CPAC Recap: Day 1

Just wrapped up my first day at my first CPAC. Pretty interesting to say the least. To run through my novice perspectives;

Exhibit Hall - Lots of random groups, from campaign consultants to 57 Tea Party varieties. Lots of interesting people, but it seems there is a lack of "actionable" activities going on in the off year cycle. Also, a lot of the exhibitors could sure use a crash course in tabling from The Leadership Institute - they seem timid to engage me even when I am there staring at their lit. The RomenyPAC girl seemed depressed that '08 supporters were hesitant to commit and the Cain people seemed pretty intense on their guy.

Speakers;

Ron Johnson - Decent, not too memorable. Not too great at giving speeches it seemed, got lost on the page, etc.

Mitch McConnell - As a recent graduate from the state, I am accustomed to his speaking demeanor. Some great lines (as difficult as getting a deaf dog off a meat truck), but a tad slow overall.

Newt Gingrich - Really huge entrance, walked down the staircase and made his way across the hall (as opposed to everyone who just emerged from the curtain). I think he had the most coherent speech when it came to actionable policies, over the typical regurgitation of conservative talking points and a sprinkling of one-liners. He will be a strong candidate in the primary, but will have to answer questions from a lot of people over issues ranging from 3 marriages to his acceptance of climate change. As I shared with some people today, it would be an intellectual orgasm to hear him debate Obama

Donald Trump - The surprise appearance of Donald Trump is what I have dubbed the "TMZ Moment" of the day. Most people had heard the hour before that he would speak, and he was squeezed in right before Rand Paul (much to the vocal displeasure of Paul fans). He had great ideas, and really played to American Exceptionalism, but his speech failed on some foundational fronts. He can not take his aggressive management and leadership style to the world stage and simply tell OPEC to lower prices or China to stop manipulating their currency. Sovereign nations can't be "fired". And when some Paulites vocally answered "Ron Paul" to Trump's question of who will lead, Trump replied Paul can't get elected.

Hell. Broke. Loose.

The already disgruntled Paul fans went berserk while Republican regulars applauded to the fact some one finally said it. Trump has just too many feet to stick into his mouth to successfully run for president.

Rand Paul - He had the time and audience to play to his strength, a libertarian lecture. I have already been impressed by the workload his office has undertaken in his first month in the Senate. His adherence to liberty is always fundamental, and I think he will be a great work horse for us in the Senate with a flash of showmanship when the situation calls for it.

A rather ugly moment appeared when Dick Cheney had a surprise appearance to introduce Donald Rumsfeld. Though not in the ballroom, I was watching on the live stream on a TV outside. The Paulites (or as some less graceful attendees called them Paultards) took it upon themselves to call out "war criminal", "where's Osama", and the like. Others chanted "USA" to try and counter the heckling. While there is an appropriate venue to voice disagreements on the right of center movement, the moment someone is receiving an award is not such a time.

As some one on the twitosphere said, "The libertarians need to show a little respect to the conservative movement if they want to get respect from the movement." I know the comments did not represent all libertarians, but it was not a good representation.

Paul Ryan - The Right's favorite policy wonk, Ryan gave a decent speech. His problem was that while he eloquently enumerated the deficiencies of the Left over the last two years, it never seemed appropriate to applaud. It's like the type of question where answering "yes" or "no" could mean the same thing! At one point, he was talking a mile a minutes, showing his clear excitement over the legislative arm of Republican politics.

Arthur Brooks - Not being able to justify the banquet dinner expenses, I was able to watch the keynote online. Brooks gave an deliberative and rational defense of free enterprise, basing a lot of his argument on public opinion! Being intimately familiar with AEI's public opinion databases, I was probably a little too excited to hear that. Out of all the speeches I heard today, I would recommend watching his. He wasn't a politician trying to sell or justify something, he is an intellectual committed to the free enterprise system, and it clearly came through.