Conservatism's Fresh Face (Young Leader at CPAC)

MSNBC ^ | March 5, 2007 | Howard Fineman

[2ndDivisionVet]

I had expected this year’s 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference to be a low-attendance dud. The conventional wisdom was that conservatives were a spent, divided force in American politics. Well, they are divided, to be sure. But, judging from CPAC, they aren’t finished with us. I’ve been to many CPACs over the years, and this was the most heavily attended and, more significant, the most youthful, and amped-up since Ronald Reagan’s day.

To understand why, I’d like to introduce you to the conservative—pro-life, anti-tax, pro-Mexican-fence, pro-“surge”—“director of campus activism” for the Georgia College Republicans. This Georgia Tech business major is worlds away from earlier waves of “CR’s”—the Skull and Bones of the Reagan-built GOP, and hungry young men such as Ralph Reed and the late Lee Atwater.

First of all, she is a she: Ruth Malhotra, who just turned 23. Her parents were born in Calcutta and New Delhi.

[Yossarian]

"Her ’08 candidate? Mitt Romney! So here we have: an Indian Southern Baptist evangelical daughter of Hindus with a mixed Georgia-Delhi accent working hard for a Mormon Harvard-trained patrician whose faith she regards as a “cult”—her words—but who, in her mind, represents the GOP’s best chance for keeping the White House in Republican hands. “I like his business mind set,” she told me.

Is this a great country, or what?"

....Later....

"More important than the candidate Ruth voted for were the issues she said she cared about most. “Life” is number one: It remains the philosophical bedrock of the current GOP, even if the devotion to “life” is sometimes mocked by other aspects of the party’s platform and performance. (The saga of Walter Reed and other military hospitals risks makes the party’s commitment seem especially hypocritical.)"

Oh, get over yourself, Fineman. We in the GOP have been getting along just fine on shared VALUES, not shared RELIGION, for one hell of a long time now.

Take some notes, maybe you in the Dim party will finally learn something.

And trying to say that poor upkeep of Walter Reed is equivalent to slicing, dicing, burning, and disecting the youngest and most innocent of human beings? Well, let's just say Howard that you further the journalistic tradition of Newsweek, known 'round the world as the rag that caused riots with the "flush the Koran down the toilet" lie.

[wildcatf4f3]

i love how the idiot thinks that we are a spent force.....can't wait to see him in Nov 08.....

[Cheapskate]

This girl sounds like she's from your neck of the woods

Have you run into her in your travels?

She sounds like she'd be a great guest!!!

[Liberal Bob]

But, judging from CPAC, they aren’t finished with us

Taking sides?

[wildcatf4f3]

But, judging from CPAC, they aren’t finished with us

He's right..we have to shovel the dirt on the Left's grave

[wildcatf4f3]

and then dance on it

[jagrmeister]

No sense in insulting Fineman for writing a largely positive review of CPAC and the youthfulness of conservatism. I thought it was a great piece and am glad to see people like Ruth involved in the party and represented fairly by a press that often does its best to cow young conservatives into silence about their politics.

[KantianBurke]

Disagree with the article's assesment. To attend CPAC as a student costs next to nothing. If you're interested in GOP politics and have $15 to spare why not? A large college aged crowd is not an indication of health, just low entry fees.

[dinasour]

More important than the candidate Ruth voted for were the issues she said she cared about most. “Life” is number one: It remains the philosophical bedrock of the current GOP, even if the devotion to “life” is sometimes mocked by other aspects of the party’s platform and performance. (The saga of Walter Reed and other military hospitals risks makes the party’s commitment seem especially hypocritical.)

You Ass.

I'm sure you think that Ruth and the President personally directed that the outpatients at WR live in squalor.

[ken5050]

WE NEED A PIC!!!

[George W. Bush]

Her ’08 candidate? Mitt Romney! So here we have: an Indian Southern Baptist evangelical daughter of Hindus with a mixed Georgia-Delhi accent working hard for a Mormon Harvard-trained patrician whose faith she regards as a “cult”—her words—but who, in her mind, represents the GOP’s best chance for keeping the White House in Republican hands. “I like his business mind set,” she told me.

Is this a great country, or what?

Sure is. Interesting that she called Mormonism a 'cult' theologically but is very supportive toward Romney.

Romney can overcome the Mormonism thing. The press keeps trying to harp on it because the Hitlery crowd fears Romney the most. But it isn't true. People aren't going to vote against him over the Mormon thing.

[George W. Bush]

ping to a Fineman article about Romney support at CPAC.

[Unmarked Package]

(((MITT ROMNEY PING)))

Meet Ruth Malhotra, the conservative, pro-life, anti-tax, pro-Mexican-fence, pro-"surge", "director of campus activism" for the Georgia College Republicans and Mitt Romney supporter at CPAC 2007. This is a MUST READ article about the fresh face of conservatism in the U.S.

• Send FReep Mail to Unmarked Package to get [ ON ] or [ OFF ] the Mitt Romney Ping List

[curiosity]

Interesting that she called Mormonism a 'cult' theologically but is very supportive toward Romney.

I predict we will be seeing a lot more of this in the coming months.

[redgirlinabluestate]

Mitt Appealing to Young Conservatives BUMP!