Free Republic

The Subprime home mortgage collapse...a Primer. It's ALL about the CRA of 1977 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977 - This required banks to offer credit throughout their entire market area for “underserved” populations and small businesses. The CRA gave incentives to help low income borrowers become “home owners”. Liberals call this group “low income borrowers”. Conservatives call them a RISK!The CRA was passed by the Carter administration. In 1995 the Clinton administration authorized subprime loans under the CRA. Democrats added these provisions for the securitization of subprime loans and then ENFORCED the lending to high risk individuals. By 2000,...

Why We Ran the "Godless" Ad—And What I'd Do Differently In the final week of the 2008 election, Sen. Elizabeth Dole’s campaign aired a television ad that would be one of the most controversial of the year. The ad criticized our opponent, Kay Hagan, for attending a fundraising event in her honor at the home of two well-known atheists. One was a founding member of the Godless Americans PAC. Many in the media, especially on the liberal side, were quick to point to the ad and claim it backfired, costing Dole the election. Nothing could be further from the truth....

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen.-elect Kay Hagan this afternoon dismissed her lawsuit against the woman she defeated, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, over an advertisement that Hagan said attacked her personal faith. Dole, a Republican, had launched an ad in the last week of the campaign tying Hagan to a political action group called "Godless Americans" that promotes the separation of church and state. The advertisement ended with a photo of Hagan and another woman’s voice saying, "There is no God." Hagan, a Democrat, attended a fundraiser in August at the Boston home of a couple who is active in the group. The...

The voting shift in this nation is largely about two dynamics: safe seats and the Carolina blues. To get a really good close-up glimpse of what demographic problems the Republican Party is facing in the national electorate, one has to look no further than the North Carolina Senate race lost by Elizabeth Dole. The loss by Dole was not simply a result of the headwinds (self-inflicted as they were) that all GOP candidates faced in 2008, though that was a factor. The Dole loss was more than that. Dole lost a senate seat held by Republicans since 1972. Dole lost...

Just said Liddy Dole lost

This is the discussion thread for North Carolina results. Post important news and info here; I'll make new posts for the final results of the major races here, but in the meantime, this is where we can sweat and celebrate. Some of the major races other than McCain-Obama, for interested outsiders... Governor: Pat McCrory (R, 13 year mayor of Charlotte) v Beverly Perdue (D, Lt. Governor) Senate: Elizabeth Dole (R, Inc) v Kay Hagan (D, state senator) Lt. Governor: Robert Pittenger (R, state senator) v Walter Dalton (D, state senator) 8th US House District: Robin Hayes (R, inc) v Larry...

Two minutes and thirty seconds is all it takes to see why you need to support Elizabeth Dole. Two minutes and thirty seconds is really all it takes to watch this: What is it? It documents Kay Hagan's ties to the Godless America PAC. Godless America PAC is a legitimate organization that denies there is any such thing as God. They want to remove "In God We Trust" from our currency. They want to remove God from the Pledge of Allegiance. They even, no kidding, want to get rid of Christmas as a federal holiday. Seriously. And one of their...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Will he or won't he? Vice President Dick Cheney is one of the nation's most prominent Republicans, but there are doubts about whether he will attend the GOP convention. ... Separately, at least five Republican senators have decided to skip the GOP convention. Sens. Gordon Smith of Oregon, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine all face tough re-election campaigns. Two others, Wayne Allard of Colorado and Larry Craig of Idaho, are retiring.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and state Senator Kay Hagan (D-Guilford) are in a statistical dead heat according to the latest poll released by the Civitas Institute. Of the 800 likely general election voters surveyed, 45 percent support Senator Dole while 43 percent support her challenger, Democrat Kay Hagan. Twelve percent were undecided. “The national tide against Republican incumbents is definitely hurting Senator Dole right now,” said Francis DeLuca, Executive Director of the Civitas Institute. “It appears some of the cross-over appeal to Democrats and Unaffiliated voters she enjoyed six years ago is eroding.” Click here for full results and...

In an election for United States Senator from North Carolina today, 24 weeks to Election Day, incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole narrowly edges Democrat Kay Hagan, 50% to 46%, according to this SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for WTVD-TV in Raleigh.

Democrat Kay Hagan, a state senator from Greensboro, easily won the Democratic Primary last Tuesday night and starts the general election campaign essentially tied with incumbent Senator Elizabeth Dole. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in North Carolina Hagan attracting 48% of the vote statewide while Dole earns support from 47%. A month ago, Dole led Hagan by thirteen percentage points. Hagan currently leads by three points among women while Dole wins by three among men. Hagan leads among voters under 50 while Dole leads among older voters. Both candidates are popular with the state voters—at least before the campaign...

Click Here For More News Links, Photos and a Re-Broadcast of the Commissioning Ceremony The USS North Carolina was Commissioned today at Wilmington, NC. Linda Bowman, who sponsored the submarine and christened it in April 2007, sent the crew running from the back of the audience onto the submarine. "You are a team and ready to go forth and defend this country," Bowman told the crew. "My hope is that she will sail in peace to keep us free. My assurance is that she will always be ready to defend that freedom whenever necessary. "Officers and crew of the...

The U.S. Senate race in North Carolina also features two prominent women: the Republican incumbent, Elizabeth Dole, and her would-be challenger, Democrat Kay Hagan of Greensboro. Hagan, a powerful state legislator, is running against investment banker Jim Neal for the Democratic nomination and the chance to face Dole in the general election.

Jim Neal, Democratic Challenger to North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Says He Is Gay Monday , October 22, 2007 AP CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Jim Neal, the Democrat who plans to challenge Sen. Elizabeth Dole, is gay, a camapign spokesman confirmed Monday. Neal spoke publicly of his sexual orientation over the weekend during an online discussion organized by a liberal blog, spokesman Thomas Mills said. In response to a message on BlueNC.com asking whether he was gay, Neal is quoted a saying: "I am indeed. No secret and no big deal to me — I wouldn't be running if I...

RALEIGH, N.C. — About half of the public approves of how Sen. Elizabeth Dole is doing her job a year before she runs for another six-year term, according to a poll released Friday. The Elon University Poll also found Hillary Clinton has a sizable lead over John Edwards in his home state for the Democratic presidential nomination, while former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is apparently ahead of Rudy Giuliani among Republicans. --snip-- The poll also found Clinton receiving 37 percent of support for president among Democrats surveyed, compared to 18 percent apiece for Edwards and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. While...

State Sen. Kay Hagan said Tuesday she is "looking into" a run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Elizabeth Dole. The Greensboro Democrat's name has been raised frequently by political analysts in the past nine months as a potential contender. However, this is the first time Hagan herself has directly addressed the possibility of challenging Dole, who faces re-election in 2008. Until now, Hagan has been circumspect in talking about a potential run, saying during this year's legislative term that she was focused on completing the state budget. On Tuesday, Hagan said Dole is "vulnerable" to a...

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole will be in Raleigh today to talk with sheriffs from Wake, Johnston, Chatham, Franklin and six other counties about illegal immigrants who commit crimes. Dole is holding a series of conferences with sheriffs this month about a federal program to let deputies determine the legal status of immigrants and process those here illegally who are charged with crimes. Kicking off the tour on Tuesday, Dole met with sheriffs from the western Piedmont. The sheriffs — from Catawba, Burke, Caldwell and Alexander counties — said they often see the same immigrants breaking laws across county lines, the...

GRAHAM — Men and women who stood outside the courthouse in Graham on Saturday to protest illegal immigration got thumbs-up signs and honks from some who drove by. Others drivers slowed down as they circled the courthouse and leaned out their windows to make comments in Spanish. Between 15 and 20 people were stationed outside the courthouse late Saturday morning to hold up signs for people to see from each side of Court Square. Protest organizer Kim Oliver said some arrived a little before 7 a.m. and planned to stay most of the day. Others were participating for part of...

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and five other GOP senators wrote President Bush today that federal policies are encouraging illegal immigration. The senators, led by Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, also submitted a resolution in the U.S. Senate calling on the federal government to make a host of changes on immigration policies, among them: — ending the policy of returning captured migrants at the border into Mexico without prosecution; — enforcing the prohibition of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants; — increasing by thousands the numbers of detention beds, Border Patrol agents and immigration investigators by the end of the fiscal year;...

Last week Senator Elizabeth Dole successfully helped scuttle the so called grand bargain immigration reform bill that would have given amnesty to over 12 to 20 million million illegal immigrants -- while doing virtually nothing to secure our borders. Backed by President Bush, who is looking to enhance his legacy, Ted Kennedy and Senator John Kyl -- this bill was accurately described as a mess. The last straw for consevatives was when Bush attacked his own conservative base for a lack of patriotism. If you don't want to do what's right for America," he said of opponents of the Bush-Kennedy...

Dole's change helps kill bill... Senator joins vote for amendment that led to immigration reform's demise Barbara Barrett, Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON - As proponents of the delicate immigration bill scrambled Thursday to salvage President Bush's top domestic priority, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole was doing what she could to spike it. Dole -- a Salisbury Republican and one of Bush's strongest supporters -- worked into the night to kill the comprehensive immigration reform deal teetering in the U.S. Senate. The bill suffered a potentially fatal blow Thursday when senators voted against limiting debate on the measure. That was nearly a day...

Press Releases DOLE STATEMENT ON IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL May 18th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole today made the following statement regarding the immigration reform proposal expected to come before the Senate on Monday: “While I recognize that immigration reform is urgently needed, based on what I’ve learned so far, I would oppose this proposal unless it is radically altered,” said Dole. Last year, Dole voted against the Senate bill that included amnesty, and she continues to oppose amnesty. She supports stricter border enforcement, effective workplace verification, and a truly temporary worker program to fill jobs that American...

The Talk Shows Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and his Democratic challenger, state treasurer Robert Casey. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.; Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and his primary challenger, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey; actress and animal rights activist Bo Derek. LATE EDITION (CNN) : Rep. Christopher Shays,...

From :  Senator Elizabeth Dole <news@gopsenators.com> Sent :  Friday, May 19, 2006 8:49 PM To :  <Brilliant> Subject :  Important Immigration Update | | | Elizabeth DoleChair, NRSC Hello folks, The Senate has been debating various aspects of immigration this week to strengthen border security and reform our nation's immigration policy. I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know what's really been going on, and where Republicans and Democrats stand on these critical issues. When given the opportunity to vote for true border security--including 370 miles of triple-layered fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers along our border with Mexico--15 Democrats voted against the proposal....

We know the Democrats have had no legislative agenda during this Congress, but their political agenda is becoming clearer by the day. They want the White House in 2008. But they know their policies won't fly with the American people. So they've embarked on a plan to take control of Congress in 2006 and then use Congress to initiate a long series of investigations and possible impeachment to win the White House in 2008. You know that Senator Russ Feingold has introduced legislation to "censure" President Bush. He has called for hearings and has vocalized his support for possible impeachment....

Senators Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) (R) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) celebrate at Mikulski's office on Capitol Hill in Washington after the University of Maryland beat Duke University in the Women's Final Four NCAA basketball championship April 5, 2006. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

Black Republican Candidates for the United States Senate By Paul M. Weyrich Mar 17, 2006 Republican National Chairman Kenneth B. Mehlman has gone out of his way to tell the Black community that it should not be taken for granted by Democrats but should give Republicans a second look. He cites various Republican initiatives, such as school choice, the No Child Left Behind measure and President George W. Bush’s ownership society, as reasons for Black reconsideration. I am convinced that Mehlman is sincere in not only wanting to see Blacks vote for Republicans but to see Black Republican candidates elected...

As a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) expressed her contempt for a future colleague and allegedly likened young Republican activists to Hitler, according to an interview published by the local paper at the time. While shadowing Schmidt at the convention, The Cincinnati Enquirer reporter initially described Schmidt as a “woman who will speak her mind whenever she pleases.” Schmidt, who was 32 at the time, provided evidence for this assessment during her time with the reporter, who quoted her taking issue with future Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), who was then President Reagan’s transportation...

WASHINGTON — Republicans say open races in states where a Democrat is retiring offer them the best chance to increase their Senate majority. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, offered an upbeat perspective on the 2006 races Monday. The GOP holds a 55-44 advantage in the chamber, with one Democratic-leaning independent. Dole cited Minnesota, where the party has a single candidate, Rep. Mark Kennedy, running against a number of Democrats hoping to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton. The same is true in Maryland, where the GOP is backing Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, while several...

  Make your voice heard!The members of the United States Senate need to hear your opinion on Immigration reform policy.Click here now to take our National Survey on Immigration Policy.Making your voice heard is important because Immigration reform is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.You can make an impact by stepping forward today and registering your opinions on questions leaders in the Senate will be debating in the coming weeks.  Elizabeth DoleChair, NRSC Illegal immigration is putting a major strain on local, state and federal government. It impacts our national security, our economy, education system, and health...

Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina is emerging as one of the upper chamber's most conservative members. The latest evidence: His three recent votes -- all to the right of fellow Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole -- on issues such as Iraq and spending. In each case, Burr of Winston-Salem joined a small band of the Senate's more conservative members, while Dole of Salisbury voted with the majority -- including the chamber's GOP leaders. Consider: • Last Tuesday, the Senate voted 79-19 to require that President Bush identify a strategy for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Burr voted no. Dole voted...

The Talk Shows Sunday, November 13th, 2005 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. MEET THE PRESS (NBC): King Abdullah II of Jordan; Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean; Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Democratic Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia. THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., chairwoman, National Republican Senatorial Committee; Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman, National Republican Congressional Committee; Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman,...

In a bizarre tactic that has left many Democrat strategists and centrist Democratic groups puzzled and disturbed, the Democratic leadership has jumped even further to the left since their last election defeats. The results have been staggering and numerous, and well-documented in the press, and have caused an acute case of political heartburn among many Democrat members and liberal pundits. Shortly after the 2004 election, left-wing radical group Move-On.org proudly pronounced that “Now it’s our party: we bought it, we own it and we’re going to take it back.” And it was of course correct on all accounts. Enter Howard...

Don’t talk to Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) about timetables for troop removal in Iraq. The only timetable she wants to hear about is the one that is swiftly moving the Iraqi people toward democracy. Dole, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Fox News Channel Wednesday that the U.S. should ignore calls for troop withdrawal and not "tip off” the insurgents, allowing them to wait for our soldiers to leave. "It would be a mistake to have a timetable of any sort,” Dole said. "The world is watching and this war on terrorism is vitally important. I’m so...

For GOP, Election Anxiety MountsCandidates Need Convincing for '06 By Charles Babington and Chris CillizzaWashington Post Staff WritersMonday, October 10, 2005; A01 Republican politicians in multiple states have recently decided not to run for Senate next year, stirring anxiety among Washington operatives about the effectiveness of the party's recruiting efforts and whether this signals a broader decline in GOP congressional prospects.Prominent Republicans have passed up races in North Dakota and West Virginia, both GOP-leaning states with potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Earlier, Republican recruiters on Capitol Hill and at the White House failed to lure their first choices to run in...

For GOP, Election Anxiety Mounts Candidates Need Convincing for '06 By Charles Babington and Chris Cillizza Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, October 10, 2005; A01 Republican politicians in multiple states have recently decided not to run for Senate next year, stirring anxiety among Washington operatives about the effectiveness of the party's recruiting efforts and whether this signals a broader decline in GOP congressional prospects. Prominent Republicans have passed up races in North Dakota and West Virginia, both GOP-leaning states with potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Earlier, Republican recruiters on Capitol Hill and at the White House failed to lure their first...

This is not how Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) hoped things would turn out. High-profile candidates she hoped could defeat incumbent Democrats are shying away from 2006, and some of her own Republican colleagues are looking vulnerable. On Monday, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) bowed out of a race next year against Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.). Late last week, Gov. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said he wouldn’t challenge Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) next year. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which Dole chairs, has failed to recruit candidates it considers top-tier in Michigan, Florida and Vermont; no one is challenging Sen. Jeff...

(AP) September 30, 2005 - It's no surprise that North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole and anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan don't see eye-to-eye on the war in Iraq. The two women met privately for ten minutes Thursday to discuss the war. Dole's office issued a statement saying statements made by Sheehan and her political organization undermine the war on terror and are detrimental to the military. Dole is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sheehan was more direct. She called Dole "a gentle lady" and a "warmonger," the latter a term she used to describe Arizona Senator John McCain...

[Dole speaks to jihad mom about war] RALEIGH, N.C. -- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and peace mom Cindy Sheehan met privately to discuss the war in Iraq and parted as divided in their views as ever. "Some of the inflammatory statements that have been made by Ms. Sheehan and her political organization undermine the overall War on Terror and are extremely detrimental to our men and women in uniform in harm's way," Dole, R-N.C., said in a statement after the 10-minute private meeting on Thursday. Dole, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was "a gentle lady," and "a...

Please click the link! Take Action! Sign a Petition in Support of John Roberts Sign the NRSC petition in support of President Bush's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge John G. Roberts Jr. The extreme left-wing special interest groups like MoveOn.org and Alliance for Justice are working to smear Judge Roberts. They will say and do anything to prevent the confirmation of a commonsense, and strict constructionist judge to the U.S. Supreme Court. In fact, their liberal allies in the Senate, Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Ted Kennedy are ready to do everything in their power to stop Judge Roberts'...

The doughty band of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reformers isn't beaten yet. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby plans to mark up a bill this week to protect taxpayers against the risky business of these "government-sponsored enterprises," and the question is whether he can coax enough skittish Republicans to pass it. The Alabama Senator's proposal is a quantum improvement over the non-reform that passed the House Financial Services Committee earlier this year. In particular, it would force Fan and Fred to reduce their portfolios of mortgage-backed securities, a source of great profit for the companies but also of significant...

Dear Friend, The attacks from certain members of the Democratic Party against Karl Rove this week have been an absolute disgrace. This is an attempt at personal destruction and political opportunism at its very worst-it is downright shameless. It has been reported that the liberal extremist group MoveOn.org has been giving the Democratic leadership direction over the last several months. It comes as no surprise that MoveOn.org was the first to call for Karl Rove's resignation this week. But for members of Congress to take part in this smear campaign, that's an entirely different and truly unfortunate matter altogether. The...

Frustrated with the White House and a key Republican, supporters of Rep. Katherine Harris' (R-Fla.) 2006 Senate campaign lashed out at the administration yesterday for seeking to convince another prominent GOP official to enter the race. "It's unimaginable that the White House folks and the National Republican Senatorial Committee would be so disloyal to Katherine Harris, especially after all she has done for the Bush family and the Republican Party," a Florida political operative who supports Harris said. "It's unconscionable and a stab in the back." Harris backers are irritated that State House Speaker Allan Bense met with White House...

Hearst Newspapers speculates that if President Bush were to opt for a surprise, he might turn to a politically savvy candidate such as Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., a Harvard-trained lawyer who served President Nixon on the Federal Trade Commission before serving as President Ronald Reagan's secretary of transportation and as secretary of labor during the presidency of Bush's father.Dole, 68, a former president of the American Red Cross, is married to former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., defeated in his 1996 bid for the White House. -- HEARST NEWSPAPERS

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole today co-sponsored an amendment to the energy bill to prevent drilling off the coast of North Carolina. The amendment would strike a provision in the energy bill that allows for a study of oil and natural gas reserves that could lead to future exploration and drilling in this environmentally sensitive area. The Senate currently is considering the energy bill. "Drilling off our coast not only would be harmful to the environment, but it also would be detrimental to our tourism industry, which is extremely important to North Carolina's coastal economy," said Senator Dole. "I will continue...

I have watched with great interest and sometimes shock the ever developing closeness between some of the most radical, liberal groups in the country and the Democratic Party Leadership. The Capitol Hill news publication "Roll Call" recently described the intimate collaborations that have occurred between the extreme liberal group "MoveOn.org" and the offices of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, and The Democratic National Party Chairman Howard Dean. The article described the frequent strategy sessions and conference calls between the Democratic Leadership offices and MoveOn.org. This is the same George Soros funded group that once opposed...

Sen. Elizabeth Dole is the only member of North Carolina's congressional delegation who now supports the Central America Free Trade Agreement, according to survey by The Charlotte Observer. Three members -- Republican Reps. Walter Jones and Charles Taylor and Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre -- say they will vote no. Eight members are leaning toward a "no" vote and three say they're undecided. None said they were leaning toward supporting the bill. The reason for the lack of support is simple, said Lloyd Wood, a spokesman for the American Manufacturers Trade Action Coalition. "CAFTA rhymes with NAFTA, and that brings back...

Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, issued the following statement on the judicial compromise: "Although I am pleased that some of the President's qualified judicial nominees are finally getting the fair up or down vote they deserve, I am disappointed that not all nominees will be afforded that same courtesy. The understanding made by the group of fourteen made clear that judicial philosophy is not a legitimate reason to filibuster qualified judges. If Democrats should choose to continue their unprecedented use of the filibuster, we should immediately move to the constitutional option. Although I believe...

As the battle over judicial nominees and the role of the filibuster reaches its decisive moment, let's remember that more is at stake than the rules and procedures of the Senate. Resorting to half-truths and invective to advance a political objective — the establishment of a new 60-vote supermajority requirement for the confirmation of federal judges — is deeply unfair to those who have spent a lifetime building reputations for fairness and intellectual probity. Take the case of two women now at the center of the filibuster controversy, Justices Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown. In describing Justices Owen and...

President Bush was attending his second Republican fundraiser this year, a private affair to collect cash for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a group working to expand the GOP's majority in the Senate. Bush made an appearance Wednesday night at a committee reception at Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's home. The event was expected to raise at least $3.5 million, according to the committee. The committee, led by Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., raises funds and recruits Republican candidates for the 2006 Senate races. In the 2004 election, the GOP expanded its Senate majority by four seats. The NRSC raised about...