Overview for FF Spotlight

Chuck DeVore Makes His Case

EXCLUSIVE: The great breathtaking conservative hope for 2010 is the possibility of unseating Senator Barbara Boxer in California. Frum Forum will talk to all three candidates for the GOP nomination in the coming days. Today: a video interview with state senator Chuck DeVore. The great …

Written by David Frum on Sunday January 17, 2010

Scott Brown: He's No Tea Partier

EXCLUSIVE: An interview with Scott Brown conducted by Frum Forum before his surprising swing in voter support paints a picture of a hardworking candidate; a moderate, New England Republican; and, if elected, a senator that will be sorely disappointing to the tea partiers currently backing him. …

Written by Tim Mak on Friday January 15, 2010

Pawlenty's (Not So) Bold Campaign

Tim Pawlenty has kicked off his presidential campaign with an important message to the voters: he's pro-freedom! Tim Pawlenty has kicked off his presidential campaign with a bold message: he's pro-freedom! On the home page of his Freedom First PAC's new website , we are treated to this image : …

Written by Alex Knepper on Friday January 15, 2010

One More Thought on Beck-Palin

Question: what do Palin's Fox News costars really think of her? Last night I watched for a second time the Beck-Palin interchange over favorite founding fathers. Go to slow-mo and here's what you see: When Palin tries to evade the question, Beck smiles broadly and says "bullcrap." Palin …

Written by David Frum on Friday January 15, 2010

Miracle in Massachusetts

Byron York is reporting that the bottom is dropping out of Martha Coakley's support in the Mass Senate race. Byron York is reporting that the bottom is dropping out of Martha Coakley's support in the Mass Senate race. It's not just the Democratic scare of a lifetime: Scott Brown might actually …

Written by David Frum on Friday January 15, 2010

The Coming Club for Growth Versus Tea Party Fight

The present marriage of convenience between the pro-Ayn Rand Club for Growth and the populist Tea Party movement cannot last. One thing political parties and partisans seem never to learn: the purer you are, the more you lose. The divisions of Red and Green parties in ancient Rome, where …

Written by Steve Bell on Thursday January 14, 2010

The Beck-Palin Conversation

Republicans used to be the daddy party - the party of responsibility, of rules, of the hard truths of life. Yet these two pre-eminently visible spokespersons for conservatism and Republicanism talked for a full hour about their ... feelings. I tweeted my passing thoughts as I watched the …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 14, 2010

On the Front Lines of Haiti's Recovery

While Haiti waits for assistance from other nations to trickle in, private military contractors are already at work restoring order and helping with the humanitarian effort. The earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti measured 7.0 on the Richter scale. The devastation is of …

Written by Sean Linnane on Thursday January 14, 2010

A More Rational Approach for Targeting Terror Suspects

I talked to UCLA law professor Mark Kleiman about the application of his ideas about crime-fighting to the aviation security problem in my latest column for The Week . I talked to UCLA law professor Mark Kleiman about the application of his ideas about crime-fighting to the aviation security …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 14, 2010

CIA to Obama: Don't Point the Finger at Us

President Obama has blamed the intelligence community for not catching the underwear bomber sooner. Speaking with Frum Forum , many former CIA and FBI officials argued the President’s criticism was unwarranted and that the agencies followed appropriate procedures. President Obama has blamed the …

Written by Elise Cooper on Wednesday January 13, 2010

Palin's Fox Debut

Sarah Palin's signing with Fox struck me as a deeply bad idea for her, assuming she harbors continuing political ambitions. Sarah Palin's signing with Fox struck me as a deeply bad idea for her, assuming she harbors continuing political ambitions. 1) Every time a politician appears on television…

Written by David Frum on Wednesday January 13, 2010

Reid's Words and Actions Fall Short

To someone who has observed the Democrats take the black vote for granted for years, while offering mere lip-service in lieu of constructive policies, Harry Reid's recent comments on race come as little surprise. Defenders of Harry Reid’s comments about black people in the new book Game Change …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Tuesday January 12, 2010

Blinded by Race

Reid’s praise for Obama’s skin tone and accent reveal his own background assumptions about the rest of black America. Harry Reid’s defenders argue that the Majority Leader merely used inartful language. But Reid’s praise for Obama’s skin tone and accent revealed his own background assumptions …

Written by Crystal Wright on Tuesday January 12, 2010

Washington DC, Financial Capital of the World

My latest CNN.com column analyzes the news that office rents in D.C. will soon overtake rents in New York City. My latest CNN.com column analyzes the news that office rents in D.C. will soon overtake rents in New York City.

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 12, 2010

Unanswered Edwards Questions

I've heard it said that Edwards was a third-tier candidate, a clear non-starter, nothing for anyone to worry about - had his campaign gone anywhere, then the Democratic truth-tellers would have stepped forward. Sure. Right. Posed of course by Mickey Kaus . The New York magazine …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 12, 2010

Hunting for Heroes

As time starts to run out for veterans of the Korean war, the President of South Korea wants to send a letter to every surviving veteran, thanking him for helping save the country. However roughly 80% of all veterans aren't registered with any formal veterans organization. As time starts to run …

Written by Peter Worthington on Monday January 11, 2010

Stopping the Breakdown of the Family

Opponents of the D.C. City Council's decision to legalize gay marriage aren't bigots. They are just rightly worried about the effects of the continuing breakdown of the American family. Despite the opposition of many D.C. residents, the D.C. City Council bypassed a ballot vote, ignored …

Written by Crystal Wright on Monday January 11, 2010

My John Edwards Moment

I only met John and Elizabeth Edwards in person once in my life, but in light of this week’s revelations, the story takes on new meaning. I only met John and Elizabeth Edwards in person once in my life, but in light of this week’s revelations, the story takes on new meaning. We were at an …

Written by David Frum on Monday January 11, 2010

Getting the States Into Fighting Shape

Many states face severe fiscal challenges in the years ahead and will be forced to make tough choices on spending to balance their budgets. As David Frum notes , a lot of states face severe fiscal challenges for many years to come. Many of the biggest budget items for states—Medicaid, bond …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Sunday January 3, 2010

America's Shadow Warriors

The seven CIA officers murdered this week in Afghanistan will never have their names revealed or receive the public gratitude they deserve. On Wednesday December 30 th , seven CIA officials were murdered and others were critically wounded at the Camp Chapman base in the eastern Khost province of …

Written by Elise Cooper on Friday January 1, 2010