Free Republic

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush sought to separate himself from the sound and fury of Donald Trump last night, portraying himself as the level-headed man of reason in a race so far dominated by the real estate mogul’s insults and outrage. “If you watched the debate last night, you noticed I’m not angry,” Bush told a crowd of about 200 people during a town hall here last night. -snip- “He actually did a fundraiser for me,” Bush said of Trump. “But just for the record, he never asked for anything because apparently you’re supposed to give him your money and...

Trump has no need for spokespeople. He strode into the spin room himself to declare victory and force the GOP into an existential crisis. Donald Trump won the Republican debate, according to Donald Trump. “It’s the story of my life, I guess,” Trump told reporters after his performance. By that he meant: People are needlessly hard on him, but he is so great and so fabulous that he always prevails in the end. -snip- Before Trump even made it out to the “spin room,” (so titled because its purpose, established in 1984 by the Reagan campaign, is to give candidates...

The trouble started more than a week ago. Chris Christie was three days into his presidential campaign on July 2, yet he kept getting thrown off message with questions about Donald Trump. The New Jersey Governor, known for his attitude and bombast, flashed a frustrated glare at reporters. “I’ve said this now about eight or nine times. I’ll say the same thing again,” he said on the street in downtown Nashua between campaign stops. “The comments were inappropriate.” That much was clear. -snip- “When Donald trump speaks about Hispanics, if I’m the smart Republican that stage, I’m going to rally...

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) blasted President Obama’s executive order on immigration, saying the president needs a “remedial civics 101” course to refresh his understanding of the Constitution's separations of power. “There is an appropriate way to address this, and it’s not amnesty,” Cornyn said on the Senate floor Thursday. “This is really a terrible precedent.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) this week signaled his support for undocumented immigrant children to have a pathway to U.S. citizenship. “For children who came with their parents into the country and did not comply with our immigration laws, they are guilty of nothing other than coming with their family,” Cornyn said during a Tuesday night Senate debate. “We ought to provide them with an opportunity not only to go to school, but eventually serve in the military or complete a college education and earn American citizenship.” In 2003, he voted for the DREAM Act, which would have created a pathway...

Conservatives in Congress are drawing up their wish list for a Republican Senate, including “pure” bills, like a full repeal of Obamacare, border security and approval of the Keystone XL pipeline — unlikely to win over many Democrats and sure to torment GOP leaders looking to prove they can govern. Interviews with more than a dozen conservative lawmakers and senior aides found a consensus among the right wing of the Republican Party: If Republicans take the Senate, they want to push an agenda they believe was hamstrung by the Democratic-controlled chamber, even if their bills end up getting vetoed by...

NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE www.nationalreview.com PRINT October 19, 2014 12:00 AM Rove Agonistes Karl Rove’s metamorphosis into legend is now complete. By Kevin D. Williamson ‘Karl Rove targets attorney general race in California.” “Who’s afraid of Kamala Harris? Karl Rove!” “Karl Rove Attacks — We Need Your Help!” Karl Rove’s starring role in the 2010 California attorney general’s race came as a surprise to Karl Rove, who wasn’t actually involved in that particular contest. This happens with him all the time. For the Left, Rove served for many years as the go-to bogeyman, the marquee name with which to conjure before...

Before you delete this email, we want to explain something. You’ve probably seen this a lot: Email: Chipped in to Defeat Harry Reid's Democrats? NO DONATION Deadline: 11:59 PM Suggested Support: $5.00 Let us explain… We rely on lots of grassroots conservatives to chip in $5 or more, while the other side is able to pressure Hollywood celebrities and limousine liberals to donate millions. In other words, we need your support or we just can’t keep up. If people donate, it adds up fast, but it only works if everyone does their part. And according to our records, you haven’t...

Two polls released Monday show Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan opening up a lead over Republican challenger Thom Tillis. Raleigh polling firm American Insights, which has Republican ties, had Hagan with a 9 percentage point lead among likely voters, while Elon University Poll gives Hagan a 4-point lead. The polls are the latest in a string showing Hagan gaining ground in the campaign. Of likely voters surveyed by American Insights, 43 percent said they would back Hagan, 34 percent said they backed Tillis, the current state House speaker, and 5 percent backed Libertarian Sean Haugh. "The race has unmistakably shifted...

Republican strategist Karl Rove says the GOP should quit while it's not as far behind as it could be. Appearing Tuesday on Fox News Channel's "On the Record," Rove said Republicans fighting for concessions on Obamacare and entitlements are weakening their position the longer they hold out. "At some point you have to focus on, as Ronald Reagan said, getting as much of the pie as you possibly can get," Rove said. Republicans aren't even going to be able to get 80 percent of what they want now, he said, because they have been weakened over the last two months...

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) gave a magnificent speech on immigrants and the meaning of America a few minutes ago. If you tear up and are moved, you understand why immigration reform is so critical. And if you sneer, roll your eyes and disparage his words, then there is nothing any bill or pundit will do to change your mind. Yours, in that case, is a different vision of America than mine. After recounting the incredible details of his parents’ struggles and immigration he said: This is not just my story. This is our story. It reminds us that we are...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: If you'll recall, I and I alone, I believe, El Rushbo long ago predicted to you, or opined that the Occupy Wall Street movement was a creation of the regime's, because Romney is perceived as Wall Street. They want Romney, and they assume they're going to be running against Romney, and who could blame them. I mean, if you're the Obama regime and you take a look conservative media today, you would have to assume that the Republican Party also wants Romney. Okay, it's inevitable. So you gear up for Romney.

RUSH: I went to Washington last night for dinner, and I told the staff, I didn't tell you people this, but I told the staff when we finished the program I had to record the Morning Update, and I said, "I gotta scram. I gotta go to Washington for dinner," and they didn't say anything. I got back about two in the morning, and my 16 gig iPhone had arrived yesterday, I'm thinking, "God, I want to get back and activate this thing." So I went to my library about 2:30 to start activating it and after a half hour,...

"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."