CPAC: 'Republican leaders preach the gospel to the faithful' - CNN.com
Washington (CNN) -- You can describe it as a political convention or a carnival, but either way, all eyes are on the Conservative Political Action Conference this week
The three-day event -- better known by its initials, CPAC -- kicks off Thursday at National Harbor, a major convention center just outside of the nation's capital. The conference is the largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists, and when there's no Republican in the White House, it's a must-attend cattle call for GOP presidential hopefuls looking to pass the conference's conservative litmus test. CPAC will close Saturday with the much-watched results of the confab's GOP presidential nomination straw poll.
"After the Super Bowl and the two parties' national conventions, CPAC is the most covered event in the country," Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, the organization that puts on the conference, told CNN.
Latest developments
"It's the only venue where thousands of activists get to see, back to back during our three-day conference, the likely 2016 leading GOP presidential candidates and begin to create perceptions which last through Election Day."
Sen. Cruz on possible 2016 rivals Conservative groups back Ariz. bill Obama blames Fox News for gridlock?
Among those addressing the crowd this year are nearly all the major names among the potential 2016 Republican White House contenders. They include Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee. Also speaking are Govs. Rick Perry of Texas, who ran for the Republican nomination in 2012, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey, who wasn't invited last year because he wasn't considered conservative enough.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/06/politics/cpac-2014-republicans-conservatives/index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/06/politics/cpac-2014-republicans-conservatives/index.html)
Mitch McConnell Brings a Gun to CPAC - NationalJournal.com
http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/mitch-mcconnell-brings-a-gun-to-cpac-20140306 (http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/mitch-mcconnell-brings-a-gun-to-cpac-20140306)
Bongino is a class act.
Hope he wins.
:wtf:
(http://cdn-media.nationaljournal.com/?controllerName=image&action-get&id=37188&format=nj2013_8_columns)
(http://images.politico.com/global/2014/03/06/140306_cpac_mcconnell_rifle_3281_605.jpg)
Chuck Heston he's not!
Paul Ryan speaks of the GOP divide
CPAC 2014: Paul Ryan likens GOP divide to Irish family reunion - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avddYG12WN0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avddYG12WN0)
Post them all in here.
... Would Christie be vigorously booed and shamed? A couple of thousand conservatives and media members jammed into the convention hall to find out. Spoiler: He wasn’t booed. In fact, Christie’s reception was thoroughly positive—no protests, no catcalls, no booing at all, at least not within my earshot.Business Week (http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-06/conservatives-cheer-new-jersey-govenor-chris-christie-at-the-conservative-political-action-conference)
Christie wisely steered his remarks away from the division between moderate and conservative Republicans and focused instead on the divide between Washington Republicans and those in the rest of the country, which include notable successes such as Chris Christie. He began with a boast. On becoming governor, he said, he cut public pensions, drawing the ire of public employee unions. Christie described a trip to address a convention of angry firefighters, bragging that by the time he’d finished speaking he’d won over two-thirds of them. The lesson: “We’ve got to start talking about what we’re for, not what we’re against.”
Christie drew a line between Republicans who get things done and Republicans who don’t. The ones who don’t, serve in Washington. “What you see in Washington is talk,” Christie said. “They can’t stop talking.” Those Republicans privileged to serve outside the Beltway, however, are a different, stauncher breed to whom the party must turn if it wants to reclaim the White House. He made clear that atop his own hierarchy of Republican greatness stood governors like himself. “Governors are about getting things done,” he said. He cited Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who had also confronted public employee unions; Ohio’s John Kasich, who had challenged Democrats and brought the state’s unemployment below the national average; Florida’s Rick Scott, who’d overseen three years of job growth; and Michigan’s Rick Snyder, who’d made the home of Big Labor a right-to-work state.
Then he celebrated his own achievement of getting elected and reelected in a blue state Obama had won by 17 points. Christie ended his speech with a clever paean to electability, which just so happens to be his own greatest strength (provided those investigations don’t turn up a smoking gun): “We don’t get to govern if we don’t win.”
That seemed to persuade his audience, which responded with rousing applause. I’d guess Christie remains a long shot to win the CPAC straw poll on Saturday, although as perennial CPAC favorite Ron Paul can testify, winning hardly ensures you’ll be the next Republican nominee. What Christie will take away instead is probably more valuable: the apparent acceptance of the party’s right wing, which will make his own path to the nomination a lot easier.
On March 6th Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) brought a gun to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). McConnell carried a rifle onto the stage and handed it to Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK).Breitbart (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/06/Sen-McConnell-Brought-A-Gun-To-CPAC)
According to the National Journal, McConnell's moment with Coburn and the rifle gave him a chance to get something he did not get much of during his "five minutes on stage," namely, applause.
McConnell was sending two messages with the rifle:
1.It was a gun, and conservatives are looking for politicians who will fight for gun rights.
2.Coburn is "a hero among fiscal hawks," and McConnell wants to be a favorite among them as well.
McConnell is currently seeking his sixth term in the U.S. Senate.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD--Chris Christie returned to the Conservative Political Action Conference this year with something to prove after being on the receiving end of an embarrassing scandal and watching his conservative support slowly dwindle. He had a message for the audience: be pro-life through all of life, and be aggressive against the left.Video at link.
Noting that Democrats had never had a pro-life speaker at their convention, the New Jersey governor urged the crowd to reframe the way they were encouraged by the media to see the situation: "They are the party of intolerance, not us." In typical form, Christie joked that he was "shy and retiring," not one to speak up against the media, and he encouraged those who were, in reality, shy to speak up for the sake of the movement. "We are not going to put up any longer with them defining who we are," he declared. But that, he continued, required a consistent moral disposition.
"When we say we are pro-life... we need to be pro-life when they leave the womb, as well," he told the crowd, returning to the key highlights of his inauguration speech in New Jersey earlier this year. In that speech, Christie argued that rehabilitating drug offenders should be a pivotal tenet of conservative philosophy. When the children conservatives save from abortion "fall victim to disease," Christie told the crowd, "we need to rehabilitate those kids, because every life is precious no matter where they are in society."
Christie also had some strong words for President Obama's economic and foreign policies, the latter a topic that Christie has not so often touched. "We are for America being a leader in the world, and we are for a strong national defense, not one that allows other countries to run us over all over the world," Christie told the crowd, emphasizing that conservatives, not the media, should define who conservatives are. If conservatives do not continue to be a beacon of freedom around the world, "we're not the only losers," Christie argued. "The rest of the world loses if we don't do that."
(http://images.politico.com/global/2014/03/06/140306_cpac_mcconnell_rifle_3281_605.jpg)
Chuck Heston he's not!
Katie Pavlich @KatiePavlich
Follow
John Bolton up now #CPAC2014
8:38 AM - 6 Mar 2014
John Bolton ✔ @AmbJohnBolton
Follow
It was great to see @tedcruz at #cpac2014
7:49 AM - 6 Mar 2014
Sam Valley @SamValley
Follow
Bolton should have been the keynote speaker at #CPAC2014
9:02 AM - 6 Mar 2014
According to a live report to the floor from CPAC Christie got a lot of applause today (did he stack the audience ala Romney and Paul in years gone past?)
Good question. But we'll never know.
“I’ll remind you of just one simple truth in this democracy: we don’t get to govern if we don’t win, so please, let us come out resolved not only to stand for our principles, but lets come out of this conference resolved to win elections again.” - Chris Christie
The GOP is in a lot of trouble for the elections this Fall.
:bigsilly: :bigsilly: :bigsilly: :bigsilly: :bigsilly:
The GOP is in a lot of trouble for the elections this Fall.
“I’ll remind you of just one simple truth in this democracy: we don’t get to govern if we don’t win, so please, let us come out resolved not only to stand for our principles, but lets come out of this conference resolved to win elections again.” - Chris Christie
That's the problem. If they win, they do get to govern, but just exactly how will they govern?
That's the problem. If they win, they do get to govern, but just exactly how will they govern?
It's an undeniable fact.
We can't govern if we don't win elections.
I say that we should win elections and brawl about how to govern while we are in power, rather than splitting ourselves up over how we will govern if we win the elections to the point that we don't win elections because we are all pissed off at one another.
I'll take 30 Ted Cruzes and Rand Pauls battling 30 John McCains and Lindsey Grahams about how to govern over watching 45 Republicans bitch about how 55 Democrats are governing 10 times out of 10.
P.S. And I'll vote for a $#&^%# tuna sandwich in the GOP ticket over a Democrat 10 times out of 10.
It's an undeniable fact.But then you get those 30 McCains/Grahams teaming up with those 40 Democrats to get a 70-30 supermajority.
We can't govern if we don't win elections.
I say that we should win elections and brawl about how to govern while we are in power, rather than splitting ourselves up over how we will govern if we win the elections to the point that we don't win elections because we are all pissed off at one another.
I'll take 30 Ted Cruzes and Rand Pauls battling 30 John McCains and Lindsey Grahams about how to govern over watching 45 Republicans bitch about how 55 Democrats are governing 10 times out of 10.
But then you get those 30 McCains/Grahams teaming up with those 40 Democrats to get a 70-30 supermajority.
At least that's what happened for years here in New York. Whenever faced with any resistance, the Republicans always caved. In the end, it's pretty much the same as if the Democrats held the majority.
I don't think so Jimmy.
Not all 30 are that stupid.
CPAC Immigration Debate Stacked 3-to-1 with Pro-Amnesty Panelists (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/06/Former-House-Judiciary-Chairman-CPAC-is-liberal-on-immigration)
“You have to wonder when a self-described conservative organization stacks an immigration panel with amnesty advocates,” Smith accused. “For the second year in a row, CPAC has featured a panel where all but one speaker supports the agenda of liberal Democrats and the liberal national media. ‘Truth-in-advertising’ would require CPAC to drop the word ‘conservative.’”
...
(more at link above)
I am watching the next President of the United States. 20 year olds want this man to win and so do I.
They have been playing us for saps for all too long. Most of the 30 you refer to don't give a crap about us all they care about is who is padding their pockets. Take McCain as a prime example.. he was the swing vote that killed drilling in ANWR......
I did not know that. That ticks me off even more. If you find Rand Paul's video put it up.
BTW: I like Perry's glasses he seems more focused.
CPAC 2014 LIVE
I like Rand, but I want to see who is running and then what they say in the debates......... and please........ PLEASE ....... stop agreeing to debates moderated by people like Stephanopalous, etc... for a change have conservatives moderating for the GOP debates so questions conservatives actually care about are asked..
As more and more cracks begin to show in the Common Core initiative, Americans are pushing back, insisting that parents—not bureaucrats in Washington—should “be in charge” of their children’s education. This assertion, delivered by the Friedman Foundation’s Robert Enlow at the 41st annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), was met with rousing applause, signaling attendees’ determination to keep the federal government from intruding further into another facet of American life.
Enlow, along with veteran conservative author-activist Phyllis Schlafly and the Pioneer Institute’s Jim Stergios, spoke Thursday on a CPAC panel that addressed Common Core and the broader need for school choice in America. Moderated by The Heritage Foundation’s Will Skillman Fellow in Education, Lindsey Burke, the panel proved to be one of the day’s most exciting events.
I keep reading the GOPe is paralyzed waiting to see if Jeb Bush gets in the race or not.. they don't seem to realize the conservatives running will estimate Bush over Common Core if he does run and that will reverberate around every state in the union.
The GOP adore Jeb because Jeb said he could get the immigration reform their way and hispanic vote. Like many said at CPAC, if the dems get their full dream act, Katie bar the door we are done put a fork in it. Didn't Dubya get a good chunk of the hispanic vote? Dubya is bi-lingual but the media said he was dumb-as-dirt... and look at Obama. I am no fan of more Bush's but I wish George P Bush had a different last name he would be JFK Jr legend status.
I just want him to go away..........
We've been wanting him to go away for years. He's obsessed with being president.
No more Bush, Clinton or Kennedy........... I'm tired of dynasties no matter the party.
I just want him to go away..........
We've been wanting him to go away for years. He's obsessed with being president.
:silly: :silly: :silly: :silly: :silly: :silly: She brought up the Ted Cruz Green Eggs and Ham and said this is how I read to Trig: "I do not this Uncle Sam..."......... this is great!!!!
I love her speech! She certainly has the attention of the audience!
People love to mock her speaking style, but it works........ they are eating out of her hand...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BiOVrtfIUAINKU1.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BiOVrtfIUAINKU1.jpg)
The OFFICIAL CPAC Straw Poll Results were just announced......... BTW 20% of the voters this year were in the 50 - 60+ age range - this is a first
1) Rand Paul
2) Ted Cruz
3) Ben Carson
6) Marco Rubio at 6% (vs 23% last year)
For those that missed this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO6C5UwwJTA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO6C5UwwJTA)
CPAC is bridging the gap between conservatives and libertarians and Republicans, and between dinosaur establishment Republicans and Young Republicans. So I can't quite agree with you that it's all about promoting the Paul family.
Although I like Rand Paul personally, why don't we all just admit that CPAC is nothing more than a vehicle for promoting the Paul family?
What's his slogan? "I'm not as nutty as my old man"?
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BiOVrtfIUAINKU1.jpg)
CPAC is bridging the gap between conservatives and libertarians and Republicans, and between dinosaur establishment Republicans and Young Republicans. So I can't quite agree with you that it's all about promoting the Paul family.
CPAC bridges nothing. CPAC is a self-selected group of far-right zealots who save their biggest applause for any mention of weed.
Don't lie. You don't like Rand Paul personally. If you did you would not have gotten in that pure hateful dig.
And you call the tea party nuts, while you think CPAC is the Paul family?
Wow, you don't know much about CPAC... far right? Hardly... they are mostly libertarian-leaning and all that implies.
Oh, I do like Rand. He's a saner, more tactful inclusive version of Ted Cruz.
I like him and would vote for him, but haven't we had enough of first term politicians thinking the country just can't live without them in the White House?
It implies "weed." There are more doobs being rolled right now at CPAC celebrations than in the entire state of Colorado.
It implies "weed." There are more doobs being rolled right now at CPAC celebrations than in the entire state of Colorado.
How about Mattis 2016? You'll bitch that he needs to be a politician for 28 years beforehand so there is no pleasing you.
Why because college kids are there? Even if there was, (which I highly doubt) why do you care? It does not represent anything. There is a crap ton of Kentucky bourbon in the limos of your guys you adore. Or is it the Cocaine crack heads of the democratic party that wets your whistle? Who are you, a purist priest or something?
I'm not a youngster by any means, but I am pretty much agnostic on pot........ I have become much more libertarian in my old age - less government....
Why because college kids are there? Even if there was, (which I highly doubt) why do you care? It does not represent anything. There is a crap ton of Kentucky bourbon in the limos of your guys you adore. Or is it the Cocaine crack heads of the democratic party that wets your whistle? Who are you, a purist priest or something?
No. He needs to be someone somebody--anybody--has heard of.
Whatever happened to that quaint question, "name your poison?"
I don't see that it makes any difference to one's political philosophy whether they want to party with weed or with booze. Libertarians revere the Constitution. I should think a good, rock-ribbed, conservative Republican would agree with that position.
He is well known in the Washington circles you seem to revere. He is well known by military and families and he will be well known in one second plastered all over the news if he runs. If he runs he will be well-known and respected after the debates.
My point exactly. Sinkspur is the one stuck on people being labeled at CPAC as potheads. It is nuts.