Free Republic

I started focusing on the political process in the mid-to-late 80's. For as long as I've been involved, it has been generally accepted that Ronald Reagan's success was keyed to his ability to bring the three legs of the conservative movement to stand together -- the foreign policy, economic, and social conservatives. Today, I believe the Republican and Democrat establishments would love nothing more than for the social conservatives to sit down and shut up, but they know this demographic can still really impact an election. It is harder for social conservatives to win elections by themselves these days. They...

I started focusing on the political process in the mid-to-late '80s. For as long as I've been involved, it has been generally accepted that Ronald Reagan's success was keyed to his ability to bring the three legs of the conservative movement to stand together -- the foreign policy, economic and social conservatives. Today, I believe the Republican and Democrat establishments would love nothing more than for the social conservatives to sit down and shut up, but they know this demographic can still really impact an election. It is harder for social conservatives to win elections by themselves these days. They...

Today's Guest: J.C. Watts To talk with Sean during his show call: 800.941.7326 LISTEN LIVE ONLINE MON - FRI 3PM - 6PM EST Listen here:

Cannot Post due to copyright issues: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/03/17/080317taco_talk_hertzberg

One of the things that has driven me crazy about my fellow evangelicals in this election is their mercurial, erratic and sometimes arbitrary approach to selecting their candidates for president. Early in the Republican primary process we had a front-runner to whom none of the evangelical "leaders" could warm, and when John McCain imploded early on, you could almost hear the sighs of relief rising up from Colorado Springs. Then came the dance with Fred Thompson, but he waited too long to buy his dance card, and Fred's last dance was his first. All the while, we had the former...

If conventional wisdom holds true and John McCain ends up the last man standing in this year’s Republican primary, he’s going to have his work cut out for him in the general election. It’s no secret that many conservatives — not just Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter — have major problems with McCain’s positions on a wide range of issues, as well as with many of the less than conservative, if not downright liberal, pieces of legislation he’s attached his name to. One man’s “maverick” is another man’s “mealy-mouthed moderate.” However, if McCain does get the...

The purpose of this petition is simple... to convince Senator John McCain to put former Congressman JC Watts on the Republican ticket in 2008. Congressman Watts is a man of high character, a committed social and economic conservative, a business man, a former national leader in the Republican Congress, a spokesman and advocate of Republican ideals, and uniquely prepared to be the President of the United States. JC can unite the Republican Party by bringing together conservatives of all stripes and bridging the gap between Senator McCain and many in his own party that have disagreed with him in the...

Short List of possible VP Candidates: Romney, Huckabee, Coburn, Hunter, Thompson, DeMint, Sessions, Lynn Cheney, Ingraham, Rush, Mark Levin, Lieberman, Giuliani, Condy Rice, Colin Powell, Rumsfeld, JOhn Bolton, Pawlenty, Sanford, Stallone, Chuck Norris, J. C. Watts, Jeb Bush, Michael Steele Any others? Have at it.

It seems like only yesterday. In 1990, I first entered politics in Oklahoma. I ran for a seat on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the agency tasked with regulating public utilities and our oil and gas industry. The nine-year incumbent against whom I was running gave me an issue that was like a gift from Santa Claus. One of our major utilities had overcharged ratepayers to the tune of almost $30 million, and he had voted to let the offending public utility keep the windfall to upgrade its infrastructure. I felt the ratepayers deserved their money back, whether it was $50...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've noted in presidential campaigns present and past that most viable candidates are always looking to "enlarge their territory" by appearing before groups that may not be obvious constituencies. To wit: Seven short years after referring to Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and other evangelical leaders as "agents of intolerance," John McCain was the commencement speaker at Falwell's Liberty University this past spring. This is referred to in political circles as expanding your base. Or mending fences. To wit again: Rudy Giuliani, America's mayor, who has not been known as a friend of the Second...

There's wishful thinking, and there's also masochism.... Does GOP care about the black vote? J.C. WattsCorrect me if I'm wrong, but I've noted in presidential campaigns present and past that most viable candidates are always looking to "enlarge their territory" by appearing before groups that may not be obvious constituencies.To wit: Seven short years after referring to Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and other evangelical leaders as "agents of intolerance," John McCain was the commencement speaker at Falwell's Liberty University this past spring.This is referred to in political circles as expanding your base. Or mending fences.To wit again: Rudy Giuliani, America's...

I once heard a fellow say, "If you don't believe it, it's not because there's not enough evidence for you to believe it." As in so many circumstances in politics, this pearl of wisdom applies to the war in Iraq. Democrat leadership keeps saying they don't and won't believe that we're having success in Iraq, but it's not because things aren't going favorably for the good guys. Such is the case with the Democrat leadership on all matters Iraq. Maybe it's just me, but I'm thinking the Democrats have invested a lot in seeing the United States not win in...

Newman is a good actor. I really liked him in "The Sting" when I was a high school kid. I didn't get to many movies at that age, what with football, baseball, basketball and chores, but that movie is one I'll never forget. Great ending. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was another of his better efforts. "Cool Hand Luke," "Fort Apache, the Bronx," "The Towering Inferno," "Slap Shot," all good stuff. He makes a tasty salad dressing, too. But Newman's politics aren't nearly as appetizing. I wish he'd stick to what he knows. The legendary star of the silver...

Students at Covenant College received some reenforcement in their faith today from a former Congressman. J.C. Watts, an Oklahoma Republican and one-time preacher, spoke to students about the role God plays in their lives. Watts, who served in Congress with Fred Thompson, also voiced his support for the former Tennessee Senator's possible Presidential bid. "I define Fred Thompson as AC, what's AC? All class. He's a great guy and understands how intense and important this war is," says Watts. Although he has no future political plans, Watts believes Thompson would also be willing to tackle domestic issues, like poverty. Depite...

Most readers of this column know I appreciate competitive sports. I competed for 21 years in just about any sport that involved a ball. I enjoyed a happy and fairly respectable career in major college football and in the Canadian Football League. Football can get pretty rough in the trenches, and I'm happy to be a spectator today. Politics can get pretty rough in the trenches, too, and I'm very happy to be a spectator today. From my couch, watching the political games being played across the country, I see they are getting nastier by the day. Watching the Kerry-Kennedy-Clinton...

Eleven years ago on April 19, Timothy McVeigh parked a rented moving van in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City.He chose a parking place closest to the always busy Social Security office on the first floor, and a day-care center in which the most innocent among us were happily playing just one floor above.At 9:02 a.m., McVeigh lit a fuse in the truck in which he and fellow anti-government zealot Terry Nichols had constructed a 4,800-pound fertilizer bomb, and he ran like a coward.Seconds later, 167 people -- whom McVeigh tried and found guilty...

What does Indiana, Virginia, Colorado and Oklahoma all have in common? Yes, they are all red states. But now, they each sent one of their favorite sons to the Final Four of the Presidential March Madness II tournament. Cinderella story continues for George Mason, I mean Mike Pence. Conseravtives from Washington, DC, to Florida, through the heartland and across the country to California have rallied to support Mike Pence. Mr. President? If the shoe fits... Tom Tancredo who made immigration his bread and butter issue, certainly picked the right time to make it a national debate. Tom rolled to an...

(Columbus, March 10, 2006) J.C. Watts, former Oklahoma Congressman and national Republican leader, added his personal endorsement to Ken Blackwell’s gubernatorial campaign today. Watts endorsed Blackwell, saying, “Ken is a true conservative, who will protect the family and the taxpayer in everything he does as Governor. And, as a personal friend, I know Ken doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. He is a good man whose faith guides his every action and speaks the truth without reservation. “We can count on Ken to be a strong leader who will move Ohio forward. He will be a great...

Been to the movies lately? If you're going to plunk down $8.50 and buy watered-down Coke and overpriced popcorn, is it asking too much for quality entertainment that occasionally affirms life and stirs the soul? For years, my friends in the church and in the pro-family movement and I have decried the products being delivered to our theaters. We have particularly pointed to an anti-religious bias in so many movies. Red-state America's response to movies that are bad in this fashion has been to whine, complain and maybe even call for an ill-fated boycott. Film critic, radio talk show host...

Where is the outrage that was manufactured to run Rush Limbaugh off the air? Is it absent because Gumbel is allegedly black? So just picture for a moment, if you will, that you're watching SportsCenter tonight and Dan Patrick says, "The lack of whites in the NBA makes it look like a welfare office." Think that would get buried like Gumbel's comments? For what it's worth, maybe Gumbel should do some research on the emerging face of the GOP.