On CPAC Day 2, the Libertarian Wing Takes Over

[jct74]

On CPAC Day 2, the Libertarian Wing Takes Over

As hangovers cleared, on panels and in booths, Day 2’s momentum drained away from the GOP’s aging “values” peddlers—in favor of the young, energetic followers of Rand Paul.

Michelle Cottle
03.08.14

Day 2 of CPAC got rolling with a more subdued crowd than Day 1. Not because folk weren’t having fun. Quite the opposite: More than a few attendees clearly had stayed up too late having too much fun Thursday night. Throughout the convention center, you heard people asking variations on the questions: “So what time did you get to bed?” In the downstairs exhibit hall, attendees of all ages slumped on the white sofas like bleary-eyed rag dolls. Standing in line at the hotel’s sundries shop, one young Citadel cadet groaned to his buddies: “I’m hung over harder than I deserve.”

For much of the day, the main ballroom was drawing less action and attention than it did on Thursday. Most of the program lineup was slightly lower wattage (Rick Perry instead of Ted Cruz; Mike Huckabee and John Cornyn instead of Chris Christie and Marco Rubio), tilted more toward values issues (Rick Santorum and Ralph Reed), and, perhaps as a result, more sparsely attended. Which was a shame, because there were some sweet sparks flying, courtesy of the ongoing battle for the soul of the movement.

The morning panel on national security may have been the feistiest discussion of the entire convention. Libertarian lawyer Bruce Fein went mano a mano with former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who took a traditional strong-defense, Edward-Snowden-is-a-traitor stance. Voices were raised. The combatants got snarky. Charges of naivete, cluelessness, and “nonsense demagoguery” were hurled back and forth. And that was mild compared to the audience pushback. Though the crowd was tiny, it was fierce—and firmly in Fein’s corner. Most words out of Gilmore’s mouth drew boos and loud grumbling. At one point, an outraged audience member cut loose with a Joe Wilsonesque “You lie!” When Gilmore took a swipe at Rand Paul by name, I feared for his safety. By session’s end, I wanted to give the former governor a hug, a Band-Aid, and a big glass of Johnny Walker Black.

...

read more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/08/on-cpac-day-2-the-libertarian-wing-takes-over.html

 

[devil21]

People have ALWAYS attended political events away from home to rub elbows, feel important and get drunk. I'm sure this is why convention politics even exists. Younger people enjoy the party. Older people enjoy the routine with their husband/wife.

It's the dirty basic secret of political events. Glad someone wrote about it!

Having said that, I met an elderly woman at the recent GOP precinct meeting. Her husband died since the last convention. They attended it together every year for the last 40 years. He's gone now but she is still trying to keep up the tradition. I did two things. Talked to her and respected her as a leader that new generations should always respect!!!!! The second was to let her know that Fox News doesn't define what a libertarian looks like or believes. She thanked me for talking with her. This is how you win AND maintain your integrity.

 

[Spikender]

Daily Beast must not have been watching the same Rand Paul speech I have, nor the same one Drudge Report did.

 

[asurfaholic]

The morning panel on national security may have been the feistiest discussion of the entire convention. Libertarian lawyer Bruce Fein went mano a mano with former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who took a traditional strong-defense, Edward-Snowden-is-a-traitor stance. Voices were raised. The combatants got snarky. Charges of naivete, cluelessness, and “nonsense demagoguery” were hurled back and forth. And that was mild compared to the audience pushback. Though the crowd was tiny, it was fierce—and firmly in Fein’s corner. Most words out of Gilmore’s mouth drew boos and loud grumbling. At one point, an outraged audience member cut loose with a Joe Wilsonesque “You lie!” When Gilmore took a swipe at Rand Paul by name, I feared for his safety. By session’s end, I wanted to give the former governor a hug,

Maybe he will reconsider his damn outlook on life.

This is SO epic to me. I can't wait to find this video.

 

[Occam's Banana]

Maybe he will reconsider his damn outlook on life.

This is SO epic to me. I can't wait to find this video.

From another thread: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...our-own-ideas-and-stop-mischaracterizing-mine

The "You lie!" moment comes around 28:45. Here's a direct link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAGL_Ew-dYs#t=28m45s

 

[LibertyEagle]

Bullshit, Gillmore. No one is talking about taking down our DEFENSES. We want you assholes to stop ATTACKING other sovereign nations, which have nothing whatsoever to do with our national defense.

 

[Mr.NoSmile]

Yeah, well they'll have to stay super active outside of CPAC if they're serious about making some noise.

 

[idiom]

Bullshit, Gillmore. No one is talking about taking down our DEFENSES. We want you assholes to stop ATTACKING other sovereign nations, which have nothing whatsoever to do with our national defense.

Actually, part of what Snowden was reporting is that the NSA is sabotaging Americas defenses in order to spy illegally. The NSA is letting the Chinese and the Russians into American defense and corporate networks.

Any conversation on Snowden should focus on that.

The NSA's job is supposed to be strengthening Americas communications security, not blowing holes in it.

They cannot defend the NSA tearing holes in Americas strategic defenses.

 

[idiom]

A couple of speakers later, Mike Huckabee revved up the crowd with his just-plain-folks sermonizing. Starting out, he trotted out a four-decade-old quote from Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth: “If God does not bring a fiery judgment on America, he will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

More evidence that Huck is one of the worst preachers around. Mrs Graham was wrong on this point to.

Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroy for any particular evil as is often stated, but because they completely lacked in redeeming individuals. God could not find ten righteous individuals. Its a pretty misguided claim to think you couldn't find ten righteous individuals in America.

Maybe not in Congress or on Fox News Talk shows, but in the general population they are in fact there.