Free Republic

There were three clear winners tonight: Giuliani, Huckabee and Thompson. And there was one big loser tonight: Romney. Let’s start with the winners: Thompson came out a winner within the first five minutes thanks to the moderator’s opening question about the candidate-to-be’s decision to go on Jay Leno instead of showing up for this debate. The fact that every candidate (including Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee and even McCain) took potshots (a few of which were even a bit cheap) reinforced the idea that the entire Republican field views Thompson as a major candidate, a major threat and one of the frontrunners....

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Monday said he would welcome Republican rival Fred Thompson to the race, but also took some jabs at Thompson's long delay in formally announcing his candidacy. Thompson, the "Law & Order" television actor and former senator from Tennessee, is expected to officially enter the race this week. Instead of attending a Wednesday night debate in Durham, N.H., Thompson will be in Los Angeles to appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." "I think it will boost the ratings for Jay Leno's show, but I'd rather be doing well in New Hampshire," said Romney, who...

SALEM, N.H. - Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney in an interview Monday dismissed concerns he's too nice to be a viable candidate in a vicious race, proving it by taking a swipe at yet-to-announced GOP rival Fred Thompson. "We all get the chance to go on the talk shows. But it's not the sort of questions you get in the debates or the town meetings that I've had," Romney said in an Associated Press interview, alluding to plans by Thompson to formally announced his candidacy during a planned Wednesday night appearance on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." "The talk show...

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070906/COLUMNISTS01/709060319 Cannot be posted due to copyright issues.

APPLETON, WI (AP) -- A property owner could face charges after 28 cats were found alone in the home on Sunday. A 29th cat was recovered Monday after a neighbor saw it sitting in a window, and authorities said others might still be hiding in the structure. City health officials declared the home uninhabitable after police and firefighters spent more than 11 hours cleaning up debris and removing the animals from the home Sunday. Police were called to the home on Appleton's south side for a possible restraining order violation. But they found no one home, the house unlocked and...