Free Republic

Barack Obama's policy switches are giving the Left whiplash The Democratic nominee's policy pivots are causing anguish among liberals. He is no fool Gerard Baker Change, it turns out, wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Having campaigned for the past year as the agent of transformation, the man who would lead an historic shift in America's political direction, Barack Obama is discovering that there is quite a lot he likes about the way things are. Since securing the Democratic nomination a few weeks ago, the only change coming from the Illinois senator has been in what he...

US election: Barack Obama wobbles on withdrawing Iraq troops By Tim Shipman in Washington Last Updated: 12:20AM BST 04/07/2008 Senator Barack Obama has rushed to clarify his position on the Iraq War after he appeared to wobble on a commitment to withdraw US ground troops within 16 months, a central plank of his candidacy. Barack Obama speaks on his Iraq policy during a news conference in Fargo, North Dakota The Democratic presidential nominee used a press conference to say that the timetable was not set in stone and that he would adjust his plans based on conditions on the ground...

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., faces enormous pressure from social conservatives to ignore his repeated commitment to change the GOP's platform on abortion. "If he were to change the party platform," to account for exceptions such as rape, incest or risk to the mother's life, "I think that would be political suicide," said Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, to ABC News. "I think he would be aborting his own campaign because that is such a critical issue to so many Republican voters and the Republican brand is already in trouble." A senior Republican close to McCain...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States was for slavery “before we were against it.” That history lesson was brought to you by Sen. John Kerry, who argues that if an entire nation can be indecisive about human bondage, voters surely should forgive a political leader who changes his or her mind. “Decisiveness wrongly applied can create a lot of pain for the nation and big, big historic mistakes,” says the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee labeled a “flip-flopper” by President Bush. Four years after his unsuccessful run, Kerry sat down with Associated Press reporters for more than 30 minutes to discuss...

It stings the Obama campaign more, and rightly so. Obama has made his new, non-pandering politics the central selling point for his election. This shows that Obama has no problem with adjusting his message when needed. The specifics of the changes are less interesting than the changes themselves. It also calls into question for what Obama really stands, other than platitudes about "hope" and "change". Mitt Romney got bounced from the campaign for changing his mind on fewer policy issues over a much longer period of time. If people thought Romney had authenticity issues, what will they make from these...

Former Gov. William F. Weld says fellow Republican Mitt Romney can withstand a hometown snub by Bay State voters in presidential balloting next week by simply dismissing the diss as little more than moonbat mania. “I think people understand when you’re a red governor in a blue state that you have to work with the Democrats, which I think is a good thing,� said Weld, who was governor from 1991 to 1997. Asked whether his State House successor has to win Massachusetts in his bid for the presidency, Weld, a Romney backer, said, “Not in my view.� In fact, the...

As I've written elsewhere, social moderates and liberals with a twinkle in their eye for John McCain are living in another universe. Anti-choice and anti-LGBT signaling are an overt part of his campaign. Here, via Jonathan Martin, is the text of a McCain robocall, recorded in a woman's voice, that rolled out in Florida yesterday: I’m calling with an urgent Mitt Romney [unintelligible] We care deeply about traditional values and protecting families. And we need someone who will not waver in the White House: Ending abortion, preserving the sanctity of marriage, stopping the trash on the airwaves and attempts to...

Killer dolphins baffle marine experts By Nigel Blundell Last Updated: 12:01pm GMT 25/01/2008 It's hard to visualise but the intelligent and ever-friendly dolphin can also be a determined killer. New evidence has been compiled by marine scientists that prove the normally placid dolphin is capable of brutal attacks both on innocent fellow marine mammals and, more disturbingly, on its own kind. Film taken of gangs of dolphins repeatedly ramming baby porpoises, tossing them in the air and pursuing them to the death has solved a long-term mystery of what causes the death of so many of these harmless mammals -...

MANCHESTER – Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the Judeo Christian values that helped found America continue to guide the country today. On the campaign trail and in the media, Romney has faced questions about his Mormon faith and whether it could hurt his chances to win the Republican Party's nomination. "The fundamental principle of faith of Judeo Christian (belief) is there is a God, who is our heavenly Father and all the people on this earth and every speck of humanity on this earth is a creation of God ... And every creation of humanity is a child of God,"...

Watch video online.

(AP) An internal document shows Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is concerned about his vulnerability to charges of flip-flopping, while suggesting he can differentiate from President Bush with a single word: "intelligence." Campaign advisers even fret that the former Massachusetts governor has too-perfect hair, according to the 77-slide PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which was obtained by The Boston Globe. The document also outlines plans for positively branding the Republican contender, negatively framing rivals John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, and allaying voter concerns about his record and Mormon faith. One idea for dealing with the religious question is to address it...

The mother of a boy convicted Friday in the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl on Labor Day told a judge the girl was also to blame and that her son was the victim of "little flipper girls" who think it's cool to have sex with multiple partners. That prompted Milwaukee County Children's Court Judge Mary Triggiano to abruptly interrupt her. "What he did was rape that girl," Triggiano said, calling the deflection of responsibility to the girl appalling. "He got caught. He didn't take responsibility until something pegged him

Link Only: Leaping dolphin leaves woman seriously injured

WEIRD BUT TRUE By MARSHA KRANES, Wire Services November 15, 2006 -- Holy humming mammal! Dolphins at Disney's Epcot Center were recently taught to "sing" the theme song from the "Batman" TV series - a stunning development that scientists hailed as the first time a mammal other than a human showed it can recognize and recreate voice rhythms.

A Statement from John Kerry As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop. I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended. It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don’t want my verbal slip to be a diversion...

Dolphins are dumber than goldfish and don't have the know-how to match a rat, but they're so pumped full of happy chemicals they probably don't care one bit, a new study suggests. For years, humans have assumed the large brains of dolphins mean the animals are highly intelligent. But a new study by Paul Manger, a brain-evolution scientist from Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand, suggests it wasn't intelligence that spurred the dolphin's big brain -- it was the cold. To survive underwater, warm-blooded marine animals developed brains that have a lot of insulating material, known as glia, but not too...

"this is exactly what we would expect for dolphin behavior... if you had hot water poured on you, you would flee, wouldn't you?"

Pushes 2007 deadline in proposal to remove US soldiers from Iraq WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry is pushing back by six months the deadline he wants to set for removing combat troops from Iraq, as he seeks to build support in the Senate for his plan for troop withdrawal. The proposal to be offered by Kerry today would require President Bush to remove nearly all US troops from Iraq by July 1, 2007. The Massachusetts Democrat's initial plan -- to remove troops by the end of 2006 -- received just six votes in the Senate last week, and the...

Sen. John Kerry on the fence . . . By Boston Herald editorial staff Saturday, May 20, 2006 Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), fresh from the ongoing Senate debate over an immigration bill, offered the following explanation of his vote in favor of 370 miles of fence at the U.S.-Mexican border (estimated cost $3 million a mile) at yesterday’s New England Council breakfast: “I voted for it because, first of all, a lot of it is the repair of the existing fence. A lot of it is just in the Arizona area, where we have the worst problem, the most numbers...

Was it his campaign's slow response to the swift boat advertisements or the remark that he voted for Iraq war money before he voted against it that John Kerry regrets most from his failed bid for the White House? Neither, according to Kerry's reflection Sunday on what he considered his biggest mistake when trying to wrest the presidency from George W. Bush in 2004. "I think the biggest mistake was probably not going outside the federal financing so we could have controlled our own message," the Massachusetts senator said on NBC's "Meet the Press." The Kerry campaign opted to accept...

MA!  He's FLIPPING  again...!!!  ...THIS time in California...!!!  

MARATHON, Fla. -- When rescuers started counting a large group of stranded dolphins in the Florida Keys this morning, they couldn't believe how many there were. So far, the count stands at 96.A group of veterinarians, members of marine mammal rescue groups and volunteers are caring for the wayward rough-tooth dolphins that stranded themselves just off Marathon Key Wednesday afternoon.

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Sen. John Kerry [related, bio], who lost his bid for president in the November election, will be in the West Bank for the Palestinian election on Sunday and is expected to visit a polling place. Kerry, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is on a two-week trip to the Middle East. He has visited Baghdad and met with military leaders in Iraq. Palestinians will be electing a president to replace Yasser Arafat, who died Nov. 11. The latest polls show interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas with a wide lead over democracy activist Mustafa Barghouti. Because...

A pod of dolphins were being praised for providing a protective barrier around a group of swimmers who were being threatened by a great white shark off the northeastern coast of New Zealand. Rob Howes and three other lifeguards were on a training swim about 100 metres off shore at Ocean Beach near here when the dolphins raced in and herded the group together. "They started to herd us up, they pushed all four of us together by doing tight circles around us," Howe said Tuesday. When he tried to drift away from the group, two of the bigger dolphins...

John Kerry Flip-Flop #1 - The $87 billionJohn Kerry said "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it", after saying it would be "irresponsible" for any senator to vote against it.click here for link and click here for link and click here for link and click here for link John Kerry Flip-Flop #2 - The 7 minutes after 9/11John Kerry said he would have reacted quicker than 7 minutes after 9/11, yet in reality he sat in disbelief for 40 minutes.click here for link John Kerry Flip-Flop #3 - Abortion judgesKerry was open to nominating pro life...

A page for every sportsfan's photo album. Flipper windsurfing is my favorite.

HAW HAW HAW

The Capitol Steps, a singing/comedy group composed entirely of Congressional aides, has released its newest song: John Kerry as Flipper...Fipper

Consider this "Notebook" item from TNR's March 25, 1991 issue, which ran under the headline "Same Senator, Same Constituent": "Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition ... to the early use of military force by the US against Iraq. I share your concerns. On January 11, I voted in favor of a resolution that would have insisted that economic sanctions be given more time to work and against a resolution giving the president the immediate authority to go to war." --letter from Senator John Kerry to Wallace Carter of Newton Centre, Massachusetts, dated January 22 [1991] "Thank you...

HAHAHAHAH ROFL!!!!! WATCH THE VIDEOS!!!! HEHEHEH This pic is the best!!!

There’s a reason why North Carolina newspapers have started calling John Edwards "Senator Gone." The real John Edwards, the one the media isn’t talking about, has missed 43 percent of Senate votes since suspending his presidential campaign, but claims he represents the powerless. And when the elected officials of the city of Charlotte needed federal money for light rail two years ago, they bypassed Edwards and relied on Congresswoman Sue Myrick, as did desperate North Carolina tobacco farmers seeking a buyout, who went to Senator Liddy Dole instead. Edwards also failed to show up at the town hall meetings he...

On Sunday, the Lowell Sun of Lowell, Massachusetts endorsed President Bush in an eloquent editorial: "George W. Bush for President." The Sun played a key role in opposing Senator Kerry in the 1972 congressional race that preceded Kerry's decision to attend law school; the editorial evidences the paper's familiarity with Kerry.

 

John Kerry finally explains his "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it." The problem is, he explains it as his way of betraying the troops by politicizing their body armor, and he lies to do that! The Easter Island talking head said that it was a protest vote - something I'm sure our boys overseas will appreciate, he'd deny them body armor to make his political point. He also said it was an inarticulate moment made late in the evening after a long day of campaigning. Uh, one problem Lurch. You made the statment at NOON!!!!

Go to Flippercam and click first on the icon in the upper right to turn off the Flipper music. Then click on the debate prep video, which is about six minutes long. I did have to minimize the screen to turn off the music, which came on again a few times while the video was playing. Maybe a FReeper who is more tech-savvy than me can explain how to turn it off permanently while the video is playing--or tell the RNC how to fix this annoyance. Enjoy the video--it's a hoot.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Christine Iverson (202) 863-8614 www.flippercam.comWASHINGTON - In an effort to better prepare the President’s debate prep team, the RNC recently engaged in mock debates and today released 7 minutes of video from those sessions on www.flippercam.com.Click here to see for yourself (Real Player required)

A sportman's magazine's report that John Kerry owns a Chinese assault rifle is not true, the senator's presidential campaign contends. As WorldNetDaily reported, Kerry, who has pushed for bans on so-called assault weapons, was quoted in the October issue of Outdoor Life responding to a Q&A presented to both leading presidential candidates. "My favorite gun is the M-16 that saved my life and that of my crew in Vietnam. I don't own one of those now, but one of my reminders of my service is a Communist Chinese assault rifle." But campaign spokesman Michael Meehan told the New York Times...

September 28, 2004 -- WASHINGTON — President Bush yesterday continued his assault on John Kerry as someone who flip-flops on the issues, saying the Massachusetts senator "could probably spend 90 minutes debating himself." The Bush campaign also rolled out a new ad blasting his rival for shifting positions on Iraq — keeping up the pressure on Kerry days before the first presidential debate. "You cannot expect to lead this world if you try to take both sides of every position," Bush told supporters in Ohio, a swing state. "He probably could spend 90 minutes debating himself." In the new commercial,...

As John Kerry travels the country campaigning in the last 36 days of this election, he’ll be followed by a school of dolphins, led by Flipper, who will highlight Kerry’s flip-flops on every major issue from the war on terror to whether or not he owns an assault rifle or an SUV.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Christine Iverson 202-863-8614 Washington, DC—As John Kerry travels the country campaigning in the last 36 days of this election, he’ll be followed by a school of dolphins, led by Flipper, who will highlight Kerry’s flip-flops on every major issue from the war on terror to whether or not he owns an assault rifle or an SUV.As Flipper, Flopper, Flapper and Friends travel the Great Lakes region, the dolphins will provide daily updates via Flipper Cam which features video feeds from the road.Each Friday the RNC will announce the results of the Name a Dolphin Contest based...

12-17-03 Kerry attacked Howard Dean yesterday, saying that the former Vermont governor is unfit to be president after Dean dismissed Saddam's capture as doing nothing to improve U.S. safety. Kerry stated, "Those who believe today that we are not safer with his capture don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be president of the United States." Kerry is egaging in an all-out assault on Dean's statements on the war in Iraq, which Kerry has supported and Dean opposed.

He's going to reply to Bush's UN speech!

1. Prior to “Dewey Canyon III” Mike Thelan East Coast Coordinator for the VVAW tells a gathering of possible attendants that the VVAW’s official position is not to encourage anyone to commit acts of violence, but that VVAW activists are not “discouraging someone from “doing it”. VVAW activists are not “discouraging someone from committing acts of violence, pg 4 2. FBI files indicate that “VVAW is under active investigation in view of indications of communist and other subversive infiltration”. indications of communist and other subversive infiltration, pg 24 3. Speaker at VVAW antiwar rally Carl Moore makes following statements, “President...

It's been out for a few weeks, but if you haven't seen this video it is a must see.

If you see folks on the streets of New York in dolphin suits, and wonder why they're wearing heavy, airless, synthetic-fiber getups in the killing summer sun, here's the answer: The Republican National Committee has deployed staffers and volunteers to impersonate Flipper, the beloved dolphin who starred in the 1960s television series. It's to lampoon Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his alleged flip-flops on the issues. RNC communications chief Jim Dyke yesterday told me that his office has bought 10 of the bulky, heat-stroke-inducing costumes, at $500 per, so a whole school of Flippers can attend Democratic Party events...

If you see folks on the streets of New York in dolphin suits, and wonder why they're wearing heavy, airless, synthetic-fiber getups in the killing summer sun, here's the answer: The Republican National Committee has deployed staffers and volunteers to impersonate Flipper, the beloved dolphin who starred in the 1960s television series. It's to lampoon Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his alleged flip-flops on the issues. RNC communications chief Jim Dyke yesterday told me that his office has bought 10 of the bulky, heat-stroke-inducing costumes, at $500 per, so a whole school of Flippers can attend Democratic Party events...

Senator Also May Have Set Up Meetings Between Chinese Firms, U.S. Officials (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released recently declassified documents showing that Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry accepted laundered contributions for his 1996 re-election campaign from the Communist Chinese government and that, in exchange, he may have arranged meetings between Chinese aerospace executives and U.S. government officials. Obtained from the FBI through Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests, the documents are related to the FBI’s “Chinagate” investigation into the Clinton campaign’s acceptance of contributions from Communist...