Here’s another video I took at CPAC 2013 of Scott Walker during his media availability after his Saturday morning speech, (which was one of the best speeches of CPAC, IMO.)
After expressing his objection to the idea that conservatives who want to reform entitlements, somehow don’t care about the poor, he told the assembled reporters, “true freedom and prosperity comes not from the fist of the government, but rather from empowering the people.” It’s a positive message, and one that hopefully will resonate in 2014 and 2016.
The Washington Post reported that Walker would consider a run for president.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) said Saturday that he might consider a presidential run in years to come but that his list of priorities is very much focused on his goals for his day job.
“Someday, maybe once we get past all this, we’ll take a look at it,” Walker said in an interview with Post Politics at the Conservative Political Action Conference in suburban Washington.
Walker noted that he has set goals for lowering the state’s unemployment rate and that he’s still got a reelection campaign in 2014. He said both of those will come before any conversations about running for president.
“That’s not anything I’ve really spent a whole lot of time thinking about,” he said.
Democrat strategist, Pat Caddell participated in a panel called “Getting Hollywood Right” on Friday afternoon, March 15 at CPAC 2013. Calling on big donors to stop wasting their money on consultants, he argued that Hollywood was “wide open” for conservatives who are willing to invest their time and treasure on the production of good movies.
At the 7:07 mark, he held up the video, Dreams from My Real Father, a documentary that argues Obama’s “real father” was Communist activist and author Frank Marshal Davis, saying it drove more voters to support Obama.
On the other hand, he says, The Hope and the Change, which showed Democrat voters sharing their disappointment in Obama, convinced undecided voters not to vote for Obama in 2012.
Mark Joseph, producer of Reagan, The Movie,moderated the panel and introduced Pat Caddell.
Thursday night, The National Bloggers Club sponsored a BlogBash, “the largest gathering of right of center bloggers, and online opinion leaders” for the conservative bloggers in Washington DC for CPAC. Hundreds of bloggers filled Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar for a fun filled night. Fellow Texan Melissa Clouthier ( @Melissatweets ) introduced the Senate’s rising star, Senator Ted Cruz:
“You represent power and you represent democracy,” Cruz told assembled bloggers, “You scare the hell out of Washington.”
Naturally, he started out with a water joke, then proceeded with a message of hope for the country. The character of the American people hasn’t changed, he maintains. The world around us has. He said there’s still a hunger for a message about limited government, constitutional principles and free enterprise. Our challenge is creating an agenda that applies these principles.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli kicked off CPAC, Thursday morning with a great speech to the party faithful. Cuccinelli is running for Governor in Virginia in 2014.
Allen West opens CPAC 2013 with a rousing speech to define the moment. Nice Deb is in attendance again in DC and will be reporting on CPAC developments.
This year, we’re doing the awards again and the winner of one of the categories will be determined by your votes here on TheTeaParty.net. The winner will get special linkage at the top of our website. They’ll also get a 5 consecutive days of links at Linkiest next week and of course, they’ll also receive a trophy at CPAC).
You can vote for your favorite blog among the nominees, here. (Hint hint – nudge nudge.)
I can’t even express how incredibly hectic CPAC was, this year. John Hawkins calls it “a conservative Disneyland for bloggers” which is about right. It’s non-stop activity from the time you get up until you hit the pillow, which can literally be as late as 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 a.m. – just ask that party animal and Blogger of the Year, John Sexton from Verum Serum. CPAC offers an opportunity for bloggers to meet with like minded political junkies – comrades in arms we only get to see in person a few times a year, and we savor every moment of it. On Friday, I watched many great speeches, went to some great panels, schmoozed in the bloggers lounge, took loads of pictures and videos, but due to the constant activity (and poor wifi), was unable to put up a single post. I was still sleep deprived from the excessively long previous day, so after messing with the occupiers outside with Jim Hoft and and some others, I stayed in and uploaded my videos, and put up a few posts, Friday night. Then I zonked out without going to a single partay. I made up for that by staying up past 3:00 a.m. on Saturday night.
Hopefully some of these left-over pix and videos I took throughout the weekend, and never had time to post, will help give you an idea of how breath-takingly chaotic and hectic the pace at CPAC is for the average blogger.
Here’s the “Axis of Fedora” outside the Marriott, Friday night. Smitty, Warner Todd Huston, and RS McCain posed for a photo, but my camera was on the video function…so -
Sheriff Paul Babeu, Pinal County, Arizona and candidate for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s new 4th congressional district stopped by to chat with bloggers. Here he is meeting Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit:
Babeu also posed for a pic with me. My video of his speech on the subject of Fast and Furious, here. My flip camera battery had just run out so I had to videotape with my back-up (iphone). But I’m glad I did. Babeu is an awesome speaker.
The space outside the bloggers lounge was often used for interviews. As I was heading to the ladies room Saturday morning, I happened upon John Bolton in the midst of an interview (he’s much smaller in person than you’d expect!) and snapped a quick pic.
Here’s RS McCain being interviewed by DaTechGuyfor his Saturday radio show. I was interviewed, as well, but I don’t have a picture of that.
Drama follows Andrew Breitbart wherever he goes. This time, a blogger or reporterette from some unknown media operation confronted Andrew Breitbart in the bloggers lounge after his speech about the unpleasantness that resulted in GOProudnot being a part of CPAC, this year. I think you’ll enjoy how (newly slimmed down!) Conservative Lesbian, Cynthia Yockey emerged to valiantly defend him:
This shockingly raaaaacist truck was parked down the street from the hotel. I’m surprised the Occupiers didn’t throw eggs at it. But, then again, there were cops everywhere.
No, that is not Kuato hiding under DaTechGuy’s shirt – it’s actually his Che’d up Stephen Kruiser tee shirt he got at BlogCon, last Fall.
DaTechGuy, Stephen Kruiser
A couple of notables who visited the bloggers lounge that I neglected to get on camera were conservative EU member, Daniel Hannan, and White House Dossier’s Keith Koffler.Granny Jan, if you read this, I know you’re jealous. Koffler is just as charming and delightful in person as you would think – it was a pleasure to meet him.
Clickhere for Warner Todd Huston’s Interview with “Freedom Lover”, Hannan, who also posed for pictures with many of the bloggers.
Palin brought an anti-establishment and anti-Obama message to her first CPAC presentation, and as expected, she rocked the house.
Listen closely at the 7:00 minute mark for the “mike check!” An occupier tried to get something started, but was immediately drowned out by CPACers chanting USA! USA! He was surrounded by security, and escorted out in a heartbeat.
I found Andrew Breitbart’s speech on YouTube – (audio, not video) – You’ll definitely want to hear this – he had some significant news that should be giving Team Obama a case of hives: “I got video of Barack Obama from college.”
Andrew Breitbart visited the Bloggers lounge after his speech. Bloggers always want to have their pictures taken with him – including me.
Thursday afternoon I attended a blogger briefing hosted by Citizens United with David Bossie, Andrew Breitbart, Stephen Bannon, Brandon Darby, and Lee Stranahan, on their latest project, a soon to be released film on the Occupy movement they’ve entitled, Occupy Unmasked. Website here.
Part One:
Part Two:
Part Three:
This is how they began their panel:
Here’s the trailer for the film:
Occupy Unmasked is slated to be in theaters, this April.
