafael Correa’s campaign for president of Ecuador and that of Obama for U.S. president are amazing. Correa had no experience but was young, charismatic and had good speaking skills. Correa’s slogans were the same as Obama’s: CHANGE, YES WE CAN, etc. Informed Ecuadorians were not able to convince their clueless...

WASHINGTON -- How is it that Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has been damaged badly by this financial crisis while the Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, is presenting himself successfully as a financial genius capable of working Christ's miracle of the loaves and fishes on our economy? The financial markets froze up because the Democrats prevailed on mortgage lenders -- mainly Freddie Mac and Fannie Mac -- to relax standards against thitherto unqualified property buyers. They did it out of an ideological commitment to their thesis that poor people living in private homes would be better citizens. It...

The American people have lost faith in their government. You can tell this by looking at Wall Street. The approval ratings for Congress swings between 9-13 percent. Congress passed a 850-billion dollar "rescue" package and the stock market fell another 800 points. We have "nationalized" the home mortgage business. Uncle Sam now controls this industry, for better or worse, and I’m betting it’s for the worse. When Congress nationalizes the health care industry, expect to get the same results. No wonder Americans don’t trust big government. ----- Snip Capitalism did not cause the problems we are facing today. Had the...

Fox just interviewed Stanley Kurtz. Kurtz claimed a documented, direct link between Obama's training ACORN criminals and the mortgage disaster as ACORN was the largest gang in forcing the banks to make the bad loans. Obama was ACORN's principal trainer in Illinois. My question: where is McCain? He could run ads proving this link and destroy Obama's candidacy. He isn't.

Former Reagan diplomat Alan Keyes commented Sept. 23 on the federal government's bailout of mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The former Assistant Secretary of State, currently running for president as an independent, said the bailout plan as proposed by the Bush administration would effectively transform our nation into "a socialist society." The following is the text of Keyes' statement: What I have to say about the bailout is that, with a concrete proposal on the table, it becomes much more obvious what is actually going on right now, and I think that we have to confront it. And...

Meet Obama's new Bill Ayers associate Ex-communist leader tied to terrorist eliminated from campaign website Posted: September 14, 2008 8:20 pm Eastern By Aaron Klein © 2008 WorldNetDaily Mike Klonsky JERUSALEM – The official campaign website of Sen. Barack Obama has completely scrubbed a series of user-generated blog postings on the candidate's site by a former top communist activist who is an associate of former Weathermen terrorist leader William Ayers. The move has raised questions regarding Obama's relationship with the deleted blogger, Mike Klonsky, who runs an education organization that was founded by Ayers and that received a substantial grant...

Republican presidential running mates John McCain and Sarah Palin roared into Virginia yesterday in their first appearance together in this vital battleground state. Sans their opponent’s usual big-name band opening act to pull in crowds, the McCain-Palin rally drew an estimated 23,000 or more from across Virginia. Crowds packed into a hot and humid Van Dyke Park in Fairfax City to cheer for their candidates. According to the campaign press office, this was the largest McCain-Palin rally to date. Sen. Fred Thompson fired up the crowd as the lead-in to the main event with red meat jabs at the media,...

Posted at MommyLife this morning - a forwarded letter from Sarah Palin's hometown: Sarah Palin is the US's answer to Margaret Thatcher! Anyone who thinks she cannot handle the job or deal briskly and efficiently with ANY issue, including foreign governments ... well, they haven't met our Sarah . As an Alaskan resident as well as a resident of Wasilla, AK, where Sarah Palin was at one time Mayor ... I can speak with confidence. Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska is exactly what she portrayed during her introduction this morning and exactly what our US Government needs. She is ethical...

Barack Obama: The first metrosexual candidate for President of the United States Feet and shoes take center place in Andy Martin's web-footed analysis of the left's effort to demonize Senator John McCain "Factually Correct, Not Politically Correct" AMERICA'S #1 POLITICAL BLOG ON THE 2008 CAMPAIGN ------------------------------------------------------------- We're not always first because we're #1; We're #1 because we are always first. ------------------------------------------------------------- BARACK OBAMA SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN'S FEET, OR HE RISKS GETTING THE BOOT FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE COMMENTS BY KEITH OLBERMANN DO GET THE BOOT FROM ANDY MARTIN METROSEXUAL DEMOCRAT OBAMA SHOULD TREAD LIGHTLY ON MCCAIN'S...

David Petraeus was diplomatic in his choice of words, and careful to honor the primacy of civilian authority over the military. But the commanding general of multi-lateral forces in Iraq has left little doubt that if a new president wanted to withdraw from Iraq faster than would reflect Petraeus's considered military opinion, he'd be happy to go home to his family. ABC's Bill Weir interviewed the Gen. Petraeus as part of a Good Morning America special today marking the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. The opening segment focused almost exclusively on the costs of the war. Some producer...

Every campaign cycle, you hear complaints that this is the dirtiest campaign ever. Modern campaigns, disgusting as they sometimes get, would have a long way to go to beat some elections in the early days of the Republic. But this one has featured a number of flat-out dishonest tricks. John McCain has always been ethically challenged. In Florida, McCain's campaign was making calls to voters accusing Mitt Romney of supporting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, even though Romney had said on national television that if such a timetable came to him, he would veto it. When talk radio played...

It appears that Senator Clinton's war machine wants her to be tough down the strectch. She continued to invoke Senater Barack Obama's name when she was asked questions about her vote to authorize the war in Iraq. When she was asked questions about personal mistakes she accused the Bush Administration of lying to the American people. In this situation the buck stops on the laps of all of her political enemies. She also blamed Obama's camp for the comment she made about Martin Luther King.

Black Leaders Question Remark - Clinton Defends Obama Comment WASHINGTON (Jan. 12) - The Clinton campaign moved Friday to try to quell a potentially damaging reaction to recent comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that have drawn criticism from African-Americans just as the presidential primary campaign reached Southern states with significant numbers of black voters. In a call on Friday to Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated talk radio show, Mr. Clinton said that his "fairy tale" comment on Monday about Senator Barack Obama’s position on the Iraq war was being misconstrued, and that he was talking only about the...

The news media in the Granite State of New Hampshire have been covering the New Hampshire Primary from stump speech to stump speech. There is no doubt that this is one of the most thrilling elections in recent memory on both the Republican and Democratic side. eNews References: Amherst Citizen Bedford Bulletin Bedford Journal Neighbourhood News Berlin Reporter Bow Times Eagle Times Weekly Flea Colebrook Chronicle News and Sentinel Northern New Hampshire Magazine Concord Mirror Concord Monitor Conway Daily Sun Mountain Ear Derry News Dover Community News Foster's Daily Democrat MSNBC Foster's Daily Democrat New Hampshire Exeter News Letter MSNBC...

Senator Hillary Clinton has hit the ground on the attack, but her problem is 40% percent of New Hampshire voters are independent and nonaligned. The have been packing into everyone of Obama’s events at this point. And if this movement continues, Clinton loses big in this state.

In the United States of America an Afro-American candidate has won in a state that is 95% white based on his message of uniting the country around core middle class values. The numbers of participants in the Caucuses around Iowa indicated people are captivated about the message of changing politics as we know it.

Hillary Clinton is showing third according to the Zogby/Reuters/C-Span poll. If Hillary Clinton pulls in third in this race then she has to face the possibility of going into New Hampshire to face Obama with a great deal of momentum or Edwards from possible victors in Iowa.

Here is what the media is saying in Iowa: Ackley World Journal Dallas County News Akron Hometowner Albia Newspapers Albia Union Republican Monroe County News Algona Upper Des Moines Reminder Weekend Express Butler County Tribune Journal Altoona Herald Mitchellville Index Ames Tribune Iowa State Daily Story County Advertiser Atlantic News-Telegraph KJAN Audubon County Advocate Journal Bedford Times-Press Belle Plaine Union Belmond Independent MSNBC Quad City Times South Benton Star-Press Bloomfield Democrat Boone News Republican Britt News Tribune Hawk Eye MSNBC Hawk Eye Carroll Today Cedar Rapids Gazette KCRG KGAN WMT Daily Iowegian Chariton Herald Patriot Chariton Leader Chariton Newspapers Charles...

According to a just released Quinnipiac Poll Clinton has overwhelming leads in the early states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania among registered voters. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is also enjoying a termendous lead due to name recognition and the fact that candidates have not launched a battle in those states focusing their resources in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

If you compare 2004 with 2008 discussions, I think you’ll find a greater degree of dialogue around the race question in the ’08 race. There is a fear among of civil rights leaders in Obama’s candidacy and it ability to usher in a new era of how Afro American’s view themselves and more importantly how they perceive their place in America.

Senator Barack Obama quickly issued a statement saying, “The juxtaposition of this N.I.E. with the president’s suggestion of World War III serves as an important reminder of what we learned with the 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq,” said Senator Barack Obama Democrat of Illinois, in a statement. “Members of Congress must carefully read the intelligence before giving the president any justification to use military force.”

Senator Hillary Clinton’s latest attacks on Senator Barack Obama indicates that her war room has reasoned that she needs to draw Obama into a ugly fist match to erode his support in Iowa to possibly squeeze out a victory or a John Edwards win in the heartland would be better than a Obama victory coming to New Hampshire and South Carolina.

It seems as though the Clinton war machine is geared up to go after the likeability and ethical reform message of Senator Obama. Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s Communications Director, called on Obama to shut down the Hopefund and alledged Obama violated FEC Rules on the CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’ Show on Sunday and stated, “There’s a lot that voters don’t know about Barack Obama,” Wolfson said. “And one thing they don’t know, we found out this week, which is that he has been using and operating a so-called leadership PAC, an apparent contravention of campaign finance laws, taking in money from...

Hillary Clinton has made potentially damaging charges about Barack Obama's Political Action Committee, HopeFund in the most recent round of attacks. Hillary Clinton is alleging Obama used funds to directly influence politicians in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

On July 7, 2004 Jim Lehrer of the News Hour interviewed Bill Clinton at length about the war in Iraq, Monica Lewinsky, the Starr investigation and many other subjects. President Clinton was careful in his answers regarding the Iraq war. He even bolsters Obama’s election by saying that a first term Senator from North Carolina was more experienced than President George W. Bush when he ran for president.

Every time I hear the media ask is America ready I cringe. The fact that an Black Presidential candidate has made it this far leading in the polls is one of the greatest indicators that America is ready! Jackson and Sharpton might not be but America is.

For too long Americans have been told to let Washington deal with Washington, or on the stump candidates give that sheepish smile as though our questions are too simple. Ten years down the road we have to look back on this period and know that we got it right.

Governor Mike Huckabee returned every blow effectively in last night’s debate. Being knighted with front runner status at this stage in the election gives him even more room for mobility as the other contenders stand at his heels. Huckabee has become likable in Iowa and that is what Romney’s camp fear the most.

Now that he’s not a blip on the radar, but has the potential to pull an amazing upset and head to NH with a lot of steam, he will walk out on the stage with a target on the back of his blazer. He will have to keep a watchful eye in multiple directions from the likes of Romney and Thompson, both vying for the authentic conservative nod in the Hawkeye State.

Along comes an opponent like Barack Obama, a candidate who seems to be willing to govern to both the common “weal” and will. Voters are looking for candidates who are not looking past them, but candidates who are willing to give straight answers to some of the toughest questions in the history of this great country.

The Clinton War Machine has launched its first strategic strike on her opponents in New Hampshire of late. In terms of signage she’s ahead of the pack. On a quick drive to the super market I noticed at lot of lawns with more than one sign and some with three. Small businesses have the larger eye-catching variety.

Michelle Obama has been invited to make an appearance on the view and hopefully they’ll trap her into calling Hillary Clinton a name and expressing some of the angsts the two camp have for each other. There has been a lot of fighting going on between the two camps under the radar of late and maybe…just maybe she’ll slip and say something controversial.

Former Senator John Edwards candicacy is riding on Iowa more than any other candidate. If he doesn’t make it of Iowa on top or at the very least with a strong second place finish his chances are doomed. Part of his strategy was hitting Senator Clinton hard while ignoring Senator Barack Obama. In the end, this will turn out to be one of the most fatal mistakes in this race.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton didn't waste anytime going at it again with Hillary standing her ground and doing better in demonstrating the reason why she is the perennial front runner in the race for the White House. She stated they're not going after her because she's a woman, but they're doing it because she's winning.

The media's fascination with Obama's story. As much as Obama like to say he's not well known around the country, he's doing a much better job than an anyone could have hoped for with his short term in the US Senate. The reason why is that major media love his story and they are energized around the possibility of the first major Black ("clean") candidate going after the establishment. And some are even mystified about an Afro-American leading the nation.

In five days most Americans will begin enjoying their long Labor Day weekend - the traditional end of summer - in the usual way: barbecuing, a final trip to the beach and watching sport. A strange group of nearly 20, however, will fan out across Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the presidential nominating process. They will trudge through cornfields and scamper from diners to town halls and school gymnasiums. They will lavish praise on their audiences and tell voters in each state - two of the whitest and least populated in America - why they are...

RUDY'S 'ARMY' August 24, 2007 -- Military veterans are ready to salute Rudy Giuliani as their next commander-in-chief - but treat Hillary Rodham Clinton like a private. Giuliani is the most popular presidential candidate among vets and Clinton is the most unpopular, according to a Gallup poll released yesterday. ********************* While popular among all vets, Giuliani faces a tough battle for the military vote in a Republican primary. He gets 28 percent of the vote, compared to 25 percent for unannounced candidate Fred Thompson.

American history is replete with examples of the best candidate for political office not being chosen. Our history also shows several examples of candidates thought sure to be losing actually winning, once the votes are counted. In the case of the former, we have been strapped with less qualified candidates obtaining office and giving us a lackluster performance or scandalous conduct, dragging the country through the mud of their less than honorable performance while in office. Some have even ended up in jail or resigning office amid scandal. The highest office in the land and in the free world is...

Even while former senator and Law & Order actor Fred Thompson hasn't officially started his bid for the White House, his online presence would make you think that there isn't even a question. Thompson's website ( http://www.imwithfred.com ) is multifaceted, enabling users, for example, to find their local media to contact newspapers and talk radio to show support. Thompson launched a YouTube channel on May 15 featuring not clips from his popular TV show but videos of speeches and one from an appearance with Tim Russert on Meet the Press. His social networking presence is also growing, with more and...

Jerry Falwell will be remembered as a man who strongly believed in his ideas and core values and acted upon them by dedicating his life. In the days when many politicians and leaders are putting their fingers to the wind maybe some of them will look at Falwell's example.

One thing is for certain, Senator Clinton might not have defined the politics of late, but when you track her story from Park Ridge, Illinois Clinton has been most adept at understanding the best and worst of modern politics. Lately she has been using this knowledge to sway the most core constituents of the Democratic base to raise her numbers in the latest polls.

Is Barack Obama ready for the cut-throat nature of a Presidential campaign? The scrutiny that he takes on the campaign circuits will be nothing in comparison to Al-Qaeda.

Romney the politician, businessman and family man has accrued a great deal of wealth in his lifetime because he is smart, articulate and intelligent.

Will history write that Bush was the right leader for this period? The pages are still being written. Bush did not exude the optimism, but as the candidates line up to replace him, will he be credited for the tough and forward thinking of the battle against terror?

The John Edwards campaign took a huge hit today, and it was delivered by The Washington Post. In a long piece today, The Post reports that Edwards, whose 28,000-square-foot home has not kept him from a campaign based on advocacy for the poor, worked at a major hedge fund whose main business was the subprime loan market that has exploited the poor. The subprime mortgage market is how credit-risky homebuyers get a loan. Often these are people close to poor or actually defined as poor. Edwards has repeatedly bashed the subprime loan business as exploiting the poor. Now he says...

Man's best friend knows...instinctively

As captured on a DVD he distributed to guests, Jinnah introduced Clinton, whose political action committee would take in $45,000 through his efforts. "I'm just recalling how close I've been with the Clinton family and those nights, movies, dinners, lunches in the White House," he said in unsteady English. Clinton, beaming, warmly thanked Jinnah and noted that he had been among the first well-wishers to call her husband, Bill, after his recent heart surgery.