Posted on 02/22/2010 2:11:01 AM PST by Brugmansian
Ron Paul out-polled Sarah Palin almost 5 to 1 and keynoter Glenn Beck got huge ovations as he disavowed any conservative ascendency within the Republican Party.
So someone please tell me - just what the heck happened to a convention that was off to such a wonderful conservative start? Where is the momentum from the Marco Rubio speech and the Dick Cheney "Obama is a one term President" moment?
Perhaps David Keene of the American Conservative Union will be a bit more careful when picking keynote speakers from now on. What happened was predictable, given that the man he picked uses a daily TV show to make it clear that he blames Republicans, Democrats, the left and the right and politics in general all equally for America's woes.
While he has a huge audience, some of these thoughts are not exactly the consensus among American conservatives. They are not consistent with reality either. Besides, CPAC stands for Conservative Political Action Committee.
Oh I realize that in a ballroom jammed with a disproportionate share of Paul supporters and Beck groupie Keene is likely not aware of how conservatives across the country viewed this soiree. Not yet . . .
I just have to ask: what Republican Party has Beck been watching the past year?
The following lines from his CPAC address -- which are the lines the media have been spreading as his theme -- are simply baffling:
I have not heard people in the Republican Party admit yet that they have a problem. I haven't seen the Come-To-Jesus moment from Republicans yet.
Huh? Is he serious?
Has he not heard about Marco Rubio? Rubio is now up 12 points on Charlie Crist among GOP voters. That sounds to me like a lot of Florida Republicans admit there's a problem.
What about Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey? The lesson he is teaching the New Jersey legislature this week about government spending could have come straight off of Beck's blackboard. He should be proud of this. Why is he ignoring it?
Has he not heard about J.D. Hayworth challenging John McCain in the Arizona primary? Say what you will about J.D, but the idea that a 30-year incumbent is facing a serious primary challenge indicates that some Republicans are admitting they have a problem.
Beck said in his speech that Rush Limbaugh is one of his heroes. Rush is a Republican by the way. He has been onto Republican problems longer than Beck has. Rush is . . .
Then tell me when he decided to back out... The JBS was on board when he agreed to attend... It was well known.
The title is about Glenn Beck... Sarah got out because of Keene the JBS was an after thought for cover put out by C4P.
LOSER!! 3rd parties have never won anything....but it’ll give you a chance to throw stones and talk trash about both sides and not get your little pinkie dirty. LOSERS!
It takes a lot of voices to shift a party's momentum. While Beck is dramatic, he really has helped to make both parties feel uncomfortable.
What about Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey? The lesson he is teaching the New Jersey legislature this week about government spending could have come straight off of Beck's blackboard. He should be proud of this. Why is he ignoring it?
Has he not heard about J.D. Hayworth challenging John McCain in the Arizona primary?
So MUCH BS--so little time!!!
ALL those examples are relatively new, including Scott Brown
AND what does Wright, Levin, Bennett and all YOU Beck Bashers think was behind all these victories and what is presently driving the Conservative Agenda?
IT AIN'T BENNETT(when was the last time anyone heard from Bill?); it ain't Levin though I like and admire him; and it certainly AIN'T ANY of the good ol boys from the GOP!
If there is ONE person who can be looked to for having promoted, encouraged and supported the Tea Party Movement and the resurgence of Conservatism, it's Beck!
Let's at least give credit where credit it due
And while on the subject of RINO's, can anyone name me FIVE Pubes in Congress who have flatly refused earmarks and pork?????
Can anyone name me more than Three members of Congress (Michelle Bachman and Coburn are the only 2 that come to mind) who has continually, vociferously and PUBLICLY, denounced and attacked ALL of Dear Leader's, Dingy Harry's and San Fran Nan's agenda and not only one here and there such as Death Care of Cap & Tax???
The LEADERSHIP both within and outside Congress remain business as usual; we need a big tent; we need to reach across the aisle; can't we just get along; you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours; SPINELESS, wusses!
I rest my case!
PS: Personally, I would wager a lot, that the majority of Conservatives (Not Republicans as there is a BIG difference) loved Beck's speech and those here who are relentlessly attacking Glenn are probably RomneyBots or Paulinistas, who either of those 2 stand about as much a chance of being elected in 2012 as I do!!!
You ae wrong on that one sir. I have heard him many times say he disagrees with several of the "planks" of the LP. He simply aligned himself with the LP because it is the closest party we have that is more committed to smaller government than the other two. He has said he would align himself to the party that lives up to a smaller government ideals rather than ones that give us lip service.
I also must have missed the "gratuitous" attack on Cheney in the speech but I'll go back and review it again.
As far as the LP being responsible for giving us Ried, no the voters are the ultimate failure, but then again Ensign has really showed himself to be committed to his promises, now hasn't he?
It's amazing to me how many 'conservatives' are willing to stand by and let the GOP remain stagnant. Beck is attempting to wake up those somnolent backers of all things GOP.
Look at who the "leaders" of the GOP are: McCain (and his nutjob daughter), Graham (part of the GOPansy party), Steele who couldn't wait to go on tour after writing a book about how to slay the dems (which is what he supposed to have doing for over a year now), Hatch who is worried his state isn't getting enough federal money.
The list goes on. Yet when Beck points this stuff out in an entertaining and, yes, sometimes juvenile way (of course the juvenile part is designed to reach the babies of the GOP party who can't take criticism) he get's criticized.
People are even using quotes from a guy who chickened out and refused to show up (Levin; funny I never hear those people who criticize Beck about crying criticize Levin about his long, soapy monologues about his dogs) so he could make his challenge to the GOP.
Even the so-called conservatives in the GOP are addicted to the federal teat. It's okay to return to the Constitution as long as it doesn't cost me anything.
Bull.
He’s out there ever day of the week. As, say compared to GOP Chairman Steele?
The GOP wants Christ, not Rubio. They want RINO’s not conservatives.
Exactly!
The Republican leadership at all levels still has not admitted that the reason we lost the House after 1994 and the Senate is because Republicans were acting like Democrats.....spending, supporting big gov’t, etc
Until the Republican (moderate) leadership understands they are no longer wanted, we will repeat the mistakes of the past and over-spend.
Bush/Cheney. No one single veto.
Republicans are being a bit defensive because they are guilty of being squishy conservatives.<<
I think your right - The RINOs and the closet progressives(commies) are squirming under the spot light! all they can do is attack the messenger. The same crowd tacks Palin. Romneybots and the like. Beck doesn’t advocate dissolving the Republican party but reforming it along the lines of the constitution. Republicans have got to change or we will suffer.
Anyone advocating a third party will be mighty disappointed when Obama gets relected in 2012 and they will be reponsible for the end of America as we know it!
Thanks. I missed that. He ever say the LP is just as responsible as Democrats and Republicans?
He simply aligned himself with the LP because it is the closest party we have that is more committed to smaller government than the other two.
They say that. I've seen no evidence they've done anything to achieve that. I do see evidence they have used their position much in the same way the ACLU has used the constitution.
As far as the LP being responsible for giving us Reid, no the voters are the ultimate failure, but then again Ensign has really showed himself to be committed to his promises, now hasn't he?
The LP was responsible. The attacks were vicious. And that was 12 years ago. Ensign was with the LP on nearly all the issues. No one could make the negative comment you just did in 1998. All anyone knew was his House record and what he said. But even if anyone did know, he would still have been better than Harry Reid.
Squishy conservatives? I wish. Bush/Hasteret/Lott doubled the national debt. So what's that make Obama, a super duper conservative?
Here is how the author of the OP reaches his conclusion, the one that you find as "kicking Dick Cheney."
Beck also said the following Saturday night:
"Dick Cheney a couple days ago... says it is going to be a good year for conservative ideas...It is going to be a very good year. But it is not enough just to not suck as much as the other side."To me, this was a gratuitous shot at a man who never gave the impression he was behind Bush's spending policies.
I think the author is adopting an uncharitable and mistaken construction of Beck's comment. The natural take of Beck's comment is that in order to have a very good year, the GOP is going to have to have a positive promise that doesn't boil down to "we won't grow the government as fast as the DEMs will."
Beck's comment isn't critical of Cheney. It simply asserts that in order to obtain the success that Cheney predicts, the Republican Party has to have a message that is better than "we don't suck as much as the other side."
I'll wager that Cheney agrees with that.
And so, I find that the author has erected an uncharitable (at best) straw man - asserting that Glen Beck took a gratuitous shot at Cheney.
Ping
So now we know you don't watch or listen to Beck at all. Did it ever dawn on you that maybe this piece was designed to marginalize the one voice that is taking on the Progressives, not only in both parties, but also in the media as well?
You know, the courtroom trick of the attorney making an accusatioon based on inuendo to the jury and the expected objection is sustained and that the jury must disregard what the first attorney said? The old saying that you can't prove a negative or put the toothpaste back in the tube is the intent.
I have never heard a dumber analysis than Beck is a Warmer or turning Liberal (Progressive). I suppose your next insightful tome will declare that Obama purposely created the Tea Party movement with only people who are kool-aid drinking members of ACORN.
Spot on post.
The reason we have Lindsey Graham for another 6 years, is because the National Republican Party supports it’s candidates and apparently doesn’t believe in competition when it comes to their brand.
Marc Rubio?.....are the people defending the establishment GOP seriously trying to take credit for Marc Rubio??
Go to the National Republican Senatorial Committee website, NRSC.org.....click on Senate Races, then click on Florida.....do you seen any mention of Marc Rubio......all I see is a profile for their “candidate” Charlie Crist.
Glenn Beck is absolutely right on this one, we got Obama because the establishment GOP pissed away it’s conservative principles, didn’t cut spending a damned dime and voted for expansion of Government. Over and Over and Over again.
Who stopped Shamnesty, The GOP??....no, WE DID!
Who Stopped Harriet Myers, The GOP...no, WE DID!
I do recall the GOP criticizing talk radio after those 2 defeats, much like Newt Gingrich defending the selection Dede Scuzzlebutt and criticizing talk radio and bloggers for not respecting the “Process”
You know what REALLY burns my butt, one of our establishment GOP’ers was on the Sunday news programs, telling conservatives, we need to back off on Obama, a guy HE voted for.
Where the HELL is Bill Bennett’s criticism of his “Good Friend” Colin Powell?
Why has he turned his sights on Glenn Beck??
ANYBODY who implies that Glenn Beck’s CPAC speech is critical of all Republicans, is either incredibly stupid, intentionally dense, or firmly entrenched in the GOP old guard.
Either that, or they have an axe to grind. Whether it be for ratings, birth certificates, or just plain petty jealousies.
The GOP/RNC is the problem, the Democrats are the enemy.
The main reason the GOP doesn’t like the Libertarians, or Goldwater, or Reagan( oh, now that he’s dead, yeah ) is that the party is run by favor seeking, rent seeking, big government loving big debt loving, fiat money loving business that dislike competition and free markets. Democrats have their unions, we have our businesses.
So when has the LP ever been in a position to get any of its proposed legislation even debated on the floor much less written into law? From where I sit, only the Pubbies and the Dems are in that boat. The two parties are pulling water into the boat, not trying to get it out.
Where do you think the Republican Party came from?
( Try to learn a little BASIC history )
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