Zesty and dated rock tended to accompany speakers here at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Down on the Corner” for John Bolton, Smashmouth’s cover of “I’m a Believer” for Mike Pence, early Beatles–“Love Me Do”–at the Building a Conservative Hispanic Coalition seminar and Kenny Loggins hit from the Top Gun soundtrack, “Danger Zone”. If Lee Greenwood is here, I haven’t heard him.
In addition to the speakers and seminars, there’s a giant exhibition area where different conservative outfits are peddling their wares. My favorite bumper sitcker for sale was “Obama Bin Lyin’. Impeach Him Now.” I picked up an “It’s OK to be Ex Gay” button. There are rows and rows of conservative talk show hosts broadcasting from here and a bloggers row. There are pro life groups and pro gun groups and anti global warming groups. I was handed an ice cream sandwich by a woman dressed as a polar bear. When I asked her what she was advocating she lifted her mask and cheerfully told me that the polar bears were fine and that conservative principles would do more for the environment than government.
We have some videos coming that will, if you haven’t watched any of the proceedings, give you a flavor of the conservative movement as it deals with its exile.
A couple of thoughts.
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that most people here think that what cost them the election was not adherence to conservative principles but deviance from them. In this view, Republicans were too squishy and moderate. They carried the weight of Congressional scandals, bloated budgets and GOP-sponsored social initiatives like No Child Left Behind and the expansion of Medicare to include a prescription drug benefit. There’s not a lot of soul searching about policy.
I was surprised by the session on building a Hispanic Conservative Majority. It wasn’t that well attended but those conservatives who went got to hear a blistering attack on the anti-immigration tone and policies of the Republican party and a passionate plea for an immigration policy that doesn’t revolve around deporting illegal immigrants. If there’s going to be a rethinking of Republican orthodoxy maybe it’ll be here.
In general, though, the faithful are sticking to their creed. When Tucker Carlson, the conservative commentator, suggested that conservatives ought to start more New York Times media outlets of their own, dedicated to reporting, he got jeers. He tried to make it clear to the crowd that he thought the Times was liberal and distorting but they were at least dedicated to fact gathering. This small bit concession to the Times was too much for some in the crowd.
More later when we get the videos.
