CPAC Live Blog Thursday 3/14/13
U.S. News and World Report will be bringing you the latest from the Conservation Political Action Conference, where several U.S. Senators and House members are expected to speak.
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Wednesday, Elizabeth Flock uncovered that the ruckus that has been started over the exclusion of Republican gay rights group GOProud from CPAC, for the second year in a row, may be about to get a little bit bigger Thursday. -
.@kencuccinelli at #CPAC2013: "It is unacceptable for a child to receive a poor #education simply because of where they live." #VAGOV
— The RGA (@The_RGA) March 14, 2013 -
Our @nranews set at #CPAC2013 is in a perfect location between Radio Row & the Potomac Ballroom - #vine vine.co/v/bd1l6xAIZ5A
— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) March 14, 2013 -
Former Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., who lost his seat in a narrow contest, says of the 2012 election, "we certainly did take one on the jaw." -
West follows Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli at the start of CPAC on the main speaking stage.
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@allenwest : "We understand that the constitution was written to control the government, not the people." #CPAC2013 #tcot
— CPAC (@CPACnews) March 14, 2013 -
West alleges conservatives donate more to charity than liberals.
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Ouch - in recounting the tale of Joshua Chamberlain, Civil War hero and Mainer, West mispronounces Bowdoin College, where Chamberlain took a leave to join the war.
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Allen West: "Real peace comes from Marine Corps, not the Peace Corps.” -
Upon entering #CPAC I was immediately offered a heaping pile of bacon from a box. #merica
— elizabeth flock (@lizflock) March 14, 2013 -
Sen. Pat Toomey , R- Pa., gets up to talk about the conservative movement among young GOP senators.
"We are making progress," Toomey says. -
Dozens of exhibitors line the halls of the Gaylord Hotel. Among them is the National Rifle Association, which is offering a year-long membership for $30 to CPAC attendees that includes firearms and life insurance.
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Toomey’s “Crony Capitalism” List
“We spend up to $50 billion a year on overpayments," Toomey said during his speech. He also pointed out that the government spends $4.5 billion in improper food stamp use for people who don’t qualify, along with $2 billion in electric vehicle tax credits, which Toomey described as "a bribe to get people to buy a car they don’t want.”
He also called out government redundancies, saying the government has 80 different economic development programs, 160 housing assistance programs, and 15 different financial literacy programs.
“There is no evidence that shows the government is qualified to teach even one financial literacy program, nonetheless 15,” Toomey says. -
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., speaks at CPAC.
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Nearly a dozen Rand Paul volunteers are walking around the conference hall asking young people to share their email addresses and "Stand with Rand" -- a slogan coined during the Kentucky senator's 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan's nomination to head the CIA last week.
The goal: to build a network of young supporters across the country. One volunteer says that just an hour into the conference, they have already gathered hundreds of signatures. -
There's a whole lot of fun. here at CPAC - the music has a younger edge to it, with Mumford and Sons and fun. playing between speakers.
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Discussing war spending, Dr. Ivan Eland, Senior Fellow at The Independent Institute notes government spending as a percent of GDP actually grew under conservative hero Ronald Reagan thanks to the Cold War.
He suggests following Calvin Coolidge's model, who Eland says cut government spending in half. -
You know we are with a well-informed conservative crowd, because typically calling out Ronald Reagan is frowned upon among GOP-ers.
But as Eland pointed out, he was quite the wartime spender. -
@replouiegohmert: "You don't send American men and women unless you will give them the permission and ability to win, then bring them home."
— CPAC (@CPACnews) March 14, 2013 -
The group Tradition, Family, Property is at CPAC to fight socialism... in capes.
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Mumford and Sons song not bleeped out when singer says, "I really f***ed it up this time" over CPAC speakers.
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Reporters are buzzing about the swear, but the sparse audience seems to be largely oblivious.
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The Network of Enlightened Women, a book club for conservative college-aged girls, has this advice on display: "The happiest women spend... less time at work" and "Most women want husbands."
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Now up at CPAC - panel on what to do with undocumented immigrants while still respecting the rule of law.
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The GOP has moved to the center on immigration issues following their near historic losses among Hispanic voters in 2012.
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Republican pollster Whit Ayers begins by breaking down the country's changing demographics - notes Hispanic growth.
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For those keeping track, though, Ayers gave the same message last August at the Republican National Convention.
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The Tea Party Patriots is hosting a "Hunger Games themed-karaoke contest-prize winning-free pizza-free beer" party Friday night. Hosts say "The Hunger Games" theme is because the pizza will sate attendees' hunger.
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Speech excerpt #CPAC2013"The path forward for the Republican Party is rooted in respect for the Constitution and respect for the individual"
— Rand Paul (@DrRandPaul) March 14, 2013 -
Helen Krieble, president and founder of the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, says immigration system must be "simple" and "doable."
She promotes a work visa program popular with businesses. -
Jenny Korn of the American Action Network points out that different states have different needs when it comes to immigration reform, even among border states.
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Korn's tone reflects a change in conservative attitude about coping with 11 million undocumented immigrants.
"I don't like amnesty, but this is a real problem we have to deal with it," she says.
She adds that "harsh rhetoric" from certain pols has poisoned the well in the past. -
The convention hall is still largely empty and the crowd hasn't reacted much at all to immigration discussion.
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"We have ideas that work; we have ideas that can win," says Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho.
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Labrador is part of a bipartisan House group working to tackle immigration reform.
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Labrador says Dems have to pick between their two favorite children, Hispanic groups and labor groups, when it comes to immigration reform - and when given the choice, Dems "pick labor every time," he says.
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Sassy cut out of Karl Rove that is captioned "No - I'm not the new pope!"
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"I am more optimistic than I have been in a decade that we can get something done," says Whit Ayers of immigration reform.
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The CPAC bookstore is hawking lots of signed books, including "Demonic" by Ann Coulter, who is speaking at the conference on Saturday.
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Lots of support for the man walking around in the "Sick of Statists?" sign.
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The pro-life group, National Right to Life, has a big stand in the CPAC exhibition hall. So far, it has only attracted men.
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The yellow Transformer walking around CPAC is associated with the new book "How Money Walks," which addresses problems in American tax policy. Those who want a photo with the alien robot have to come by the "How Money Walks" booth.
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The anti-Obama political action group Special Operations Speaks, which is made up of former service members upset over the attack on a U.S. consultate in Benghazi in September, has several items making fun of the president at their booth.
Among them: a sticker that uses the Obama logo with the word "Bohica," for "bend over here it comes again." -
Tea party favorite Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is now getting introduced to the stage at CPAC.
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Supporters of Allen West, who delivered one of the first speeches at CPAC this morning, can take pictures with the former Florida congressman and tea party favorite at the stall for his new online TV show, "Next Generation."
