Free Republic

If you want to know what a Tea Party America might look like, there is no place like Kansas. In the past year, three state agencies have been abolished and 2,050 jobs have been cut. Funding for schools, social services and the arts have been slashed. The new Republican governor rejected a $31.5 million federal grant for a new health-insurance exchange because he opposes President Obama’s health-care law. And that’s just the small stuff. A new “Office of the Repealer” has been created to reduce the number of laws and regulations, and the Repealer is canvassing the state for more...

Gov. Sam Brownback endorsed Texas Gov. Rick Perry for president on Thursday, citing Perry's record on creating jobs and reducing taxes. "Rick Perry is the right leader for this moment in history," he said in a prepared statement. "I think he's really got the right message that it's about jobs, it's about job creation and it's about getting the atmosphere right," Brownback said. "They've maintained and created a very positive, growth-oriented atmosphere in Texas that we've got to get back to in the United States." Perry's campaign issued a statement calling Brownback "one of the most respected voices for conservatism...

The guest list for Rick Perry's August 6 day of prayer won't include many U.S. governors. Only two governors, both Republican, plan to join Perry at the event at Houston's Reliant Stadium, which Perry has labeled as a non-denominational, apolitical, Christian prayer meeting. Perry invited all of his fellow U.S. governors to the event. Just two - Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal - have accepted the invitation. Mark P. Jones, a government professor at Rice University, said he is not surprised by the lukewarm response. "For a Democrat there is nothing to be gained by attending,...

Kansas still has one abortion provider, but two others that don't have state licenses were hoping to persuade a federal judge to block a new licensing law and health department regulations they consider burdensome. The state attorney general's office argued ahead of a Friday hearing in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., that a license granted to a Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri clinic disproves critics' contention that the new Kansas rules are designed to cut off access to abortion. The licensing law was part of a wave of anti-abortion legislation enacted across the nation this year, but...

It used to be easy for the Kansas Legislature to pass new abortion laws. Getting them signed into law was another matter. But freshman Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican and longstanding abortion opponent, is expected to sign two bills that passed the Legislature with overwhelming support Tuesday. One of the bills deals with late-term abortions, the other with parental consent.

It could be a game-changer. A plan in Arizona to require presidential candidates to prove their eligibility to occupy the Oval Office is approaching critical mass, even though it has just been introduced. The proposal from state Rep. Judy Burges, who carried a similar plan that fell short last year only because of political maneuvering, was introduced yesterday with 16 members of the state Senate as co-sponsors. It needs only 16 votes in the Senate to pass. In the House, there are 25 co-sponsors, with the need for only 31 votes for passage, and Burges told WND that there were...

TOPEKA (AP) — After 16 years in Washington, Republican Sam Brownback is coming home to be governor of Kansas. Brownback on Tuesday defeated Democratic state Sen. Tom Holland to reclaim the office held by Democrats for the past eight years.

With the leaders of five tribes in attendance, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas read a congressional resolution Wednesday apologizing for "ill-conceived policies" and acts of violence against American Indians by the U.S. government.

A Kansas pastor says by endorsing Kathleen Sebelius for Health and Human Services secretary, Senator Sam Brownback "violated the scriptures and his own church's teaching" and "betrayed" many conservative Christians who had been his largest base of support. Senator Brownback (R-Kansas) joined home-state colleague Pat Roberts and seven other Republicans Tuesday to help Kathleen Sebelius win approval (65-31) to serve as HHS secretary. The nomination of the Kansas governor -- which Brownback has supported since it was announced almost two months ago -- was controversial because of her failure to pay taxes and her lack of honesty regarding the large...

After a day of uncertainty, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas said Tuesday he would vote to confirm Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for secretary of health and human services. “The president won the election and has nominated a Kansan to the Cabinet,” Brownback said in a statement. “Despite our profound policy differences, I will support my fellow Kansan.” Brownback joined Sen. Pat Roberts, who also made his intentions known Tuesday. Earlier Tuesday, Brownback had deferred. “He doesn’t plan to say anything either way at this point,” said a spokesman. Some questioned how Brownback would decide, considering how abortion opponents — who have...

It occurred to me the White House might be forced to nominate radically pro-abort Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Department of Health and Human Services secretary after news leaked last week it was pausing due to her loathsome reputation among pro-lifers. Fear of pro-abortion recrimination, pride, whatever. But it never occurred to me a pro-lifer legislator would applaud the pick, never mind two. But that's what happened when Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts issued a glowing joint statement congratulating their home girl: It's an honor for the State of Kansas to have an elected official appointed to the...

(WASHINGTON) — A top Republican US senator on Tuesday said China is planning to spy on guests who stay at foreign-owned hotels during the Olympic Games, which begin next month. "The Chinese government has put in place a system to spy on and gather information about every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying," Kansas Senator Sam Brownback told reporters. "This means journalists, athletes' families, human rights advocates and other visitors will be subjected to invasive intelligence gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau." The State Department issued a warning in March that Americans traveling to China for the...

It is often said that the best way to find out how a candidate would act in office if elected, is to see who he/she surrounds himself with. Money is another factor, what people and industries are backing the candidate. These answers should be an indicator of what to expect. Who is behind the man should gauge what kind of man he is. The great Richard Viguerie tells the story of how he and other conservatives had a “seat at the table” of the presidential campaigns of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan for. His thinking was if Conservatives aren’t at...

There is an old hymn written by Fanny Crosby, sung at generations of camp meetings, which exclaims: "Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King!" Since the emergence of evangelicalism as a cultural force in the 1950s, three approaches to politics, represented by three personalities, have emerged. They are the prophet, the priest and the kingmaker. The prophet has been psychologist James Dobson, who dispenses child-rearing advice on the radio from his Colorado ministry, Focus on the Family. On family issues, Dobson's counsel is moderate and broadly appealing. On politics, his tone sharpens. He rails against compromise on social-conservative...

GARDEN CITY - Although the meeting was about renewable energy, the Sunflower Electric Cooperative's proposed coal plants were high on the radar Monday at the Kansas Bioscience Authority luncheon. "We got gored on this plant deal," said House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, an Ingalls Republican, after the meeting, referring to the denial of air permits for the plants. The collection of elected officials and business leaders were on hand to listen to a presentation by the Bioscience Authority about current and future projects and southwest Kansas' role in renewable energy. Neufeld, along with Senate President Steve Morris and U.S. Sen. Sam...

Brownback's doom campaign started when fundraising totaled to only $94,653 and a weak Iowa Straw Poll. For most candidates, if you can't do well in Iowa, you can't do well in the race for the White House. The U.S. senator from Kansas will hold a press conference today at 3:45 p.m. in Topeka, where he is expected to announce his withdrawal. An Oct. 7 poll by the Des Moines Register ranked Brownback seventh among Republican voters in Iowa, with 2 percent of the vote. The race has four front-runners, listing off Republican presidential-nomination candidates Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain,...

“Goodbye Sam Brownback, Hero of the Social Conservative Movement: Where Else is There to Turn?” by SK Johnson 10-18-07 Originally from www.dhgrassrevolt.wordpress.com At the outset I will make my confession. I am a volunteer with the Duncan Hunter for President campaign and closely connected to the grassroots movement for Duncan Hunter. Yes, at the core, this article is an attempt at solicitation but it comes from a place of common ground. It comes from our common ground on the importance of the pro-life, human trafficking, and the social conservative and human rights platform at large. This is not merely an...

Christian conservatives have thus far failed to rally behind a single candidate, but a prominent conservative leader predicts at least one candidate will emerge from the upcoming Values Voter Summit with major support from social conservatives. Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, recently said he was “very optimistic” with the field of candidates that will attend this week’s Washington Briefing 2007: Values Voter Summit. He believes there will be one to two contenders that will be revealed as the favorite among social conservatives during the three-day gathering. But even if none of the candidates appeal to values voters, it...

The way to avoid a Rudy nomination is to simply bury him in the primaries. Let's examine a few key facts. 1) The current national polls have Rudy at about 30%, Thompson at 21%, McCain at 13%, Romney at 11%, and Huckabee at 6%. The other 19% are either going for a minor candidate or are undecided. 2) Rudy is mostly leading because a) he's the only pro-choice candidate against seven pro-life candidates and b) he's supported by some conservatives because he's seen as the best chance to win. 3) While McCain is listed as third here, it's pretty generally...

On economic matters, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson stand above the rest of the Republican field both on substance and on refusal to pander to populist myths. Of the two, Giuliani is the more engaging, the more memorable, and the more clear -- but Thompson wasn’t bad at all. That’s the quick-response reaction to Tuesday’s Michigan presidential debate on economic matters. The truth is, when social issues are off the table, Giuliani is as solidly a Reaganite conservative as there is, and Thompson is not far behind. On the other hand, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is about as economically...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #8 – Dearborn, Michigan 10/09/07 - Official Discussion Thread CNBC/MSNBC/The Wall Street Journal are jointly sponsoring the first Republican Presidential debate of the 2008 campaign focusing on economic issues. It will be held on October 9 in Dearborn, Michigan at the University of Michigan-Dearborn at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. Broadcast is live on CNBC at 4 PM ET (1 PM PT) and re-broadcast on MSNBC at 9 PM ET (6 PM PT). CNBC's Maria Bartiromo and MSNBC's Chris Matthews will host the debate. Live streaming on CNBC.com Candidates participating: Sam Brownback Rudy Giuliani...

Third-quarter fundraising for the 2008 presidential candidates has wrapped up, and as money provides a good gauge for the continued viability of a candidate, some candidates need to consider hanging it up. Frankly, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R., Calif.) and Senators Joe Biden (D. Del.), Sam Brownback (R., Kan.), Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.), John McCain (R., Ariz.) and Tom Tancredo (R., Colo.) need to get back to work... Sen. McCain, meanwhile, continues to disappoint. He raised $5 million this quarter and still carries about $2 million in debt. His campaign has mulled over accepting public financing. He received a dead-cat bounce...

For one day at least, Wyoming felt a little like New Hampshire. Three Republican presidential candidates, including former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, made their pitch to the Cowboy State at a packed forum in Casper on Saturday. The newfound attention comes on the heels of a decision by the Wyoming Republican Party to move its county conventions up to Jan. 5, to be closer to the New Hampshire primary, traditionally the first in the nation. "It behooves all the candidates to pay attention to the state of Wyoming," said Joe Schloss, chairman of the Teton County Republican Party. A crowd...

Three Republican candidates for president—Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter and Sam Brownback—all ventured into “Cheney country” this weekend, during a meet-the-candidates forum held at Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gymnasium at Casper College. The college is just up the hill from the alma mater of Vice-President Dick Cheney, Natrona County High School. All three sounded largely the same themes, although Hunter took a more populist slant, decrying the loss of manufacturing jobs to China. The Wyoming Republican Party has scheduled a Jan. 5 convention, allowing Wyoming to compete in staging the first presidential primaries and county conventions in the country. “We’re going to...

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - State Republican leaders are getting a chance to throw questions at three presidential candidates in Casper today (Saturday). Fred Thompson, Sam Brownback and Duncan Hunter will each give a speech, then take questions from members of the Wyoming GOP Central Committee at Casper College. A similar event will take place in Riverton this evening, although Thompson says he's not going to participate in that event. Wyoming Republicans began organizing the forum last month, soon after they moved up to Jan. 5 their date for choosing delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention. Currently that date will...

CHEYENNE -- Getting the national media spotlight to shine on Wyoming politics is a little like getting sunlight to the floor of the rainforest. But the state GOP has chopped away some of the old growth lately by joining a handful of states jockeying for early presidential caucuses and primaries. Wyoming's early county conventions has also attracted an unprecedented four presidential candidates to forums this weekend in Casper and Riverton, including former Tennessee senator and "Law and Order" TV star Fred Thompson. The early conventions were the brainchild of Tom Sansonetti, the longtime GOP activist, former Justice Department official and...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #7 – Baltimore, Maryland 09/27/07 - Official Discussion Thread All-American Presidential Forum on PBS Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland September 27, 2007, 9:00 pm-10:30 pm ET (check your local PBS listings) Moderated by Tavis Smiley. Candidates participating: Sam Brownback Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter Alan Keyes Ron Paul Tom Tancredo Journalists involved... Ray Suarez is a Washington-based Senior Correspondent who joined The NewsHour in October 1999. Suarez has thirty years of varied experience in the news business. Cynthia Tucker is the editorial page editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist whose work appears in...

Over the past four months, Rasmussen Reports polling has consistently shown Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani holding the top two slots in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. During that time, the weekly poll results have shown Thompson’s support ranging from a low of 20% to a high of 28%. Giuliani’s range has been similar, from 19% to 27%. Although Thompson and Giuliani are the frontrunners, both men still have plenty of detractors who say they can’t possibly win the nomination. For the week ending September 23, it’s Thompson 26% and Giuliani 22%. Occupying a precarious niche somewhere between...

Just five Republican candidates - half the invited field - will take part in Thursday's presidential debate in Baltimore, event organizers said yesterday. The four leading contenders, Rudolph W. Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, have each said they will not participate in the forum focusing on issues facing minority voters. Their absence has drawn the ire of Tavis Smiley, the talk-show host who is moderating and organizing the debate at Morgan State University; he said the candidates are making a mistake in not reaching out to black voters. A list of confirmed participants released yesterday also omits...

There's no need to ask Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, why his agency created the Defending the American Dream Summit. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- who actually could be president one day -- can tell you. At the NASDAQ stock market last week, Mr. Obama said the "'what's-good-enough-for-me-is-good-enough' mentality has crept into parts of the business world, while working men and women toil longer hours and still struggle to pay for health care, tuition and taxes," according to The Associated Press. "If we are honest, I think we must admit that those who have benefited from the...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Sam Brownback, the Kansas senator and Republican presidential candidate, has introduced a new bill that would require abortion practitioners to perform an ultrasound and allow women contemplating an abortion to see the pictures of their unborn child. The hope is that it will persuade many women to keep their baby.The Ultrasound Informed Consent Act is similar to bills lawmakers in states like Texas, South Carolina and Georgia have proposed.Pregnancy centers routinely show women ultrasound photos and a high percentage of women decide against having an abortion."It is necessary and right to provide a woman seeking...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #6 – Fort Lauderdale, Florida 09/17/07 - Official Discussion Thread The debate will focus on issues of special concern to social and religious conservatives who brand themselves "values voters." The candidates will begin arriving here mid-afternoon, and the debate kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. It will be streamed live via the Internet at ValuesVoterDebate.com and the website for the American Family Association. It is also reported to be telecast on Sky Angel's Angel One channel & Dish Network channel #262. Moderated by Joseph Farah, editor of WorldNetDaily Candidates participating Sam Brownback John Cox Mike...

FORT WORTH, Texas --One of the names coming up most frequently as the 2008 presidential campaign gears up isn't even a candidate. It's Rick Scarborough, an East Texas Baptist minister and evangelist determined to bring conservative Christian Republicans back to the polls next year. The presidential election is still more than a year away, but the primary campaigns are in full swing, and Scarborough and other religious leaders are stepping up in the battle being waged for control of the White House, Congress and the GOP itself. They want the full force of conservative Christian voters to be felt in...

The official entry of actor and former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson has affected the national race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to a poll by American Research Group. 24 per cent of respondents would vote for former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in a 2008 primary, while 23 per cent would back Thompson. Support for Thompson increased by seven points since August. Arizona senator John McCain is third with 14 per cent, followed by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with nine per cent. Support is lower for former House of Representatives speaker Newt...

Former Senator Fred Thompson first announced that he might be available for the Republican Presidential nomination nearly six months ago. Since then, he has done well in the polls, missed a few possible dates to formally enter the campaign, skipped several Republican Presidential “debates”, and inevitably faced questions as to whether he waited too long to enter the race. Last week, he finally made it official and had the stage to himself while other candidates scrambled for attention in yet another candidate “debate.” The early returns are encouraging for Thompson and his team. Despite the fact that his intentions have...

The press — or some of it — at least some of it have put Barack Obama on the road to oblivion. When the candidate responded, at the July 23 CNN/YouTube Democratic debate, that he would meet with rogue foreign leaders during his first year in office, much of the media excoriated him — even though his statement was met with applause, and a subsequent poll showed a large majority of Democratic voters agreed with him. Michael Goodwin of the New York Daily News even wrote recently that Obama “is starting to get that last call feeling. He has to...

WASHINGTON -- It now looks like Sen. Larry Craig is going to leave office after all. His top spokesman said Thursday that Craig has just about dropped any idea of trying to complete his term, and that he is focused on helping Idaho send a new senator to Washington within a few weeks. (snip) Craig's situation came up in Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California both called for his reignation. "What I think is good about it is that he's taking responsibility in the sense of resigning from office, and...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #5 – Durham, New Hampshire 09/05/07 - Official Discussion Thread Viewers of Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate in Durham, N.H., should be sure to have their computers up and running early, as FOXNews.com offers special live streaming video before, during and after the event. The debate itself, to be aired on FOX News Channel and streamed on FOXNews.com, begins at 9 p.m. EDT (6 PDT). Moderated by Brit Hume Candidates participating... Sam Brownback Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Mitt Romney Ron Paul Tom Tancredo

Presidential hopefuls seeking to win conservative voters were quick to voice criticism of an Iowa county judge’s ruling to allow gay “marriage” in his county despite the state’s ban on same-sex civil “marriage.” Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was the first to denounce the decision by Polk County Judge Robert Hanson, who last Thursday ruled that the state’s decade-old same-sex “marriage” ban violated the couples’ constitutional rights. Romney even voiced support of a federal ban on same-sex “marriage.” “The ruling in Iowa is another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will...

If there was ever a secret to actor-politician Fred Thompson’s presidential campaign, all the wrapping came off Tuesday when West Virginia Republican party officials announced the former Tennessee senator has filed to participate in the Mountain State’s primary convention. Thompson, 65, who served two terms in the U.S. Senate, plans to make the little-kept secret public Thursday when he will make the official announcement he is a candidate for president. He appears on The Tonight Show tonight with Jay Leno. But Bob Fish, chairman of West Virginia’s GOP convention, said Thompson met the party’s Sept. 1 filing deadline. Fish announced...

Last week's Iowa straw poll got a lot of national attention -- historically it's known to be something that could make or break a presidential candidate. On Thursday, Illinois got in on the action, with its first-ever straw poll. The polls were open at the state fair, and voters chose a candidate for president. But it's not Election Day -- its the first straw poll in Illinois. "You felt the enthusiasm in that room -- here it is, it was pouring rain at the time, and people were literally standing in the rain waiting to vote,” said Illinois State Republican...

To revise the old Woody Allen line: Eighty percent of success is not showing up. While Mitt Romney may have nominally "won" the Iowa Straw Poll over the weekend, the real victors were the ones who stayed away from Ames: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Fred Thompson (who has made something of an art of not showing up, in recent months). The paradox could mean the end of the straw poll as a GOP touchstone. And that would be nothing but good news for the Republican Party. Let's look first at how Mr. Romney comes out of all of this....

By the time the writing of this sentence is finished, Tommy Thompson should be out of the presidential race. The 67-year-old former Wisconsin Governor and Bush cabinet member had been unusually honest in playing the expectation game before today’s Iowa Straw Poll. “I've said all along that if I don't come in first or second, I'll drop out of the race,'' he reminded the media earlier this week. Well, the votes are now in and tallied, and Mr. Thompson came in sixth. If this does indeed mean death-by-straw-poll for the Thompson effort, it can be considered a mercy killing. His...

Republican presidential candidates transformed the campus of Iowa State University into a conservative carnival Saturday, competing for votes by offering free soda and barbecue and a promise of shade for the thousands who braved the 100-degree heat to attend this year's straw poll. The activists came by the busload, more than 30,000 in all, for the first voting of the 2008 presidential campaign. But for many, casting ballots was an afterthought as they made their way past huge stages with live bands, inflatable bouncy rooms for the kids and fair-style booths touting one conservative cause after another. The Iowa Right...

The only "Simpsons" series character whose name was changed for the movie was Austrian-born action star Rainer Wolfcastle, who goes by the name of President Schwarzenegger. This is satire, I think. There are nine Republican contenders for president and many more in the party looking for a rock-star candidate. Is it Rudy Giuliani, a.k.a. the Mayor of Terror Town? Mitt Romney, who bears a spooky resemblance to CBS CEO Leslie Moonves? Tom Tancredo or Tommy Thompson, both of whose names would restore alliteration to the White House for the first time since the Reagan era? I woke up early Sunday...

DES MOINES -- Although heated at the outset, the GOP debate quickly settled into a mild-mannered Sunday morning affair that saw the Republican presidential hopefuls training their fire on would-be Democratic opponents more than on each other. On issues ranging from the war in Iraq to health care to taxes, the top-tier contenders were mostly of a like mind during the 90-minute session held at Drake University and broadcast on ABC News. The session did, though, get off to a contentious start when moderator George Stephanopoulos opened things up by playing a "robo-call" that Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback's campaign has...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #4 – Des Moines, Iowa 08/05/07 - Official Discussion Thread ABC News will be conducting a debate to be aired on This Week. The nine announced GOP presidential candidates meet in a campaign debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. George Stephanopoulos is the moderator; Des Moines Register political writer David Yepsen poses additional questions. Debate starts at 8 am CT (9 am ET/ 6 am PT) * check local stations for broadcast time in your area * Candidates participating Sam Brownback Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Mitt Romney Ron Paul Tom...

Pointing to his support of family values, an Iowa couple says they will lead an effort to support Kansas Senator Sam Brownback's Presidential bid. Mark and Marie Scherbaum will chair the "Homeschoolers for Brownback Coalition." Brownback has been heavily campaigning in Iowa in advance of the August Republican straw poll. "Sam Brownback understands the unique role that parents play in the lives of their children and he believes that parents should have the freedom to homeschool their children," Marie Scherbaum said in a statment. In recent weeks Senator Brownback has announced Iowa Catholics for Brownback and his Iowa Faith and...

The alliance of talk radio, blogs and grassroots efforts was a winner when it came to defeating the "shamnesty" bill. Conservatives were enraged and showed just how much power we possess: A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 15,000 adults in June found that just 32.0% now say they're Republicans. That's up more than a full percentage point from a month ago and is within a tenth-of-a-point of the GOP's best showing in ten months. This is purely because of the efforts put forth to defeat a bill that would've rewarded those who broke our laws. The Bush administration suffered...

Through sheer force of will and/or idiocy, he’s managed to stretch his vote Thursday morning on cloture into a three-day, Kerryesque fiasco. Yesterday he said he’d intended to switch from yes to no all along. Today, a more nuanced explanation emerges. Exactly the type of man we need in the White House right now. Though some on both sides of the issue accused Brownback of “flip-flopping” once he saw that he would end up on the losing side of the debate, the senator suggested that it was again compassion — this time for a general public deeply divided over how...