Overview for FF Spotlight

Turkish PM: “We Call a Killer”… Mr. Killer

This week, Turkish PM Recep Erdogan eagerly denounced Israel (again). But as for Hezbollah's murder of Rafiq Hariri, Erdogan is willing to look the other way. On a visit to Lebanon, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan denounced Israel (again). Turkey's prime minister called on Israel to …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 25, 2010

A Thanksgiving Thank You

It's often said that modern media only has room for the extremes of opinion. Every day, this site tries to disprove that view. On this day of Thanksgiving, I'd like to express my thanks to the contributors, supporters, friends, and readers to and of this site. Over 18 months, you have proven …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 25, 2010

Ground Zero Mosque to Feds: Keep Us in Business

During the the lower Manhattan mosque debate, I predicted it would never be built. Developers now want millions from a post-9/11 recovery fund. During the heat of the debate over the lower Manhattan mosque, I suggested that the whole scheme was a desperate stunt by a small-time property developer …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday November 24, 2010

Can Daniels Win Over Libertarian Wonks?

Mitch Daniels may have a reputation as the wonk candidate, but some libertarian and free market wonks have concerns with the potential GOP candidate. In my look at Mitch Daniels chances yesterday, user ProfNickD suggested that my contention that Daniels was the favored candidate of the conservat…

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Tuesday November 23, 2010

Nancy Pelosi: The Blue Team’s MVP

The election of Nancy Pelosi as the Democrats' Minority Leader is bad news for the GOP. In fact, there's a good chance that in 2013 she'll be Speaker again. Why are so many conservatives celebrating the election of Nancy Pelosi as the Democrats’ Minority Leader? Her election is actually bad news …

Written by Andrew Pavelyev on Tuesday November 23, 2010

Time for UN to Pull Out of Haiti

Haitians are wrongly blaming UN peacekeepers for a cholera outbreak and demanding they leave the country. And that's exactly what the UN should do. Having endured a devastating earthquake that exacerbated its endemic poverty and corruption, Haiti is now in the throes of a cholera epidemic – …

Written by Peter Worthington on Tuesday November 23, 2010

How School Vouchers Can Protect Gay Teens

A series of high-profile suicides has increased awareness of anti-gay bullying. But there's an easy solution to help gay students escape to safer private and charter schools. School vouchers can help liberate gay and lesbian youth from the terror of growing up gay in the typical American public …

Written by Alex Morgan on Tuesday November 23, 2010

How Repealing the Health Mandate Could Backfire

Republicans are convinced that voters oppose the individual mandate and want it repealed. But repeal could have some unintended consequences. As debate about whether or not the incoming Republican House should attempt to “repeal and replace” the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act continues…

Written by Mason Herron on Tuesday November 23, 2010

How to Run for RNC Chairman

Saul Anuzis was the first announced RNC chair candidate. Why haven’t others jumped in as well? F F spoke with strategists for an inside look at RNC chair races. RNC Chair campaigns are not like your typical primary or general elections, so Frum Forum talked to Republican strategists …

Written by Tim Mak on Monday November 22, 2010

Daniels: Wonks Love Him, Grassroots Don't

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels may be the thinking man's conservative, but he polls abysmally among those who actually pick the GOP nominee: the grassroots. Among conservatives who value good public policy, no figure may be more adored than Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana. He is the thinking man’s …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday November 22, 2010

The Right Way to Honor Reagan's 100th Birthday

We're approaching the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birthday and its time for an appropriate national commemoration of this good man. We're approaching the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Ronald Reagan: February 6, 2011. My latest column for CNN.com makes the case for an appropriate …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 22, 2010

How Huckabee Could Stop President Palin

Huckabee's comments about the strength of a Palin 2012 bid are more than an observation. They are a warning from the one politician who could do the most to stop her. Mike Huckabee, who knows a thing or two about insurgent campaigns, sees the power of the Palin candidacy. Taegan Goddard links …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 22, 2010

"Operation: Stop Palin" Gets Rolling

The behind-the-scenes story of 2011 will be the GOP establishment's increasingly frantic search for ways to stop the Palin for President campaign. Matt Labash's review of Sarah Palin's new television show is worth reading, and not only because everything by Matt Labash is worth reading. The …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 22, 2010

Don't Let Congress Handcuff The EPA

Congress' plans to strip the EPA's authority to limit greenhouse gases will only mean more political gridlock on climate change issues. The main selling point of Senator Jay Rockefeller’s legislation to impose a two-year timeout on EPA climate regulations is that Congress should decide how and …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Sunday November 21, 2010

Free Speech (for Some) at York University

Why is former British MP George Galloway an honored guest at Canada's York University, while those who uphold democratic values are silenced on campus? York University's reception of George Galloway -- and the Toronto area university's legal threats against Galloway protesters -- reminded me of an …

Written by David Frum on Saturday November 20, 2010

The Prowl: An Idiot’s Guide to Dating in D.C.

This week, new lawmakers descended on Washington. One thing their orientation will lack though is advice on picking up a good lady or man. Like many in our nation's capital, for the past week I have been following the comings and goings of incoming lawmakers as they descended on the city for the …

Written by Vivian Darkbloom on Friday November 19, 2010

Don't Want Gridlock? Stop Voting for It

In public opinion polls, voters claim to prefer politicians who are willing to compromise when in power. Yet, election results tell a different story. As I have written previously (some will say “ad nauseam”), the politics of harsh rhetoric , ideological polarization and legislative …

Written by Les Francis on Friday November 19, 2010

Rough Justice

Ahmed Ghailani, a suspect in the 1998 embassy bombings, may have prevailed at trial on 284 out of 285 counts, but that might not mean a lighter sentence. Doesn't the Ghailani verdict look like a highly politicized saw-off? The legalist left gets to say they prevailed on 284 out of 285 counts. …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 18, 2010

Yet Another Reason Palin Shouldn't Be President

Sarah Palin asks: "The publishing world is LEAKING out-of-context excerpts of my book w/out my permission? Isn't that illegal?" Actually, no it's not. Sarah Palin tweets: RT @SarahPalinUSA: The publishing world is LEAKING out-of-context excerpts of my book w/out my permission? Isn't that …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 18, 2010

Good News from Europe on Spain's Debt

Investors are becoming more optimistic about Spanish debt, according to a Bloomberg poll of global bond buyers and sellers. Investors are becoming more optimistic about Spanish debt, according to a Bloomberg poll of global bond buyers and sellers. Investors remain optimistic about the …

Written by David Frum on Thursday November 18, 2010