Free Republic

Join the HANDS OFF MY HEALTHCARE EXPRESS as it travels across Virginia with Gov. George Allen, Oct. 14-16 Some in Washington think Americans’ passion at August town halls was a fluke, but you and I know better. As the details of legislation are released by Congress, the level of government intrusion attached to health care reform becomes a frightening reality. The promise that ‘if you like what you have, you can keep it’ rings hollow when people see the reality of what Congress is proposing It’s no wonder Congress is trying to keep the shocking details hidden from the public...

Public Policy Polling releases a fascinating survey of the Virginia electorate, one that gives former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), defeated in a razor-thin 2006 re-election bid, a solid 50 percent approval rating, with 38 percent disapproving. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) is at 47-40. The electorate is split on whether they’d vote for Allen again — 36 percent say definitely no, 31 percent say definitely yes. This is the finding that leaps out: That’s right: A majority of Hispanics, and 40 percent of African-Americans, would either vote for Allen or consider doing so. That’s interesting for a number of reasons. In...

There is no 10-gallon hat, no bolo tie and no cowboy swagger. George Allen, a former Virginia governor and senator, is standing in a suit and tie in his Old Town Alexandria office, chatting amiably about his experiments in the garden and a whirlwind summer that took him from a prayer breakfast in South Korea to the back roads of Quebec. "It's like driving to France," he says of his road trip to the Canadian province, where he and his 18-year-old son, Forrest, got by on his shaky "Franglais." It has been three years since Allen's infamous campaign trail stumble...

Former Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen tells Newsmax that America is at a "crossroads" regarding energy policy — and the government is the biggest impediment to energy independence. Allen also said that implementing the cap and trade plan to reduce carbon emissions would be equivalent to "economic unilateral disarmament" by the United States. Allen is the founder of the American Energy Freedom Center, which promotes increases in domestic coal, oil, and natural gas production. Newsmax.TV's Kathleen Walter asked him about that effort. "What we want to do is educate and inform people," Allen said. "I have a lot...

WASHINGTON - If you stand by the right edge of the seventh-floor window in the Pennsylvania Avenue office and crane your neck just so, you can see the Capitol, where George Allen made his living for six years. That ended in 2006, when he was denied a second Senate term by the voters of Virginia and Democrat Jim Webb. Allen is on the outside, looking in. Over his shoulder and much easier to see is the Ninth Street tunnel and the road out of town, to his home near Mount Vernon. It's the road to freedom, Allen says, sitting at...

Former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen issued the following statement today, congratulating Barack Obama for being elected the 44th President of the United States. “Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama, his family and his team in winning a phenomenal and historic election. I strongly believe his grandmother in spirit enjoyed his massive, exciting victory. Thank you also to Sen. McCain, his family and his team who fought hard in an exceedingly tough political climate. The people – the owners of the government – have spoken in their States. We must respect the decision of the voters. “Challenges remain ahead for...

Muslim vote is powerful, group told Examples are cited in Dearborn BY ZACHARY GORCHOW FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER December 24, 2006 Muslims played a critical role in some key elections this year. But elected officials won't take them seriously if they don't continue to organize and turn out Muslim voters, two politically active Muslims said Saturday at a convention in Dearborn. If there are efforts to register Muslims to vote, educate them about the candidates and get them to the polls to vote for one candidate, politicians will court their support, Jameel Johnson, an aide to U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks,...

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Rep. Shelly Moore Capito , R-W.Va., former Virginia Governor and Senator George Allen, former Congressman Scott McInnis , R-Colo., and RNC Chairman Mike Duncan will announce on Wednesday the McCain-Palin campaign's Coalition to Protect Coal Jobs, a nationwide group including members of Congress, state government and other leaders. Organizers said the coalition will help spread the message about the importance of clean coal technology and the advantages of tapping the country's vast coal reserves. As part of John McCain's "all of the above" energy plan, the Lexington Project, clean coal will be a strong component of the...

For a decade, Tom DeLay ruthlessly enforced Republican rule in Washington with such vigour that he was nicknamed "The Hammer". But the party's former leader in the House of Representatives will this month launch a national grassroots movement to combat the liberal activists who he believes outfoxed and outmanoeuvred Republicans to win the 2006 mid-term elections. Mr DeLay, who revelled in his reputation as a no-holds-barred Washington operator as the party's chief whip and then majority leader from 1995 to 2005, aims to instil an army of conservatives across the country with his political street-fighting skills. Tom DeLay: 'I have...

Americans must restart our creative engines for energy security. For more than 30 years, our engines have been in the pits, as our energy needs and innovative spark have fallen victim to environmental alarmism and strangling government regulation. What we have to do begins with where we are now. That’s also called “the status quo.” Ronald Reagan said “status quo” was “…Latin for the mess we’re in.” In the 1980 Republican convention, soon-to-be President Reagan said: "Those who preside over the worst energy shortage in our history tell us to use less, so that we will run out of oil,...

When Senator George Allen of Virginia used a racial slur for dark-skinned North Africans, “macaca,” during a recent encounter with a young Indian American cameraman from his opponent’s campaign, many wondered where he had learned the word. Macaca means “monkey,” but Allen’s campaign insisted that the word was made up, an inside joke on the young man’s hairstyle. But some commentators noted that Allen’s mother is “French Tunisian,” speculating that Allen, who speaks French, had picked up the epithet from her. (Allen’s late father was famed Washington Redskins football coach George Allen.) Allen’s mother, Henriette (Etty), whose maiden name was...

Do we the people have the individual right to own guns? That is question before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 18 in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. This case directly challenges the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns. In 1976, D.C. officials imposed a strict gun-ban law to supposedly curb increasing gun violence. But security guard Dick Anthony Heller believes he has a right to keep a handgun in his home and filed a lawsuit against the District. U.S. courts so far have agreed with Heller and ruled that the Second Amendment “protects an individual right...

Two years ago, the Senate campaign of Virginia Democrat Jim Webb delighted in repeating ad nauseum the middle name of his opponent, Sen. George Allen.The news media had a good laugh as Webb tried to undermine Allen's good ol' boy image by reminding voters of his non-hillbilly middle name, Felix.An example of the Webb campaign's tactics can be found in an excerpt of a press release reported June 27, 2006, by the Hotline:“George Felix Allen Jr. and his bush-league lapdog, Dick Wadhams, have not earned the right to challenge Jim Webb’s position on free speech and flag burning. Jim Webb...

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that George Allen, former Governor of Virginia, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Representative, has endorsed John McCain for president. "John McCain has led a life of heroic service to our country," said Governor Allen. "His experience coupled with his strong belief in core conservative principles makes him uniquely prepared to serve as our next commander in chief. I am confident that he is the only candidate who can combat the threat of radical Islamic extremism, ensure our country's economic prosperity, stop wasteful Washington spending, and uphold our traditional values. Today,...

Rush just announced on his show: George Allen will introduce or be with John McCain at CPAC today. I was hoping for George to run for President.

With his victory in Florida last night, John McCain is now the unquestioned front runner for the Republican nomination. It's been interesting to read the blogs today and read how conservatives are leaning now. They run the gambit. Some conservatives say they will hold their noses and vote for McCain. Some say they will vote for the Dem. nominee, the thinking being that let the Dems. destroy the country instead of our party. Still others say they will simply stay home. What am I going to do? I honestly don't know. I can't see myself ever pulling the lever for...

Duncan Getchell, President Bush’s choice for a spot on a key appellate court, has withdrawn his nomination after his confirmation by the full Senate seemed to be in peril. Bush nominated Getchell in September for a spot on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which covers Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. Getchell was selected to fill one of the four seats traditionally held by Virginia. But the choice came under immediate criticism in Congress since Virginia’s senators, John Warner (R) and Jim Webb (D), did not recommend Getchell to the post. By choosing Getchell, critics...

Former U.S. Sen. George Allen, who once figured to be in the thick of the New Hampshire presidential primary, says Tuesday’s voting in the Granite State leaves the field wide open in both major parties. Invited to play pundit in the wake of comeback victories by Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Clinton, Allen said today that the New Hampshire returns revived both those candidates and were most damaging to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. (snip) Allen said he plans to spend much of the next 10 days in South Carolina, campaigning on...

Allen Won't Run for Va. Governor in '09 By BOB LEWIS – 50 minutes ago RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — George Allen, a former U.S. senator and governor of Virginia, will not run to lead the state again in 2009, he said Tuesday. Allen made his plans public in a statement to The Associated Press to end speculation about his participation in the upcoming gubernatorial race. He served as governor from 1994 to 1998 and in the U.S. Senate from 2001 until last year, when he suffered a bruising re-election loss to Democrat Jim Webb. The Republican wrote that he and...

Memo to readers: With his superb performance in Wednesday's debate in Iowa, Fred Thompson_has made a monkey out of me. By early afternoon on Tuesday, the column that appears below, one which posits that Thompson's presidential campaign might still find a way to win, was ready in exactly the form it appears here. But I thought the column would still remain exactly on target throughout the week, so (for various reasons) I aimed for a Friday release. At the time, I thought that until Thompson began his Iowa bus tour on Monday the 17th, my_contention that he "ain't dead" yet...

Remember Macaca? The young man whose handheld video brought down former Virginia Sen. George Allen, has resurfaced in the presidential contest that Allen once hoped to be part of himself. S.R. Sidarth, the Fairfax student of Indian descent, is now a paid staffer in the communications office of Democratic Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson. He works in Richardson's Santa Fe office compiling daily newspaper articles for the governor, drafting press releases and performing other communication tasks. Alas, he is not reprising his role as a volunteer "tracker" for the Jim Webb campaign, when he shadowed Allen with a video camera, hoping...

Former senator George F. Allen (R-Va.) and Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell (R), potential rivals in the 2009 governor's race, joined this morning to reiterate their support for Fred Thompson's bid for the GOP presidential nomination. At an event in Richmond, Allen and McDonnell praised Thompson's conservative credentials and said he is the Republican's best hope for unifying the party. "It is very easy for me to advocate for Fred because we think so much alike," said Allen, who cited Thompson's views on abortion, taxes, national security, illegal immigration and trade. McDonnell noted that Thompson won the endorsement yesterday of...

McLean, VA - Today the Fred Thompson campaign announced that two leading Virginia Republicans will serve as the campaign's Virginia Co-Chairs. Former Senator George Allen and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell will lead the Thompson campaign operation in Virginia. A self-described "Common Sense Jeffersonian Conservative," George Allen has served the Commonwealth of Virginia for over twenty years. Allen first represented Virginia as a delegate in the General Assembly where he held Thomas Jefferson's seat. Elected to the United States Congress in 1991, Allen was later elected as Governor of Virginia in 1994. While in office he achieved criminal justice reform,...

After Fred Thompson received the endorsement of former Virginia Senator George Allen this week, I wondered which scandal plagued politician would back Thompson next. Larry Craig? Ted Stevens? Turns out the honor goes to Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, the former chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee who once called the threat of global warming "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." He then compared Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" to Hitler's "Mein Kampf." In a campaign press release, Inhofe praised Thompson for his "deep character and principle." Looks like folksy Fred won't be going green any...

There's a debate coming up. Fred has made it pretty clear in the past that these little dog and pony shows don't do much for him as far as anyone getting any REAL chance to speak up and speak out. In fact, not so far back I mentioned his quote about accepting the fact that he needed to "be a good boy and stand in line and wait for them to throw me a fish just like everybody else." He continues to field the pot-shots about being lazy...that's fine-no one seems interested enough challenge his policy positions or his general...

One of the fun parts of being the host network of the debate is finding out first who the campaigns are lining up to spin for them post-debate. The campaign with the most interesting spinners on their team for tomorrow's CNBC/MSNBC/WSJ debate: Fred Thompson. His campaign has requested Spin Room credentials for one-time presidential hopeful/former Virginia Sen. George Allen as well as Liz Cheney, daughter of VP Cheney.

The day before his first appearance in a Republican debate, former Sen. Fred Thompson used Columbus Day to make sure stories tomorrow begin by announcing his national campaign co-chairs, rather than leading with the importance of a stellar performance. National co-chairs include former Sen. Howard Baker, who long served as a mentor to Thompson and virtually shoved him into the race, and former Sen. Spence Abraham, who has been a major part of the nascent campaign for months. Former Sen. George Allen, himself once thought to be a top-tier presidential contender, and former State Department official Liz Cheney round out...

Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs. "Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Sen. Fred Thompson...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Karen Hanretty October 8, 2007 571-730-1010 Fred Thompson Announces National Campaign Leadership Team McLean, VA - Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs. "Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators...

The Washington Post specializes in detecting racism undetectable even by the most vigilant politically correct police — then self-righteously denouncing the perpetrator. Let a Southerner cite the principle of states rights to defend a Confederate battle flag atop a state building and the Post's editorial board promptly denounces the pathetic yahoo for "employing sanitized abstractions to obscure the violence, inequity and immorality" represented by that flag. Let a sports team owner defend his team's name (Redskins) and the Post pounces again: "Redskins is not a term fashioned by American Indians," tutored a Washington Post editorial. "The nickname was assigned to...

A round of applause, please, for former Virginia Sen. George Allen, who finally got likely GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson to hint when he plans his big announcement. Filling in for Richmond's WRVA morning host Jimmy Barrett, Allen just came out with it, asking the Law & Order star what's up. Said the Fred, who's been testing the political waters: "Well, the water is pretty warm. I like the temperature a lot." He also told Allen, "It won't be very many more days" before he declares. During the five-minute chat, Thompson addressed the complaints that he is taking too long...

Thompson tells Allen decision on presidential race coming soon Associated Press - August 22, 2007 11:25 AM ET RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Fred Thompson said on a Richmond radio station today that he's getting very close to announcing whether he will run for president. The former Tennessee senator and "Law and Order" actor made his comments on a show guest-hosted by another former Republican senator, Virginia's George Allen, on WRVA. Thompson said everybody seems to be announcing a lot earlier than normal, but he's operating on a more traditional time frame. He says the law allows potential candidates to take...

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 22nd I will be guest hosting for a vacationing Jimmy Barrett on WRVA’s “Richmond’s Morning News” show. “Richmond’s Morning News” can be heard over the airwaves at 1140 AM or over the internet from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM. For those of you that can’t listen directly CLICK HERE for a direct link to WRVA’s live feed.Come join me as we discuss Virginia and national issues and of course football with some longtime friends and allies. My lineup includes: 6:08 am Bob Lewis, Associated Press Writer 6:53 am John Hagar, Chairman, Republican Party of Virginia 7:08 am...

Web video and social networks are two of the hottest technologies for Campaign '08. Video is ready for prime time, social networking is a relative unknown. Video arrived in 2006, when George Allen, then a Republican Virginia senator, called a rival staffer the crypto-racist slur "macaca." The clip of the incident helped tip the Senate to the Democrats. The Web can be liberating. "It's about bypassing the sieve of the mainstream media," says Elizabeth Edwards, wife and confidant of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards. "The idea that you have people standing between you and the voter is diminished, and the...

(CNSNews.com) - America is on the cusp of a "golden age of freedom and prosperity," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in a speech Thursday before a group of young conservatives. No doubt, America faces "enormous challenges," Gingrich told the crowd. But he predicted that the young conservatives in attendance, along with conservatives nationwide, would lead America to a brighter future. Gingrich was speaking at the Young America's Foundation's 29th National Conservative Students Conference, held at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Other speakers at the week-long conference included former Virginia Sen. George Allen, talk-radio host Michael Reagan and syndicated...

Senator Jim Webb held an unequivocal position on issues related to immigration during his campaign for The US Senate. He got solidly to Incumbent George Allen and President George W. Bush’s right and ran there without apology to the members of the Democratic Party that see illegal immigration as a civil right that the US government should never take away. His stated position on these issues would put him in the same political quadrant as Jeff Sessions or Tom Coburn. Yet he did nothing to get the State of Virginia enough budgetary support to enforce Federal Immigration Laws. Recently, the...

Republicans themselves brought on the whipping they suffered in the 2006 elections, Colorado state GOP chairman Dick Wadahms said in appearances in Montana. "I don't think Democrats really won the 2006 elections," said Wadhams, who spoke to the Montana Republican Party convention ... "They were just standing there. We didn't deserve to win in 2006." Wadhams is a former campaign director and staff member for Conrad Burns, who represented Montana... Republicans lost in 2006 because they forfeited their claim to fiscal responsibility, "mishandled the ethical lapses" ... Wadhams, 51, has won more campaigns than he's lost, but he lost a...

Forget the phrase "Where in the World is Matt Lauer"? How about "Where in the World is George Allen"? I found him! I interviewed him yesterday at his home near Mount Vernon in Virginia because I'm working on a future story about the legacy of Ronald Reagan and how that is impacting the 2008 GOP presidential race. Allen knew Ronald Reagan very well and so did his father. He is now heavily involved in promoting the Reagan Ranch Center and the conservative values that the group teaches to high school and college students around the country, Anyhow, at the end...

If George Allen turned up on Good Morning America to protest an incident of alleged anti-white bigotry, what are the odds the GMA host wouldn't mention Allen's macaca moment? I'd say they'd be a Dylanesqe "Love Minus Zero." But when GMA aired a clip this morning of Al Sharpton expressing his outrage over Don Imus' recent comments about the Rutgers women basketball players, not a discouraging word was heard about Sharpton's history of racially-charged statements and actions that go far beyond the former senator's gaffe. View video hereGMA CO-HOST CHRIS CUOMO: Now leaders in the African-American community are targeting Imus...

A year ago, Dick Wadhams never thought he’d be back in Colorado full time trying to resurrect the state Republican Party. Wadhams, the silver-tongued Las Animas native who has led upset campaigns across the country, expected to be getting Virginia Sen. George Allen prepped for his presidential run. That was before Allen made his infamous “macaca” remark amid what should have been an easy reelection bid, and suddenly both he and Wadhams, his press secretary, found themselves out of their jobs. One week after that debacle, Wadhams fielded a call from Colorado Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, who suggested that...

MADISON -- In a study of non-human primates infected with the influenza virus that killed 50 million people in 1918, an international team of scientists has found a critical clue to how the virus killed so quickly and efficiently. Writing this week (Jan. 18, 2007) in the journal Nature, a team led by University of Wisconsin-Madison virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka reveals how the 1918 virus - modern history's most savage influenza strain - unleashes an immune response that destroys the lungs in a matter of days, leading to death. The finding is important because it provides insight into how the virus...

In the 2006 elections, we witnessed such incredible bias from the Washington Post that even their very own ombudsman finally had to state that their coverage of Republican candidates, Senator George Allen in particular, was excessive and biased. Allen supporters think he can't catch a break; I sympathize. The macaca coverage went on too long, and a profile of Allen was relentlessly negative without balancing coverage of what made him a popular governor and senator. So, how do you bring pressure on the Post to change? Letters to the editor won't make a difference. Canceling your subscription won't make a...

In the 2006 elections, we witnessed such incredible bias from the Washington Post that even their very own ombudsman finally had to state that their coverage of Republican candidates, Senator George Allen in particular, was excessive and biased. Allen supporters think he can't catch a break; I sympathize. The macaca coverage went on too long, and a profile of Allen was relentlessly negative without balancing coverage of what made him a popular governor and senator. So, how do you bring pressure on the Post to change? Letters to the editor won't make a difference. Canceling your subscription won't make a...

In the wake of the Senate election results in Virginia, George Allen's political obituary is being written ... again. By my count, this is the fifth time political experts have tried to shovel dirt on his grave, prematurely. In the 2008 presidential polls, which started coming out within hours of the 2006 elections, Allen's name is not even included, although Democratic polls still include Al Gore, John Kerry and Howard Dean. Losing a single election does not necessarily mean permanent exile from presidential consideration. There is no reason to assume Allen is definitively out of the 2008 race, although his...

Let’s see how many reasons there are to carry a concealed weapon into a national park. Perhaps you might encounter a rattlesnake or some other potentially deadly critter that would pose a threat. Perhaps you were with an argumentative acquaintance who had pushed you to the limit in a discussion over, well, gun control. Perhaps a little paranoia had set in since you climbed out of bed that morning and you thought you needed a concealed weapon to ward off any attackers - real or imagined. Surely there are others, but none of them are particularly legitimate. Yet, outgoing U.S....

As a last little gift to America, Senator George Allen, who was narrowly defeated by James Webb this month, has introduced what may be his final piece of legislation: a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in national parks. The argument behind the bill is that national park regulations unfairly strip many Americans of a right they may enjoy outside the parks. The bill has passed to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where we hope it will die the miserable death it deserves. America’s confusion about the Second Amendment is now nearly total. An...

I was speaking with a Republican Senator just moments after Senator George Allen (R-VA) conceded defeat to Reagan Republican - turned Democrat James H. Webb, Jr. The Senator told me, "Perhaps we are better off with Democrats' controlling both Houses than we would have been with Republicans' holding on by virtue of Vice President Cheney's breaking a tie." I think the Senator is correct. With only one vote clinging to a majority there would have been an unreasonable expectation of what the barely Republican Senate working with President George W. Bush could accomplish. Now the Democrats are in control of...

Congratulations to The Weak-ly Standard. The "conservative" magazine did a wonderful job promoting Democrat senatorial candidates Jim Webb, Harold Ford Jr., and Jon Tester in it's last two issues immediately preceding Tuesday's election. The Standard wrote a long tribute to Webb, calling him a "blood and soil conservative". Despite Harold Ford Jr.'s very low ACU lifetime congressional voting record of 19, the Standard tried to portray him as being similar to his conservative opponent Bob Corker on the issues. Apparently, the magazine was enamored of the notion of having little Harold in the U.S. Senate. But, most outrageously, the last...

guess that does it, unless the Montana military ballots came back big.

Here's the deal. George Allen lost this race himself. It really wasn't part of the wave... but that didn't help. See below: CLICK FOR LARGER VERSION