Tag Archives: CPAC

Proponents of limited government are not proponents of limited drinking (and other CPAC ’11 thoughts)

I forget where I stole the title from (probably the Twitters), so if it’s you…hi!

Here we are, back on Long Island after spending the last few days at the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference, also known as the CPAC’s. My liver hurts and I’m looking forward to hibernating for a day or two, but before I do I wanted to expand on my random thoughts from the other day. I might even use spell check this time.

For starters, I can’t begin to say how appreciative I am for the relationship that’s been built between FTR Radio and Smart Girl Politics, and all the friends I’ve made. It started for me at last year’s CPAC’s when I had a drink (actually many of them) with programming director Tom LaDuke and he said, “I hear you got this little radio show.” So I would be remiss if I didn’t start by giving a shout out to Fingers, Paulie, Beregond, Jenny, Ashley, Jimmie, Josh, Mark, Molly, Brent, Tabitha, Stacy, Teri, Michelle and whoever else I’m sure I’m missing.

I also feel that I’ve finally arrived as a conservative internet personality…I was in the Kruiser Kabana.

Now, on to politics…
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Glenn Beck is an Assclown

I wasn’t even going to say anything. Not being Beck fans, my entourage and I (I roll deep) opted to start cocktail hour early instead of listening to his speech. But all day today I was asked two things: did Ron Paul really win the straw poll (I refer you to Patrick Ruffini), and what I thought of Glenn Beck. What I think is that he’s an assclown. As for his speech, two things based on excerpts.

One, a speech full of applause lines that most of us agree with anyway doesn’t impress me. “The Republican Party has lost it’s way.” No shit, RNC Chair Michael Steele will even tell you that. After sitting through a few days of serious speeches by serieous people – Marco Rubio compelling narrative, Mitt Romney’s economic recovery, Tim Pawlenty on how to govern as a conservative in a blue state, Newt Gingrich just being his awesomely awesome self – hearing him say the most basic beliefs of conservatism as if he’s the first person to think of him doesn’t empress me.

The other thing is his whole schtick on how there isn’t any difference between the two parties, and how there should be a third party because the Republicans are just as bad as the Democrats. For this, I refer you to Redstate.com’s Erick Erickson, not some who is known for carrying the GOP’s water for them…

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Rubio ’10 = Reagan ’73?

Conservatives over the past year have been disappointed some of the young leaders we’ve been turning too for…well, new leadership. Sarah Palin was an all-star college quarterback who entered the draft a year early and has never recovered. Bobby Jindal’s response to President Barry’s address from LAST YEAR was so embarrassing that we haven’t heard much from him since…which sucks because his would have been a valuable voice to have on our side during the health care debate.

So I was a little nervous when Sen. Jim DeMint introduced SOON TO BE Sen. Marco Rubio to deliver his opening address to CPAC last Thursday morning. Midway through the speech I turned to my friend and said, “I wonder if this is what it was like when they heard Reagan in 1973.”

It had the usual blend of policy and red-meat applause lines that you expect at conferences like this. But there was something else I couldn’t put my finger on until I read – of all people – Kathleen Parker…

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