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Subscribe to RSSJust months after their losses in the 2012 election, Republicans and conservatives are setting a vibrant -- and crowded -- stage at next month’s closely watched political cattle call.
The three-day gathering of the Conservative Political Action Committee, which begins March 14th just outside Washington, is expected to feature more than two dozen high-profile Republicans, including former Gov. Mitt Romney.
At least eight potential presidential contenders will be speaking at CPAC: Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
There will also be five former presidential candidates attending: Romney, Perry, Santorum, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and former Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin of Alaska.
It will be Romney’s first public speech since his loss last November. He said in a statement that he looks “forward to saying thank you to the many friends and supporters who were instrumental in helping” his campaign.
One potential 2016 hopeful who won't be there, however -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Despite being the keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention and having a sky-high approval rating in the Garden State, CPAC officials told First Read Christie was not invited.
Christie rankled some on the right with his public support for President Obama's handling of Hurricane Sandy in the weeks leading up to the 2012 election.
The 37 featured speakers include five former or current congressmen, nine senators and six governors representing 13 states.
Karl Rove, however, might want to stay away. There are more than 30 panels scheduled for the three-day period, including one titled, “Should We Shoot all the Consultants Now?”
If participants are looking to further vent their 2012 frustration, they can attend “Fight Club 2013: A Liberal & A Conservative Duke it Out” or “Stop THIS: Threats, Harassment, Intimidation, Slander, Bullying from the Obama Administration.”
The NRA is also expected to have a large presence at CPAC. Both Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre and President David Keene are confirmed to speak at the event, and there will be an NRA University Saturday to educate participants about the organization, the Second Amendment, and the gun control debate. Keene served from 1984 to 2011 as Chairman of the American Conservative Union, the group that organizes CPAC.
The conference traditionally ends with a straw poll to pick an early favorite for the Republican presidential nomination. Romney picked up the title last year, and Rep. Ron Paul won it in 2011 and 2010. After all, there are only 1351 days until the next presidential election.
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You have to earn your bat @!$%# crazy badge in order to received an invite to the freak show!
Unfortunately, Christie may be a bully at times but he isn't a certified nut job, yet...
Year after year they parade the same worn out has-beens onto the stage, what happened to their re-branding crisis? lol
Oh God Help Us - as if the circus show of 2011 wasn't enough, the clowns are lining up to give us a repeat performance in 2015. It will surely rival the horrific Daytona crash over the weekend. Jiffy-Pop better set their production plants on overdrive - we are going to need a whole lotta popcorn.
Did George W Bush's invitation get lost in the mail, or has he just decided to retire from political life?
Amy - I believe he's retired from ALL life outside his home. The GOP has asked that he become non-existent and he appears to be cooperating!
This appears to be a gathering of all the losers from the far right. Why hold such a meeting?
It's truly a gathering of "crazy", with a splash of 1950's, Mad Men, social ideology tossed in. If nothing else, it will be good for a chuckle.
What happened to "Guardasil vaccinations cause mental retardation" Bachmann? Is she too crazy even for this bunch?
Where's Mr. 999? Why isn't he invited to the cast of fallen stars?
CPAC is looking for half-black, half-Latino, half-white, lesbian.
It's their only hope.
Liberal have bad political memory. I still remember the mud fight Obama vs Hillary , that was a good one, it was nasty. At the end the far left won and no more Blue Dog moderate Democrats.
You are so right
Ha they invite some of the biggest the losers to advise them, and disregard the republican Gov. who has poll numbers through the roof, the one guy they might learn something from. This is good for Democrats. Ha maybe instead of Ted Nugent they should turn to Ozzy Osbourne, he can kick the event off with a rendition of "Crazy Train".
Not to be too overly nit picky but was Sister Sarah ever a declared candidate for President? Or was her "candidacy" a media creation that Sarah never saw fit to refute?
Another gun-shooting reference. Wonder where would a wingnut be without his gun? Cowering in a corner and piddling all over himself?
And they blame video games with a straight face for the culture of violence we are plagued with.
I'm looking forward to this conference as it should be very entertaining, if not very informative.
Wow---all in one place---Romney, the other "usual suspects" he defeated, Sarah Palin AND a large presence by the NRA. All with breathless media coverage of every word. And the GOP wonders why it has an image problem.
Wonder how many democrats will be in her crosshairs.
All the folks who go to "NRA University" can call themselves college grads now! A proud moment for them.
Other Republicans not invited, Jon Huntsman and Susan Collins. I guess they are too liberal!! What a joke!! CPAC is just a Klan rally
Wonder why Gov Haley wasn't invited to speak? She's right up there with those nutballs, IMO.
"former Texas Gov. Rick Perry"??
NBC doesn't even know Rick Perry is still the Texas governor. How can anyone take this network seriously anymore????
Come on, now! Where is Jan Brewer's invite? You can't leave old prune face out in the cold, can you? LOL!!! All these Conservemyturds in one place at one time? I hope no one hits one of the others in the head, i hear @!$%# splatters!!! All conservemyturds are @!$%# for Brains idiots, their con stituency also!!!
Maybe now is the time for an lefty to go Neugent on their asses, they will all be lined up, just like they like it!!! (LIKE SHEEP, they ARE)!!! LOL!!!
Why Can't Obama get fired????? He works for all of us and he is not doing his job effectively. He and his camp are acting like grammar school brats. What a shame and disgrace that he can't do what is neccesary instead of campaigning all over, sit at your desk and do your job.
He is working for the people not Himself! he obviously doesn't respect himself very much, or the country.
PC- why do you say he isn't doing his job? Get you head out of the sand or from up your rear end and find out the truth. He has done more than George W. Bush ever thought about doing. He didn't start 2 wars-he ended one and is closing the other down. He returned stability to the banking industry, got a lot of people back to work with 31 strait months of job growth. He rescue G.M and Chrysler who have since paid back all the loans. He restored stability to the stock market. He authorized the raid to get Osama Bin Laden-that was successful. How many raids did GWB authorize? He has brought a lot of stability to the housing market ,which still need more but the foreclosures have decreased significantly. PC, I think you'd be better off if you got your information from someone other than Rush Limbaugh,Fox news or your TEA party senators like Rand Paul. P.C, here's hoping that you successfully get you head out of your rear....
Oh come on 60's George did do "Mission Accomplished". Now THAT is something we can all be proud of. PC joined not so very long ago and only seems to be able to spew the bagger/Rush BS bumper sticker crap. Another proud, knowledgeable conservative.
It's good to see that the battle for the bottom at CPAC is continuing. I guess you have to pass a strange crazy as bat sh!t litmus test to be asked to speak there. Christie should tell them all to shove it. He so out classes all those CPAC losers. He doesn't need them but they'll probably need him.
You are stuck in infancy , cant think cant talk cant relate
A rogue's gallery of extremists. When will the Republican party learn that the very people at that conference are the reason their party is heading for the dumpster? The only half way sensible ones are Gingrich, sort of and Romeny before he kissed uberconservatve tush in the last election.
Adler
If the Republican Party has turned into a raging dumpster fire the CPAC is the fuel that is feeding said fire.
The once proud Republican Party is no more. The inmates are definitely in control of the asylum.
CPAC --Criminal Pukes Always Crying......
I love it
with the bar for "sensible" set so low, one would think just about any reprobate could ooze under it...
When will Boner realize he is NOT in charge of anything! Yes, I am referring to the House of No (bodies). That is the ONLY thing he is in charge of and he can't even handle the ignorant Teabaggers that belong to the House. He is a disgrace to his party and the country. What a Joke!!!!
Well Romney lost that's good,now we have to make the current GOP Taliban ,extinct
They wil reside in Teabaggistan now
!
They are disdainful of Christie because he infected himself with Obama caring for the people after the hurricane. What a shame.!! The GOP's are not only childish and simple they are bitter and stupid . The cast lined up for CPAC are all washed up tired also ran whose empty rhetoric is only designed to bash Obama and stir the emotions of the multi clothed imbeciles . The defenders of assault weapons /rifles, the nincompos and hypocrites with their deep pockets will return from their miserable meetings with nothing else but sordid memories of bold adjectives and invectives fit for the pasture lands in Texas
I thought the "messiah" had it all fixed.
When the "photo op" was over, so was Obama's concern for the victims of Hurricaine Sandy.........
Now for the REAL important stuff......... golfing with Tiger!
Ten weeks after Sandy hit the New Jersey and New York coast, residents are still struggling and in desperate need of shelter. Many hard-hit victims are not getting help despite President Barack Obama’s pledge of the full support of the federal government, and they are dealing with red tape the president saidwould not be tolerated.
In the Red Hook community of Brooklyn, N.Y., many residents are still living in their unheated, powerless homes in freezing temperatures. Help from the government for residents has not come.