CPAC 2007 Round Up

Today begins CPAC 2007.  CPAC is the annual 3 day Conservative Political Action Conference.  Every known Republican presidential candidate for '08 will address the crowd of approximiately 5,000 conservative activists...except John McCain, who has trouble gaining traction with conservatives, so apparently didn't see the event as a priority.  He did however, take time to go on the Dave Lettermen Show and announce his candidacy, and while he hasn't gained much traction with conservatives, he's picked up another endorsement from a pro-abortion Republican in Washington State. 

Along with the rest of the Republican presidential candidates, the CPAC agenda is a Who's Who list of conservative leaders.  Would love to be live-blogging it, but must do so vicariously.

Blogger's Row can help us feel like we're there:

Michelle Malkin has some opening thoughts and a little CPAC history as well as some random pictures and notes. 

Bryan Preston describes what it's like to be with Michelle in the "nexus of all things conservative".

Human Events reports who's campaigns are working the hardest to work the crowd.

Outside the Beltway has some great pictures and commentary on Blogger's Row visitors.  That Dolphin keeps showing up. 

Mary Katherine Ham has thoughts on McCain and more.

Ed Morrissey has some thoughts on McCain too and is publishing interviews some of the candidates.  Also, more thoughts on being around Michelle Malkin at CPAC. 

The main themes I'm reading through out all:

McCain dissing conservatives. What else is new?

Mitt's kidz are out in full force to help their man win the straw poll.

The dolphin in the room (symbolizing Mitt) just won't go away.

Brownback staffers/volunteers are also out in full force.

Politicians are "paying homage" to Blogger's Row.  They know they need to.

CPAC is the place to be for movement conservatives.  McCain would be out of place.  So would the WSRP.  So would the RNC.

Everybody wants to talk to Michelle Malkin, especially the men.

Tommorow's schedule has a line-up of GOP hopefuls.  We'll see what happens then. 

Comments

[Mary E]

Michelle --
Did you see?
1:00
Rep. Tom Tancredo (CO)
Regency Ballroom
Introduction: Frank Beard, American Conservative Student Union

[Michelle]

Yes.

[Steve Beren]

The report below, regarding today's CPAC proceedings, is excerpted from ABC News website. Interesting comments about Huckabee, Giuliani, and McCain. And Seattle's Kirby Wilbur is cited in the report.

[McCain’s] absence from this year's gathering has been made "more conspicuous," according to an aide to one of his rivals, because of the decision on the part of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to appear.

Giuliani, like McCain, has his share of conservative apostasies, including a record of supporting abortion rights, gay rights and gun control.

But unlike McCain, Giuliani has come to CPAC to make the case that his core record is one that conservatives can support.

His remarks — which emphasized a Reaganesque combination of lower taxes, work not welfare and peace through strength — were enthusiastically received by the standing-room-only crowd.

"We don't all see eye to eye on everything," said Giuliani, before saying to laughter, "I don't agree with myself on everything."

"The point of a presidential election," Giuliani continued, "is to figure out who do you believe the most, and what do you think are the most important things for this country at a particular time."

Speaking before Giuliani took the stage, Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., a Giuliani rival for the GOP nomination who opposes abortion rights, took a thinly veiled swipe at Giuliani on the issue.

"Frankly, I'm a little disappointed when I hear people say, 'I hate abortion, but I don't believe we ought to regulate it," said Huckabee.

But despite the effort on the part of Huckabee and other GOP candidates to make hay out of Giuliani's abortion position, CPAC board member Kirby Wilbur believes conservative activists can be persuaded by Giuliani's recent pledge to appoint "strict constructionist" judges.

"They're not sold yet," Wilbur told ABC News about the way conservative see Giuliani. "But I think they're waiting to be sold."

Entire report available
online at http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2919098&page=1

[Michelle]

Thanks Steve. But it ain't gonna happen. The pro-life core knows who Giuliani is, and the rest of America will know soon enough. Hopefully before the primary.