The Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual project of the American Conservative Union, took place in Washington, DC over the past several days.  Conservative luminaries from across the country came to speak.  This post provides you with a brief summary overview of the conference along with links to some of the speeches given and newsarticles covering the conference.

This year some disgruntled former CPAC board members and volunteers tried to paint the CPAC conference as having been infiltrated by…er… “those of an alternative lifestyle” (let’s say it that way.)  However, those folks weren’t even to be seen.  CPAC was a madhouse this year, much of the time shoulder to shoulder, standing room only by conservatives from all over the country, eastern establishment RINOs as well as true conservatives (westerners and old timers you and I would recognize as comrades).  So, let’s put the GOPride manufactured controversy in the trash bin where it belongs right now.

Rand Paul

TeaParty favorite and new Republican Senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul, gave a rousing speech to an overflow crowd.  Click through on the image below to see his speech.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney gave a great speech on family values and the importance of bringing real world experience in private enterprise to government.  However, he continues to be haunted by the specter legacy of RomneyCare in Massachusets as well as his connection to the Open Borders crowd, see William Weld Backs Romney for Oval Office.  William Weld Finance Chair for Romney (see part about Weld being Clinton’s ambassador to Mexico.)  Weld was co-chair of Romney’s campaign in NY state and TA DA was also co-author of the Open Borders operating manual, the Council on Foreign Relations paper, Building a North American Community.  Romney’s republican advisor Weld also endorsed Obama over McCain.

Tim Pawlenty

To chants of “T-Paw” from college Republicans from Minnesota, the former Minnesota governor gave a great speech on conservative principles.  Due to a rhetorical peculiarity in his speech, there was a humorous undertone that pervaded the speech as a result of some tete-a-tete with the audience.  Pawlenty asked, “On what planet does it make sense where bureaucratic regulation results in a better economy?”  To which someone at the back of the audience shouted, “Pluto!”  Then the next closest planet came into view when the former Governor asked, “On what planet does government management of healthcare result in a better healthcare system?”  As you might expect, some wisecracker yelled out the answer, “Uranus!” causing the governor and the audience to laugh.  Pretty much from then on the answer from the audience to every rhetorical question the governor posed was the name of the 7th planet. 

Orrin Hatch

Orrin Hatch spoke on a panel about the “Balanced Budget Amendment” he is co-sponsoring.  An undertone to the speech was about how Congress can’t muster the votes to pass it and, therefore, a new constitutional convention needs to be called to pass it.  Hatch was asked by a Utahn in attendance how anyone could trust what Hatch had to say when he voted for the first TARP bailout.  Reminiscent of the 2000 Utah Republican Party State Convention where the same occurred, Hatch was roundly booed by the audience.  Hatch responded at CPAC as at the 2000 Utah republican party state convention that he was “sorry” and that the audience didn’t understand the kind of pressure he was under.  At the 2000 Utah *county* convention, he was roundly criticized by the audience for appointing all of the Clinton federal judge nominees to which, in response, he wagged his finger at the audience saying, “You don’t understand the pressure I’m under.  You don’t know what it’s like.”  Utah GOP state delegates on Hatch, click here.

Herman Cain

Conservative black radio show host, Herman Cain, gave a *fantastic* speech regarding the evils of political correctness and what being a real American Patriot means.  A highlight of his speech was his elaboration of liberal tactics he calls SIN tactics.   Liberals have no strategy except for their end goal of turning the nation into Europe and will use their SIN-tactics of “S”hifting the subject, “I”gnoring the facts and “N”ame Calling in order to achieve their goal.

Ron Paul

The runaway draw to CPAC this year was last year’s CPAC Straw Poll winner, Texas Congressman Ron Paul.  The Paulites dominated the convention.  The line at Paul’s book signing weaved through every row of the exhibition hall, out the door, filling the exhibition hall foyer.  Two hours after his speech, the line was still 200-300 people long, weaving through the exhibition hall. 

The Donald Trump issue and Cheney controversy has been exaggerated by the media.  It was a bigger deal outside of CPAC and on the TV than it was at the conference itself.

Here are some articles.  Paul’s full speech, “The Brushfires of Freedom,” is below.

Politico: In Straw Polls, Smart Money is on Ron Paul

Fox: Ron Paul Brings Down the House at CPAC

Slate: Two Pauls are Better than One

Time: Before His Arrival Ron Paul Is Everywhere at CPAC

Wall Street Journal: Ron Paul on Egypt: “People Don’t Like Us Propping Up Dictators”

Salon: Ron Paul Fans Making CPAC Their Own

Teaparty, y’all!