Overview for News

Logic More Endangered Than Historic Sites

Who should defend old buildings and determine their historic worth? Even when structures are worth saving, private interests, not government, should decide. As it has every year for nearly a quarter century, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released a list of the America’s “most …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday June 16, 2011

Will Pawlenty Be Pressed On Economic Plan?

Questions are being asked about the realism of Pawlenty's economic plan: massive tax cuts he has said can produce five percent growth. The day after the New Hampshire Republican debate, Tim Pawlenty made the rounds of the morning talk shows to answer questions about his debate performance. Much …

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 16, 2011

Conservatives Dismiss Pay-To-Play in Talk Radio

Politico's story about pay-to-play on conservative radio got the usual ho-hum treatment from most conservative blogs -- if it gets any mention. Politico's story yesterday about pay-to-play on conservative radio got the usual ho-hum treatment from most conservative blogs -- that is, when it got …

Written by David Frum on Thursday June 16, 2011

Debate Highlighted GOP's Far Right Turn

The Republican nominee is likely to position him or herself as the most conservative candidate to seek the Presidency in my lifetime -- more conservative than Goldwater in 1964 Watching the Republican presidential debate from Manchester, New Hampshire on Monday night was, for me, akin to a …

Written by Les Francis on Thursday June 16, 2011

Islamic Hearings: Pete King Is No Joe McCarthy

There was no foaming-at-the-mouth racism for King’s critics. Instead, King repeatedly reassured the audience that most Muslims are patriotic Americans. If you believed the advance warnings, you probably thought Rep. Peter King (R-NY) used Wednesday’s congressional hearing to continue his push to …

Written by Fred Messner on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Does Huntsman Face an Uphill Battle?

Huntsman strategist Jon Weaver has identified the core problem with the GOP brand. Jon Huntsman strategist Jon Weaver, speaking to Esquire magazine on the core GOP problem: "There's a simple reason our party is nowhere near being a national governing party .... No one wants to be around a …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Conservative Media's Pay-To-Play Deals

We're not talking about commercials, separated from editorial content. Heritage Foundation work is embedded into the editorial flow of Limbaugh's show. Why are conservatives so ready to accept behaviors in their own media that they themselves would damn as outrageous if they occurred in non-conser…

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Conservatives: Don't Doctor The Ryan Plan

The Weekly Standard editorial lines piece suggests that every Republican has to support the Ryan budget in its entirety and any qualm or qualification is unacceptable. How far will conservatives go to tell Republicans they must support the Ryan budget in its entirety? A new Weekly Standard …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Fanatics' Actions Don't Define U.S. Muslims

Gingrich defended his Muslims-as-Nazis stance by citing a Pakistani American who tried to bomb Times Square. What about the heroic Pakistani American killed on 9/11? On the stage at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire Monday night, Tim Pawlenty offered a definition of religious freedom: "The …

Written by Kapil Komireddi on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Tony Blair's Wise Advice For The GOP

It's easy to recognize across the aisle the danger of the tendency of political parties to recoil upon their bases after a defeat. Much harder is to recognize the tendency in oneself. In an interview today with Britain's Sun newspaper, Tony Blair rebuked current Labour leader Ed Milliband, and …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday June 15, 2011

Don't Forget Norquist's Abramoff Ties

The Hill today said Grover Norquist has overcome his connection to the Abramoff scandal without mentioning any of the particulars of that connection. Here they are. The Hill today carried a piece observing that Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist has fully overcome his connectio…

Written by Robert Lee on Tuesday June 14, 2011

T-Paw: Don't Ask Me About Pawlentycare

Romney is right to worry about his reform being linked to Obamacare, but he should not be bashful about his record on coverage and cost-control. Tim Pawlenty has been on the offensive about Mitt Romney's healthcare record. But even as he derides "Obamneycare," Pawlenty continues to delay the …

Written by Fred Messner on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Huntsman Candidacy A Boon For GOP

Huntsman’s entry is positive for the GOP -- he reemphasizes the primacy of the economy, brings youth appeal and adds a cool composure that will appease partisan-weary voters. As FrumForum noted a few hours ago, former governor of Utah Jon Huntsman Jr. will officially announce his candidacy this …

Written by Stephen Richer on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Dems Can't Take FL Puerto Rican Votes For Granted

Middle class Puerto Ricans now arriving in Florida are politically, socially and economically conservative. Democrats cannot not take their votes for granted. President Obama pays a flying visit to Puerto Rico today, the first U.S. President to make an official trip to the Commonwealth since John …

Written by Robert Lee on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Iceland "Crowdsources" Constitutional Reboot

Iceland is "crowdsourcing" its new constitution, posting draft clauses on its website, inviting feedback at its Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube channel. While others preach the potential of e-government as a possible method of push-button direct democracy, tiny Iceland has seized the …

Written by Robin Tim Weis on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Pawlenty Is Debate's Biggest Loser

Pawlenty's failure is not the kind of stumble he can correct later. It goes to the core of the guy: offered the chance to confront Romney directly, he flinched. Tim Pawlenty was debate night's big loser. He walked onto that stage with one mission: to prove himself the ultra-base alternative to …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday June 14, 2011

Bachmann Makes a Strong Debut

Bachmann was well prepped. She used the forum to announce she was formally running for President -- a blatant attempt to get more media attention, but it worked. So how did the substance of the Republican candidates debate relate to what we were on the lookout for? No one attacked Romney. …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday June 13, 2011

Why is Hugh Hewitt Mad at Ben Smith?

Why is Romney-supporter Hugh Hewitt annoyed with Ben Smith's favorable Romney coverage? Wow -- radio talker Hugh Hewitt is certainly annoyed with Politico 's Ben Smith. He has now devoted two full columns to excoriating Smith for engaging in "pure Obama prattle," an "aggressive partisan," …

Written by David Frum on Monday June 13, 2011

FF's Livechat of GOP Debate

Many of the third-tier GOP candidates lack real seriousness. It will be in the interests of the debate’s moderators to stop the sideshows from dominating the night. FrumForum will be hosting a livechat tonight while we watch CNN’s GOP debate in New Hampshire. This debate will feature three …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday June 13, 2011

U.S. Must Not Defeat Itself In Afghanistan

The cost of winning the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan is quite modest and quite manageable. The cost of losing, by contrast, could prove catastrophic for the United States. Say this for Congressional Democrats: When it comes to national defense and foreign policy, they are at least …

Written by John Guardiano on Monday June 13, 2011