Source: Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour
Posted on 03/02/2021 7:29:41 AM PST by Kaslin
Source: Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour
Former president Donald Trump emerged from 38 days of self-enforced silence for a lengthy speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, that was frequently interrupted with boisterous applause and chants from an adoring, mostly white and older crowd.
He was spot-on in his indictment of the five-week-old Biden administration, accusing the new president of lying about his "radical far-left" agenda during the campaign. Predictably, he also slammed the "fake news" for what he said was their assistance in covering up that agenda.
Conservatives will not disagree with Trump when it comes to the issues he mentioned. These issues included Biden allowing more immigrants to unlawfully cross our southern border and resuming a so-called "catch-and-release" policy Trump ended, the killing of the Keystone XL pipeline, which has led to lost jobs and higher energy prices, rejoining the Paris climate agreement and withdrawing Trump's restoration of UN sanctions on Iran, and the reversal of his energy policies, which Trump claims caused gasoline prices to soar by "30 percent" since he left office. He predicted a gallon of gas could eventually cost "$5 $6 $7" dollars unless those policies are reversed.
Trump touched on "cancel culture," transgender men who would "destroy women's sports" and by implication suggested Biden is cozying up to China because of his "close personal relation" with Beijing, a not-so-subtle dig at Hunter Biden and his business dealings with the communist country.
Some TV commentators said it was "unprecedented" for a former president to attack his successor so soon after leaving office. That doesn't fly given the attacks by Democrats against Trump from the time he announced his candidacy, through the 2016 campaign and his four years as president, including two impeachment trials and two acquittals.
The contrast between Trump's high energy and Biden's near-empty tank is stark. There is also that special bond between Trump and his supporters that Biden does not appear to enjoy with Democrats. When was the last time you heard an audience chant "we love you" to any Democratic president, or any other Republican?
All was going swimmingly from a conservative perspective until the moment I hoped would not happen. Trump had to revisit the November election and repeat claims that have been debunked and proven false. It was unnecessary. His calls for voting reform, including voter identification, signature matching, "one-day voting" and the use of absentee ballots for people who are legitimately absent on Election Day and for members of the military overseas, was all fine and defensible. The rest was not. We have heard it so many times. Most people can repeat it from memory.
Trump criticized several Republican senators and House members by name. All voted to impeach and remove him from office after he left the White House. He called them "Rinos" (Republicans in name only). In doing so he violated what Ronald Reagan used to call the 11th Commandment: "thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican."
How does his slamming fellow Republicans who admittedly have criticized him, foster unity in the party? Trump promised not to create a third party. He was right when he said Democrats mostly stand together. He said he intends to help Republicans take back the Senate and House in 2022 and the White House in four years.
He coyly hinted he might run again in 2024, which brought wild cheering. But four years is forever in politics and a CPAC poll showed strong approval for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis should Trump not run. DeSantis and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (who came in third in the poll) delivered speeches full of substance and style.
There was plenty to like in Trump's address, but as usual he stepped on good issues by returning to conspiracy theories and charges that the election was stolen from him. It is why Republicans in four years might choose someone who embraces Trump's policies, but who has a different personality.
“Trump had to revisit the November election and repeat claims that have been debunked and proven false. “
Yeah Cal - don’t deviate from the Fake News storyline.
So the question becomes, what next? Restart rallies? This can’t be a one-and-done.
Was Cal the Epstein flights? Either that or he has become brain dead.
Yep and Trump needs to keep pounding the issue whether invertebrate creatures like Cal Thomas like it or not.
Cal, the 11th Commandment applies only to Republicans, not New World Order Uniparty minions.
You don’t have to agree with Trump but none of his claims about the election have been debunked . They’ve just been ignored.
Trump should stay on program differences.
Stay away from name calling.
Well, Cal, you wrote “His calls for voting reform, including voter identification, signature matching, “one-day voting” and the use of absentee ballots for people who are legitimately absent on Election Day and for members of the military overseas, was all fine and defensible.”
All of those things are meant to combat ... voter fraud.
Why are those things “defensible” if you think there was no voter fraud?
Debunked and false. Sure. How about the fact that the left acted guilty and shut down any legitimate hearing on the claims?
It may be that Trump’s claims were false, but we will never know.
Dismissing cases for lack of standing one day and being moot the next is not debunking anything. Refusing to allow ballot audits is not debunking. Instead, it is suspicious and gives the appearance of hiding something.
If I were in Biden’s shoes I would have allowed Trump’s team to look at it all and then said, “after you don’t find anything, shut up!!!”
But he didn’t and couldn’t, why is that? Hmmmmm.
Very disappointed in Cal. Election cheating/steal has NOT been debunked. Anyone who says so is not on our side. I don’t understand why this hasn’t been fully investigated by honest people. All we hear is opposition version.
“How does his slamming fellow Republicans who admittedly have criticized him, foster unity in the party? Trump promised not to create a third party.”
“Unity in the party” is not the holy grail that we are seeking. Defeating the communists is the goal. In order to do that, without creating a third party, we need to get rid of the traitors in our midst.
I used to like Cal Thomas. Now it’s obvious he was always just a Beltway jackass like George Will.
[...that was frequently interrupted with boisterous applause and chants from an adoring, mostly white and older crowd.”
I saw a lot more there than white people Cal, and at least Trump can draw a crowd, where Xiden draws flies.
Cal, why does it matter what color they were?
Racist much?
This article was going really well until he decided to jump on the biden won bandwagon...
I stopped reading...
This comment should make anyone skeptical of anything Thomas says. There is ample evidence of rampant voter fraud that was the deciding factor in the election. Trying to cover that up makes Thomas part of the problem.
How are we to "move on" from the absolutely blatant theft?
How does that work?
Lol. Cal Thomas. The epitome of the useless scribbler.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.