Michelle Malkin » What’s cooking at CPAC

What’s cooking at CPAC

By Michelle Malkin • February 6, 2008 09:04 AM

Update 1:10pm Eastern. McCain to conservatives: “Calm down.”

***

CPAC: It’s the must-attend event for grass-roots conservatives. There’s much at stake for the GOP presidential candidates. And it all begins Thursday at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.The schedule is here. All four GOP contendersare coming, as well as President Bush and VP Cheney. Online registration is closed, but there will be on-site registration throughout the conference.

Hot Air will be on Bloggers’ Row.

I’ll be down to cover the candidates’ speeches and will be speaking at the Thomas Phillips Student Luncheon (it’s a closed event for Young America’s Foundation CPAC attendees) on Friday at noon. After that, I’ll be signing calendars for the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute (open to all) also on Friday at 3:00pm.

CPAC always produces memorable moments. This year’s conference promises to be especially historic. Stay tuned.

Here are the key sessions:

THURSDAY:

11:00
Vice President Dick Cheney
Regency Ballroom

12:30 Hon. Mitt Romney – Regency Ballroom
Introduction: Al Cardenas, American Conservative Union Board of Directors

3:00 Sen. John McCain (AZ) – Regency Ballroom
Updated…Introduction: Tom Coburn

4:30
Rep. Ron Paul (TX)
Regency Ballroom
Introduction: Hon. Bob Barr, Liberty Strategies, LLC

FRIDAY:

10:20
President George W. Bush
Regency Ballroom

SATURDAY:

9:00 Hon. Mike Huckabee – Regency Ballroom (invited)
Introduction: TBD

2:00PM Straw poll.

***

Human Events reports that McCain plans to use a video of Ronald Reagan to rally conservatives. This does not promise to go over well.

Speaking of Reagan, today is his birthday.

He is sorely, sorely missed.

Here’s a flashback from one of his 17 appearances at CPAC:

We must ask ourselves tonight how we can forge and wield a popular majority from one end of this country to the other, a majority united on basic, positive goals with a platform broad enough and deep enough to endure long into the future, far beyond the lifespan of any single issue or personality.

We must reach out and appeal to the patriotic and fundamental ideals of average Americans who do not consider themselves “movement” people, but who respond to the same American ideals that we do. I’m not talking about some vague notion of an abstract, amorphous American mainstream. I’m talking about ” Main Street ” Americans in their millions. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors—blue-collar workers, blacks, Hispanics, shopkeepers, scholars, service people, housewives, and professional men and women. They are the backbone of America, and we can’t move America without moving their hearts and minds as well.

Fellow Americans, our duty is before us tonight. Let us go forward, determined to serve selflessly a vision of man with God, government for people, and humanity at peace. For it is now our task to tend and preserve, through the darkest and coldest nights, that “sacred fire of liberty” that President Washington spoke of two centuries ago, a fire that tonight remains a beacon to all the oppressed of the world, shining forth from this kindly, pleasant, greening land we call America.

***

The WSJ asks: “Will McCain make nice?”

Conservatives say Sen. McCain must offer a speech that lays out a conservative philosophy on everything from tax cuts to the appointment of judges. Conservatives aren’t likely to forgive him for leading the push for campaign-finance laws and a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.

But Sen. McCain shares conservatives’ ideas on the Iraq war and abortion, which are intensely important to the Republican base. A strong statement on spending — something that “makes it explicit he’s not going to go along” with President Bush’s $3.1 trillion 2009 budget — also would be popular, Mr. Regnery says.

Sen. McCain’s problem is that he owes much of his early-primary success to independents and moderate Republicans, and he will be dependent on those voters again if he is the party’s nominee. In early exit polls in New York yesterday, 46% of Republicans who described themselves as conservatives gave their votes to Sen. McCain, while 61% who called themselves moderate favored the senator.

So far, those moderate voters haven’t held Sen. McCain’s conservative views against him. In the early New York exit polls, 56% of voters who said abortion should be legal and 45% who said the Iraq war is the country’s biggest problem voted for Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain’s election chances would plummet if those moderate and liberal voters switch to the Democratic nominee in November. But they also would be sorely damaged if conservative activists stay home.

Charles Hurt at the NYPost spotlights “suicide voters” on the Right.

Glenn Reynolds continues to disparage those who strongly disagree with McCain as “Kossack-like.”

Guess he wouldn’t approve of the “Dear John” letter from passionate Florida Cuban-American Republican blogger George Moneo at Babalu Blog.

Posted in: 2008 campaign, GOP, Ronald Reagan

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#237847

On February 6th, 2008 at 7:03 pm, Dandapani said:

What a great idea. I’m changing my party affiliation and letting the Repub Chair in FL and the RNC know about. I’ll re-register Friday on my day off. “I’m not leaving the Republican Party. The Republican Party left me.”
#237866

On February 6th, 2008 at 7:25 pm, Nichevo said:

On February 6th, 2008 at 1:09 pm, Jim M. said:

Maligning people who choose to stand by their principles and values is not only contemptible, it is a play right out of the McCain playbook.

On February 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm, Nikita said:

And nicely done, Jim M. It is not the fault of conservatives for the direction the RNC has been moving for the past several years. We owe them no support and no compromise for the direction they have chosen. They will succeed or fail as a party because of their choices, not ours.

Well said, and thank you both.

As for those touting Hugh Hewitt, are we supposed to be impressed? HH might talk the talk, but when it comes down to the wire, he’s a party guy – Republican trumps Conservative any time, any who.

Give me Rush and Michelle any day of the week.
#237876

On February 6th, 2008 at 7:42 pm, mlnicosia said:

I can hardly believe that after so many of us put in so many hours on the phone and faxing and emailing last year including a Bank of America protest – we still got stuck with McCain. Why couldn’t we have seen this coming and rallied around Mitt earlier? Probably too late now – but I’ll vote against McCain.
#237900

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:18 pm, zorro said:

Me too Dandapani. I mentioned last night that I was going to switch to “no affiliation” as they call it here in PA. I am sooo over McCain, Specter and all the RINOs that the only honorable thing to do, rather than complain or continue the futile attempt to try to change the party, is to switch. Shamnesty was the straw that broke the camels back, I am out.
#237912

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pm, ScottyDog said:

Sadly it has come down to“none of the above”at this point.
#237919

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:47 pm, Ombre Rose said:

On February 6th, 2008 at 6:48 pm, zorro said:
My apologies to all for using bad language…

This is a situation which is highly provocative. I’ve said things in harsh terms with a lot of “emotion”, the last week.
And I suspect that over the next month, until after the Texas Primary, at least, that I best be working very very very hard on ME!

I think it is a culling time. A culling season. Getting bottled up in those chutes is no picnic for man or beast, I can tell you.
Bad thing is, most often the boss tells them cowhands to go ahead and take care of other business at the same time – marking, branding, drenching, turning some bulls into steers…. and such like.

It is a sore time for all.
#237927

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:55 pm, Barry F. said:

turning some bulls into steers…. and such like.

Hey! Now, there’s a thought for what we need to be doing this campaign season.
#237929

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:57 pm, Ombre Rose said:

BTW, Michelle was beautiful on Fox News this morning, AS USUAL – AND I WANT TO SAY AN EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THIS CPAC SPEECH from 1975, ON REAGAN’S BIRTHDAY!

Hey, Girl – you tried – you gave it your best shot. God says something about those who have eyes and will not see, and those who having ears, refuse to listen.
YOU TRIED! And for THAT I thank you with all my heart – we could have had NO ONE BETTER THAN YOU! God bless and keep you !

I found a transcript of Reagan’s CPAC 1975 online and sent an e-mail of it to about 75 of my closest relatives on one side of the family – the other side ain’t online, yet.

Any of you guys seen “Johnnie Tremaine” from WALT Disney, lately?
They sing a song “SONS OF LIBERTY” for which lyrics, I find the phrases, etc all through the Founding Fathers’ writings – it has a good beat, a good cadence.
I know the Sons of Liberty who were led by the likes of Paul Revere did have a song they’d written for themselves, an anthum. I cannot remember what WALT said about the song, he researched those historical things very very well when he did them.
It’s a good song.

Those of you who cry when you hear “God Bless America” and “Star Spangled Banner”, etc – you will like THIS song as well.
#237939

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:17 pm, Ombre Rose said:

On February 6th, 2008 at 8:55 pm, Barry F. said:
turning some bulls into steers…. and such like.
Hey! Now, there’s a thought for what we need to be doing this campaign season.

hehehehe
#237940

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:19 pm, Ombre Rose said:

Speakin’ of…

Have you guys been noticing how many Congressional resignations AND THE LIKE have been quietly happening this last year????

Keep them prayers a rollin’!
#237942

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:21 pm, zorro said:

Ombre Rose, Thanks for the kind words above. I actually feel much better after venting about the anti-conservative, non-Reagan Republican candidate wannabe, McCain…

You asked:

Any of you guys seen “Johnnie Tremaine” from WALT Disney, lately?

Yes, it is one of my favorites. I give the DVD as birthday or Christmas gifts to my family and friends pre-teen kids. The book is even better. I highly recommend it to Michelle and all her readers with patriotic children.
#237944

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:26 pm, Barry F. said:

Hey, Michelle!

Are you up for the Blogger of the Year Award @ CPAC on 2/8/08?
#237964

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:34 pm, Barry F. said:

By the way, where was John McCain for CPAC in 2007? I don’t see him listed as having given a speech with the conservatives with which he suddenly wants to align himself.

I do see Romney and Huckabee listed as having spoken.
#237978

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm, Ombre Rose said:

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:21 pm, zorro said:
….
Yes, it is one of my favorites. I give the DVD as birthday or Christmas gifts to my family and friends pre-teen kids. The book is even better. I highly recommend it to Michelle and all her readers with patriotic children.

The books are always better, aren’t they!
THANKS for answering me with THIS! THIS makes my day! I love the movie and the SONG, I played it til I got ALL the words of the song transcribed, and sometimes I just take out my copy and sing the song.

I am 99% sure it is original to the real Sons of Liberty, from what little I found on them – but I dont’ know what copyright is on it – I do know what Disney TODAY would do if they realized there was any interest in Walt’s old historical works.

I tell you, zorro – AND YOU KNOW – what our FOUNDING FATHERS would do with McCain and Hanoi John and all that crowd – BECAUSE THEY DID IT.
And they did it over the first major blow – the Stamp Act on the Tea Tax without REPRESENTATION!

They would be aghast at the idea that we have let anyone cow us into thinking we have to “go along” with all this garbage they throw at us these days!
They would sure ask us where our backbone is – I guarantee!
I have a little granny that is in heaven know who would get out the switches and beat her kids for taking it, too! I double-darn guarantee you! hehehehe

But I can hear them now – Samuel Adams, James Otis, Paul Revere – “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

hehehehehe
#237985

On February 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pm, Barry F. said:

Hugh Hewitt is making me sick on Hannity & Colmes right now about how he will support McCain, if he gets the nomination, because he has been a Republican for so many years. Smack him, Sean!
#238060

On February 6th, 2008 at 11:13 pm, Jim M. said:

McCain just received the endorsement of “Republicans for Choice”, a pro abortion group:

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200802/CUL20080206a.html
#238062

On February 6th, 2008 at 11:15 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

I’m glad you’ll be speaking there, Michelle. Give ‘em hell, and don’t hold back. I think many of us would love to read the transcript.

Good luck. And if you see Sheriff Opneboarders there, give ‘em the ‘ol “Straight Talk Express”. Or maybe the Straight Talk Derailment, or “STD”. Yes, on reflection, I do hope everyone gives McCain a little “STD”. Is that hate speech? I dunno, but it’s honest, and while diplomacy is necessary, I’m tired of parsing my honesty out of conern for being seen as insensitive by those who would rather conservatives just shut up while maligning us to pieces.

Anyway, good luck again, Michelle. Ask McCain if he needs anything from your loyal readers. Like a walker. Or maybe a lie detector test. I’ll pay for the latter. He can get his own damn walker.

Hey, I wonder if he’ll release his health records? People should ask that, in all sincerity. Let’s find out what kind of goods we’re being expected to buy. It isn’t like he’s 65 anymore.