http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/pundits/ en-us Wed, 4 Jun 2008 18:27:36 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2025959/posts "Hell hath no fury like a pundit ignored."NOW, the gloves are coming off. But it's not Obama-Clinton or McCain-Obama. It's Amalgamated Punditry vs. Hillary Clinton. The pundit-acracy is pissed that the former first lady ignored their advice to pack it in and just go home last night. A herd of commentators declared that Clinton would be announcing her exit from the race in her NYC speech--especially after many had proclaimed Barack Obama had clinched the Democrat nomination. Then, Clinton's speech chain-sawed the limb off. And after they all climbed out on it so confidently. The following video had some pundits... DBKP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2025959/posts#comment Wed, 4 Jun 2008 18:27:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2019793/posts HEY There, Sweetie by Nancy Morgan Obama called a reporter 'sweetie.' Gasp. The pundits are divided on whether he should attend sensitivity training to correct his thinking or whether his coerced apology will suffice. The debate swirls, the opinions proliferate. The lesser pundits anxiously await the position paper from the National Organization of Women before committing themselves to a firm stance on this vital issue. The rest of the world news takes a back seat. Welcome to another national conversation. Non-stop news coverage of experts, pundits and elites opining on someone else's opining. As in, "What he really meant to... DBKP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2019793/posts#comment Thu, 22 May 2008 17:51:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010395/posts G. Will, Ann Coulter, P. Buchanan, Mark Steyn, et. al. On Jeremiah WrightRandom roundup of recent things Wright (Jeremiah) and Wrong (Wright’s sermons) on the web. If it takes Obama 20 years to notice that his pastor is a traitorous, racist nut-job, it will probably take him his full term of office to realize that the U.S. has been invaded and subdued by al-Qaida. Let’s just hope President Obama pays closer attention during national security briefings than he did during 20 years of the Rev. Wright’s church services. –Ann Coulter: Obama Campaign Gives Up On Finding ‘Mr. Wright’ For 20... DBKP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010395/posts#comment Fri, 2 May 2008 20:22:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010145/posts With just over six months before United States citizens choose their 44th president, the 2008 election is already proving to be the most fascinating and potentially one of the closest contests in living memory. Among those who will help Americans decide are the ubiquitous political pundits who help drive the national conversation and shape public opinion. Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010145/posts#comment Fri, 2 May 2008 11:47:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2008143/posts The 50 most influential US political pundits By Toby Harnden, US Editor Last Updated: 3:25pm BST 28/04/2008 With just over six months before United States citizens choose their 44th president, the 2008 election is already proving to be the most fascinating and potentially one of the closest contests in living memory. Have your say: Who do you think are the most influential US political pundits? The 50 most influential US political pundits: 50-41 All the latest news and analysis from the US presidential race Among those who will help Americans decide are the ubiquitous political pundits who help drive the... Telegraph.com.uk http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2008143/posts#comment Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:07:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961167/posts John McCain heads into Tuesday's Florida primary facing resistance from not only his fellow candidates, but also from the leaders of conservative talk radio, who some suggest have put their reputations on the line, as well. Talk radio pioneer Rush Limbaugh said that if McCain or Mike Huckabee are nominated, "it's going to destroy the Republican Party." Mark Levin calls the senator "John McLame." On Monday, Laura Ingraham said she was "concerned about the mental stability of the McCain campaign" and had cuckoo-clock sound effects accompany his words. "Sen. McCain is a great American, a lousy senator and a terrible... Townhall http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961167/posts#comment Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:27:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1956980/posts CONTEMPLATING the Clinton-Obama racial war, some Republicans were so excited you’d have thought Ronald Reagan had risen from the dead to slap around a welfare deadbeat. Never mind that the G.O.P. is running on empty, with no ideas beyond the incessant repetition of Reagan’s name. A battle over race-and-gender identity politics among the Democrats, with its acrid scent from the 1960s, might be just the spark for a Republican comeback. (As long as the G.O.P.’s own identity politics, over religion, don’t flare up.) Alas, these hopes faded on Tuesday night. First, the debating Democrats declared a truce, however fragile, in... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1956980/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:07:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1943133/posts Mike Huckabee campaigns as religious Baptist. Yet how religious is Huck? Robert Novak, in the Washington Post, questions the depth of Huckabee’s Baptist support: More than personality explains why not all his Baptist brethren have signed on the dotted line for Huckabee. He did not join the “conservative resurgence” that successfully rebelled against liberals in the Southern Baptist Convention a generation ago. Ann Coulter goes farther, and questions both Huckabee’s intelligence and sincerity of his supposed religous convictions. Hat Tip: Allah Pundit: Hot Air, Huckabee is a liberal Arkansas politician, who would be a democrat, if the party was not... Bitsblog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1943133/posts#comment Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:28:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1940231/posts Those who watched the Republican presidential "debate" in Iowa Wednesday now understand why The Des Moines Register is such a lousy newspaper. "That was not just the worst debate of 2007, that was the worst debate in Western history, and that includes the ancient Greeks," said columnist Charles Krauthammer. "There is no record in any major European record of a debate this transcendingly and crushingly dull." Mr. Krauthammer arguably wasn't engaging in hyperbole. Imagine a boxing match in which the boxers aren't allowed to lay a glove on each other, and you have an idea of what this "debate" was... The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1940231/posts#comment Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:41:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1927977/posts What ails the GOP? There are as many answers as there are pundits. But there’s always one narrative that news reporters and certain establishment GOP consultants love to give, again and again. Social conservatives, this story goes, have come to dominate the Republican party with their defense of the right to life and resistance to same-sex marriage. This sort of backward thinking has caused the party to lose support nationwide, and particularly among its traditional base of high-income earners. This narrative is now being repeated as social conservatives debate whom to support in the Republican primary —the debate is particularly... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1927977/posts#comment Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:59:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926398/posts Less than three months after he left his post as the White House’s deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove has agreed to become a Newsweek contributor and will pen opinion pieces for the magazine and its Web site. Rove will turn out several columns on the 2008 campaign up until inauguration day, according to the Washington Post. In a statement, Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham said: “Newsweek has a long tradition of asking practitioners and opinion-makers to offer our readers the benefits of their experience in occasional opinion essays. “Whether one agrees or disagrees with Karl, there is no arguing that... NewsMax http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926398/posts#comment Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:15:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924462/posts FORT MILLS, S.C -- Campaigning in New Hampshire and South Carolina, Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson raised his voice and shook his fists as he described his vision of an America true to conservative values. The display of vigor last week was timely: Two months into his bid for the nomination, the former Tennessee senator is fighting to shake the image of a laid-back -- even lazy -- candidate who lacks the fervor of his rivals. Thompson not only has adopted a forceful speaking style, he has taken a more aggressive approach toward other Republican candidates. The push to put... The Los Angeles Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924462/posts#comment Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:58:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920503/posts A look at the Sunday morning chat circuit ... Former Sen. Fred Thompson visits NBC's "Meet the Press." Of special note, the program is reaching its 60th anniversary. It debuted on Nov. 20, 1947, and is the world's longest-running TV program. It airs at 9 a.m. on WESH-Channel 2. Former President George H.W. Bush will talk to "Fox News Sunday." It airs at 9 a.m. on WOFL-Channel 35. Sen Joseph Biden will take questions on CBS' "Face the Nation." It airs at 10:30 a.m. on WKMG-Channel 6. Another guest will be Mark Penn, who is a strategist for Sen. Hillary... The Orlando Sentinel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920503/posts#comment Sat, 3 Nov 2007 16:46:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1917151/posts So I come across this piece over at Real Clear Politics, which tries to sort out this whole "Thompson doesn't dazzle and therefore must go NOW" business, and I get to the money quote: "If you have the intelligence to see which rules are real and which are fake, the respectfulness to follow the real rules, and the guts to break the fake rules - you can get ahead in this world. In fact, people will love you for breaking the fake rules." I must admit up front that this follows a Bob Dylan reference about breaking fake rules in... Red State http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1917151/posts#comment Sat, 27 Oct 2007 12:08:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1910702/posts Used to be, you didn't need a scorecard to read a column written by a conservative pundit. But then along came Election 2008 two years early, and now you have to read 'em with a grain of salt. No, better make that a pound of salt. Take Jennifer Rubin (please). She's regularly thrashed Fred Thompson for months in the American Spectator's AmSpec blog. And in a recent post on Race 4 2008, she explains that it's not just the NY Times that is bashing Thompson, but points to pundits David Frum, Robert Novak and George Will as conservatives who have... The Frederalist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1910702/posts#comment Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:27:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1908039/posts He was billed as the charisma-fueled Ronald Reagan-style conservative savior -- but screen star Fred Thompson is drawing mocking reviews for his latest role, as a Republican White House candidate. "Lazy," "subdued" and "rambling," blared recent media critiques of the ex-senator's first month in a fluid 2008 Republican field. Thompson's short-lived honeymoon might have been expected: he teased the media and surfed a wave of favorable coverage by hovering on the edge of the Republican field for months -- and so had huge expectations to meet. If pundits are to be believed, the "Law & Order" star's campaign is yet... AFP/Google http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1908039/posts#comment Mon, 8 Oct 2007 05:21:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1907477/posts <p>So, should viewers of Tuesday's Republican presidential debate expect an exchange of views between the candidates - or between the candidates and one of the event's moderators?</p> <p>It's a fair question, given the jaw-dropping comments Thursday evening from MSNBC blowhard - and scheduled debate moderator - Chris Matthews.</p> The New York Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1907477/posts#comment Sat, 6 Oct 2007 16:17:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1904745/posts The reviews are in: Fred Thompson's plunge into the presidential campaign "was right up there with Britney Spears at the MTV awards." Well, that was liberal New York Times columnist Gail Collins. How about a committed conservative? "More belly-flop than swan dive . . . the strangest product launch since that of New Coke in 1985," writes columnist George Will. Okay, they're in the opinion business. But news accounts have described the fledgling Thompson venture as "a comedy of errors" (Politico.com); drawing "mediocre reviews" (Washington Post); and maintaining a "languid" schedule that on one swing "kept him on a jumbo... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1904745/posts#comment Mon, 1 Oct 2007 07:58:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834423/posts Des Moines Register's David Yepsen: "Best Overall Debate Performance: Romney." (David Yepsen, "Best Overall Debate Performance: Romney," Des Moines Register Blog, http://blogs.dmregister.com, 5/15/07) - Yepsen: "Mitt Romney had the best overall performance. He was cool, concise, and showed an executive persona throughout the session." (David Yepsen, "Best Overall Debate Performance: Romney," Des Moines Register Blog, http://blogs.dmregister.com, 5/15/07) National Review Online's Mark Levin: "For what it's worth, Romney looks stronger and stronger to me. He's in his zone, he's nailed down his positions, he's confident and articulate, and he has charisma." (Mark Levin, "The Debate," Mark Levin Blog, http://levin.nationalreview.com, 5/15/07) The... Romney for President 2008 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834423/posts#comment Wed, 16 May 2007 13:31:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1812854/posts Back in the pre-Internet days of yore, political punditry was the best job in journalism and one of the best anywhere. You could spout off on anything you wanted, and almost nobody would call you on it, much less find a place to publish and prove you wrong. And once you had established yourself as "credible," it required little work, save coming up with a few semi-memorable phrases. (George Will's chef-d'oeuvre was opining that the Reagan Administration "loved commerce more than it loathed Communism.") With the advent of television talk shows, riches arrived in the form of corporate speaking gigs... The Nation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1812854/posts#comment Fri, 6 Apr 2007 01:11:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1779073/posts I have just finished reading a Ben Stein column about the recent SOTU adress. It started out very well, but then took what seemed to me an odd turn: Stein, along with several other conservative pundits, has come to the conclusion that the war in Iraq was just a big, huge mistake. I've been hearing this with increasing frequency, from people I did not expect to hear it from. Bill O'Reilly, Francis Fukuyama... even Charles Krauthammer sounds disenchanted. Here is my question: When did everyone decide to agree that the war in Iraq was a mistake? I still don't think... vanity http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1779073/posts#comment Sun, 4 Feb 2007 17:12:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1763643/posts When political leaders make drastic mistakes, accountability is delivered in the form of elections. That occurred in November when voters removed the party principally responsible for the war in Iraq. But the invasion would not have occurred had Americans not been persuaded of its wisdom and necessity, and leading that charge was a stable of pundits and media analysts who glorified President Bush’s policies and disseminated all sorts of false information and baseless assurances. Yet there seems to be no accountability for these pro-war pundits. The American Conservative http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1763643/posts#comment Sun, 7 Jan 2007 08:28:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1751080/posts Preview and Analysis of the Weekend Talk Shows for December 9 and 10, 2006The Iraq Survey Group has delivered their tablets from the mountain and it is time for all of us to accept the fact that we have been defeated in Iraq and to stop worshipping the false god of democracy and freedom!  It's just too hard!  Instead we must accept Realpolitik and turn over all of the Middle East to the Islamists because we want to keep the oil flowing.  Those annoying Jews will just have to get over that whole Israel thing.  They should go back to... Network and Cable News Networks http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1751080/posts#comment Sat, 9 Dec 2006 22:36:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1747587/posts Preview and Analysis of the Weekend Talk Shows for December 2 and 3, 2006 Having triumphed with a landslide win (hey, a 1 seat margin in the Senate and the smallest historical change in the House in a sixth year of a presidency is a mandate if they say it's a mandate!) the Democrats and DBM are now in full gloat mode.  They are trumpeting their plans to "fix" the country and undo all of the rotten things that the Republicans did since McChimpy Reagan defeated Holy Jimmy the C.  now the masks are off and they can finally reveal... Network and Cable News Networks http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1747587/posts#comment Sat, 2 Dec 2006 22:18:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1743617/posts Preview and Analysis of the Weekend Talk Shows for November 25th and 26th, 2006 Very brief preview tonight.  I got the guests and links done on MTP and FTN, and the guests on  FNS Thursday night, before the surgery.  I was able to get the topics and guests for the other shows in tiny bits this afternoon, but that's all I'm going to do.  I got to the hospital a little after 6 this morning and the transplant was done and I was out of surgery, in recovery, before 10 AM and checked out before noon.  The surgery appears to... Network and Cable News Networks http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1743617/posts#comment Sat, 25 Nov 2006 00:21:08 GMT