by Taylor Marsh
I moved to the D.C. area just in time for CPAC. Saturday didn't disappoint, in that watching the circus go by sort of way. (Tweets here)
I got there in time for Ann Coulter who delivered a performance of one liners with little in between. That's not my review, but what I heard around me: "No substance, but she's comical." But she delivers it effortlessly. Talking about the names Lincoln was called back in his day, Ann brought it up to date: "If only Al Sharpton was around (Lincoln) would have known he was a victim of racism." When talking about President Johnson, Coulter stopped in mid-sentence, remembering the youth of the crowd, telling the "whippersnappers" they'd have to look him up, but it was a doozy. Stating that most in the crowd don't even remember Bill Clinton. Then it was back to Obama: They keep comparing him to Reagan. Evidently they don't have a Democratic president to compare.
Coulter was followed by David Horowitz and company ranting about Hollywood, including Robert Davi, who was introduced as an actor whose career was in jeopardy because he's a right-wing conservative. No one told the CPAC crowd that Davi's career ended a long time ago. But who knows, maybe he can do for himself what turning full wingnut did for Dennis Miller.
The hilarity began early, especially when David Bosse paid insulting tribute to Michael Moore, then credited Moore with giving him a career. That's when the "recovering European" duo of Ann McElhinny and Phelim McAleer went into a diatribe against Al Gore trying to hawk the film they'd completed, which amounted to showing clips of pure fiction where global warming is concerned. I thought their segment would never end, especially once they started using English school children to sell their celluloid.
But it was when Niger Innes took the stage that the big ring circus lights came on. Not only was he prepared with lots of juicy Dem hating red meat, but he paved the way for the main attraction, Rush Limbaugh.
If anyone was wondering who is the Republican beacon of the Republicans, watching the CPAC crowd react put all doubts to rest.
For the first ten minutes Rush was on fire. He posted the script, but it hardly gives the atmospherics, which tilted towards the bizarre almost immediately. Whatever polish Ann Coulter provided, Rush delivered none of it. Maybe she can give him some pointers if he does this again, which he seemed to hint at at one point in the speech. But it sure helps when the crowd adores you so that whatever faults you have are ignored.
Like almost immediately something manifested that looked horribly wrong. Rush was sweating profusely and fidgeting like he was about to come out of his skin. The room was very cold, with people around me shivering, putting on their coats, while Rush proclaimed how hot it was. It's doubtful the lights on Rush made the difference. It had to be nerves. Well, why not? He sits in his EIB studio bubble every day. Now he's in front of everyone, including being televised on cable, as he mentioned continually until not even his audience was laughing at the joke anymore. He was actually face to face with real, live people. But whatever he delivered it wasn't a speech. More like a steam of conscious babble, just like he does on radio, though there were no commercials to mercifully break the blather. Honestly, I expected much more.
But one moment was utterly stunning. It was when Rush and the entire CPAC audience took the time and effort to malign John Kerry's service to this country, even laughing at the mention of Vietnam. Rush's disrespect for the military dripped off the very mention of Kerry's name. It was disgraceful. For a crew who professes to respect the military, at every turn Republicans reveal their disdain for our troops, especially if they're Democrats. It's the same with Republican military policy, which has strung our forces out and depleted our reserves.
But I'm really at a loss of what to make of Rush's performance on the whole. It was a rambling, sometimes incoherent, self-indulgent mess. There was something pathetically insecure about the lack of structure to the speech, but also Rush's herky jerky, sweat wiping, water drinking, fist bumping, awkward pauses, note looking, never ending regurgitation of what Rush thought everyone had to hear. Because he was addressing the nation, you know, which he repeated so many times he even got sick of it.
Still, make no mistake about it. Being on the outs fires people up and the CPAC crowd, most of them college students, were definitely fired up.
But who's going to lead them? Rush, who won the media straw poll? Mitt Romney, who won the candidate poll?
The only loser was Sean Hannity. Glenn Beck beat him out for media favorite, placing behind Rush. Glenn Beck. Ouch.
If you would like to complain about these two companies sponsoring an event with Rush Limbaugh as keynote speaker:
Google: 1-650-253-0000
Corporate Office: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 CEO: Eric Schmidt
Google's diversity and inclusion statement can be found here:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/corporate/diversity/community.html
*******
AT&T: customerservice@att.com
Corporate Offices: 208 S Akard St, Dallas, TX 75202 CEO: Randall Stephenson
Read this page about AT&T's diversity, outreach and multicultural programs, which reads in part: "At AT&T, diversity encompasses respect for all individuals......"
http://www.att.com/gen/corporate-citizenship?pid=7738
Their corporate policy is an odd contrast to Mr. Limbaugh's hateful messages.
Obama's agenda isn't to broaden the base of tax payers, but to create mass dependency. Pass it on.
Some wealth creation in the private sector will come from cheaper health care and a healthier population. It will create opportunity by removing the fear of losing health insurance from career decisions.
Additional wealth will come in a similar way from greater education and increased energy security.
Obama's objectives are not evil, creating mass dependency. You weaken your argument when you say others have evil motives. Try to base your arguments on the effect and more people may listen to you. Explain to us how universal health insurance will create mass dependency and why that is bad.
When the rally ended, we had set up walkways to keep the W. supporters and the protesters separate. The protesters stayed behind their line and did what protesters do - held up their signs and chanted slogans. The W. supporters began bullying their way out of the walkways, pushing past security and police, to get right up into the faces of the protesters. The W. supporters alternately yelled insults, cussed, and dismissively shouted "get a job".
I'm not going into too great of detail, but the W. supporters were awful. Their shouts and cussing, even with their children in their arms, sickened me. One told an officer to get out of his way. The officer kept trying to hold the crowd back and the man said, "You work for us, get out of my f-ing way."
My point is that, for at least the last decade, the conservative movement has grown more and more vulgar, rude, condescending and disgusting. I have witnessed it personally and, at that moment, I swore I would never vote republican.
When the rally ended, we had set up walkways to keep the W. supporters and the protesters separate. The protesters stayed behing their line and did what protesters do - held up their signs and chanted slogans. The W. supporters began bullying their way out of the walkways, pushing past security and police, to get right up into the faces of the protesters. The W. supporters alternately yelled insults, cussed, and dismissively shouted "get a job".
I'm not going into too great of detail, but the W. supporters were awful. Their shouts and cussing, even with their children in their arms, sickened me. One told an officer to get out of his way. The officer kept trying to hold the crowd back and the man said, "You work for us, get out of my f-ing way."
My point is that, for at least the last decade, the conservative movement has grown more and more vulgar, rude, condescending and disgusting. I have witnessed it personally and, at that moment, I swore I would never vote republican.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misanthrope
They would not go for this "Stimulus", or should I say, socialist spending program to prop up Government and to make people more dumb and dependent.
Does anyone on the left realize that the Constitution and the Founding Fathers were against direct taxation, i.e. an Income Tax?
The income tax, which was put forth by democrats in the 16th Amendment, is the basis of many of our woes today.
We need to repeal the 16th Amendment and get back to the founding principles that made this country great!!
We need people like this on the right to keep the out of control left in check. As a reminder, the left runs 90% of the MSM, most of the Universities and Colleges in this country, the NEA, and the State Department.
If the republicans were firstly so scared of socialism and big government spending- one would think they would have went about demonstrating the type of responsible leadership, necessary to avoid socialism. Yet again, it is nothing more than sophomoric tactics where mature reasoning is desired, Obama's program might not work, but thus far it is something better than what the republicans are offering: which thus far is nothing more than bluster and theatrics.
Since government is a business shouldnt the president have some business experience?