CPAC Civil War: The Fight For the Soul of Conservatism

Conservatives seemed to be in disarray at this year's CPAC Convention, with a full blown war being waged for the soul of the Conservative movement. The fight was between the ultra-conservative, take no prisoners, cultural warriors club led by the likes of Glenn Beck, Dick Cheney, and Sarah Palin against the more moderate, "independent", big tent faction led by Ron Paul and Bob Barr.

The division and uncertainty was on full display in the CPAC Presidential Straw Poll, where the attendees voted on their 2012 presidential hopefuls. In a surprise to everyone, Ron Paul won the poll with a whopping 31%. Mitt Romney came in second with 22% and Sarah Palin came in a distant third with only 7%.

Here are the full results from the poll:

Texas Rep. Ron Paul - 31 percent
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- 22 percent
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- 7 percent
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty - 6 percent
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich - 4 percent
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee -- 4 percent
Indiana Rep. Mike Pence - 5 percent
South Dakota Sen. John Thune -- 2 percent
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels -- 2 percent
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum -- 2 percent
Mississippi Gov. Hailey Barbour - 1 percent
Other - 5 percent
Undecided - 6 percent


However, it has been reported that upon announcing Ron Paul as the winner the crowd erupted in to a chorus of "boos".

In his speech at the conference, Ron Paul, essentially a libertarian, rallied against government over reach but also against the dangers of neoconservatism. This seemed to be in direct conflict with the keynote speaker, Glenn Beck's, speech.

In his highly anticipated keynote speech Beck blasted fellow Republicans (including John McCain and Teddy Roosevelt) and called for purity in the Republican ranks. In fact, most of the major Republican speakers-Cheney, Armey, Bachmann, Coulter-not only stuck to their normal vicious and partisan attacks, but actually seemed to even up the ante. Why? The widespread pandering to the Tea Party movement that has been on display in the Republican party throughout 2010, not to mention the venom that courses through neoconservative veins at the mere thought of President Obama.

So which is it going to be, conservatives? The "big tent, independent" style of Ron Paul or the "take no prisoners, purity" approach of Beck and Palin?

Honestly, I think it has already been decided. All of the major, mainstream, best known Republican speakers-Beck,Cheney,Coulter-embraced the radical style and talking points of the paranoid, conspiracy theorist, anti-Obama fringe. The representation of the more libertarian conservatism would probably be met with "Oh yeah, I remember you. You're still around?" (Ron Paul) or "Who the hell are you?" (Bob Barr) by the average Fox News follower. The star power of the conservative movement seems to be drifting even further towards the fringe and taking the whole Republican Party with it.

Media Matter's full coverage of the CPAC event, with videos from about every important speaker:
http://mediamatters.org/search/tag/cpac_2010

The Insanity of Beck:

Beck calls President Warren Harding's death "divine providence"



Beck: "Rush [Limbaugh] is a hero of mine"




Keith Olbermann's coverage of CPAC:

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

2009 Misinformer of the Year

Media Matters names their Misinformer of the Year.

"No one in 2009 peddled more hate, stirred more groundless fears, or spread more lies".

Keith Olbermann vs Conservative Media

Olbermann single handedly takes on pretty much every conservative pundit.

Religious Leaders Protest Beck

Church groups were upset at Beck's use of Christian imagery and
Christmas as a way to disseminate what they call his largely hateful
message. They believe the way Beck addresses women, people of color and
immigrants is incompatible with the Christian ethic.

What's Wrong With Glenn Beck

The following is clipped from a conversation I was having with an ideological opponent, so if it seems short, crude, or incomplete, that is why. Still a good summary of my feelings on the subject:


...it is a sad testament to Beck that despite watching his show, having heard his radio show, and reading his book (Common Sense), I can't actually argue against any of his political positions, because he doesn't really have any, which is what my problem with him in short boils down to. He admits himself to being a rodeo clown entertainer, and if that is all he was worth, I wouldn't even care about him. Unfortunately, he presents himself and some perceive him to be a credible news source or a fair and legitimate pundit opinion.

Let me get to it with some examples-Beck is fond of saying that health care reform is a government take over, is going to lead to a socialized state, and is Obama's way of getting back at whites for slavery (yes, he actually said that), yet he presents NO ideas, alternatives, or solutions of his own. (This is where that party of "no" stuff comes in). Even if they don't agree how to do it, a majority of Americans support health care reform and recognize the system is broken. Steeping your speech in anti-government rhetoric and hate is not tantamount to offering a solution or alternative. The same goes for him on the bailouts and the stimulus, which he railed against, cried about, said all kinds of offensive and crazy things and generally lost his mind over without offering any ideas or alternative to how to save American jobs, companies, and savings. Just saying "no" or "less government" does not address or solve any of the problems facing President Obama and America. It's easy to sit on the side lines and shout how the plays should be done, anyone can do it. Doesn't mean it's worth anything. But in addition to having no ideas or substance, he is also just a hate-mongering, possible racist, that plays to and amps up people's irrational fear for his own selfish reasons of book sales and ratings. That is why I not only don't like Glenn Beck or agree with him on anything, I don't have any respect for him.

Beck on Palin

While talking about the possibility of being on Palin's ticket in the 2012 election on his radio show, Glenn Beck said:


"No, no I'm just saying -- Beck-Palin, I'll consider. But Palin-Beck -- can you imagine, can you imagine what an administration with the two of us would be like? What? Come on! She'd be yapping or something, and I'd say, "I'm sorry, why am I hearing your voice? I'm not in the kitchen."

Are You Smarter Than a Politician?

Lou Dobbs is reportedly talking about running for the Senate, as an intermediate step to running for the White House. There has been talk about Glenn Beck running for office. Some still consider Sarah Palin a serious nominee.Has reality TV really already effected people's brains this much? You've always had to have a celebrity appeal, they call it charisma, to run for office. All three of them do. But you use to be required to actually know something too. Is everybody else as frightened by the prospect of having celebrity "face" politicians, who have a television smile, but literally know nothing more than what their advisers just briefed them on? I shudder for us, Facebook generation.

FOX News Is Full of Crap

If that hasn't been evidenced enough already, here is Jon Stewart blowing it open-


Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

FOX News=opinion journalism masquerading as news.

Glenn Beck, go to hell

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"Beck, you and the 9/12ers have the nerve to exploit 9/11 for your lousy TV raitings? You cannot make light of 9/11, nor bandy about as if your petty political grievances are comparable to it and still be an actual, patriotic American. In short, Glenn, 9/12ers, if you're invoking 9/11 just to oppose health care reform, go to hell."

White House Calls Out Fox And Glenn Beck On Olympics

If you need any more proof that Glenn Beck is a moron...


White House Calls Out Fox And Glenn Beck On Olympics




Short excerpt-

"BECK SAID VANCOUVER LOST $1 BILLION WHEN IT "HAD THE OLYMPICS." Glenn Beck said, "Vancouver lost, how much was it? they lost a billion dollars when they had the Olympics." [Transcript, Glenn Beck Show, 9/29/09]


REALITY: VANCOUVER'S OLYMPICS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2010. Vancouver will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games from February 12 - 28, 2010 and March 12-21, 2010, respectively."


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/30/white-house-calls-out-fox_n_305428.html

"Country and Western"

An excerpt from an excellent new article by James Poniewozik on Time.com-


"Fox News, I wrote, is like the bar in The Blues Brothers that has "both kinds of music: country and western." That is, it does so well in part because it brings under one umbrella several different kinds of conservative. There's Neil Cavuto's Wall Street, big-business conservatism, Mike Huckabee's religious conservatism, Sean Hannity's party-line Republicanism, Bill O'Reilly's grouchy reactionariness—and now, touching a hot-button in the year of budget stimuli, Glenn Beck's conservative (and paranoid) libertarianism."


Read the full article at Time.com-

Beck to Couric: Obama Better Than McCain, Hillary Better Than Both - Tuned In - TIME.com