(CNN) - It’s considered a key speaking engagement for any Republican considering a bid for president, but one potential 2016 candidate didn’t get an invitation to this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference.
Someone close to CPAC said Monday that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wasn’t asked to attend by organizers of the event, which will take place in mid-March at a resort outside Washington. Officially, CPAC says they’re finalizing this year’s schedule.
Other Republicans who are thought to be considering presidential bids and are on the CPAC speaking list include Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was announced as a speaker earlier Monday.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin are also on the roster, along with former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who was a 2012 Republican presidential candidate; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.
Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, will also speak at the conference.
Many Republicans voiced anger at Christie for praising President Barack Obama’s response to Superstorm Sandy, which swept through his state days before last November’s election. Later, Christie publically blasted Republican lawmakers for stalling passage of emergency funds for Sandy victims.
The outspoken governor defended himself against charges he helped swing the election to Obama, however, saying on CNN that "When the president does things that deserve praise, I will give him praise. And when the president does things that deserve scorn, I'll give him scorn."
"I am not going to play politics with this issue, this is so much bigger than an election," Christie continued. "When someone asks me an honest question, I give an honest answer: 'How's the president been to deal with?' He's been outstanding to deal with on this.”
CPAC, which touts itself as the largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists, turns 40 this year and will be held March 14-16 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland near Washington.
From CNN Politics
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Guess retaliation for super storm sandy
If the GOP desires to distance itself from someone like Gov Christie and cozy up to Sen Paul it says something about the learning curve of the party – there isn't one.
And the thing is, Christie could go Independent or even become a moderate Democrat, and put a whupping on the GOP. The Republican Party gets more stupid by the day.
Chris, considering who else they invited, take it as a compliment! guess they don't think you're enough of an idiotic neanderthal to speak at their shindig.
Way to go CPAC! Way to flush down the drain the one republican that stands a chance in a presidential nomination.
Nobody with a brain cares what CPAC does anyway. It's an embarrassment to human evolution, which may be why none of them believe in it.
Just another piece of evidence as to how dumb this party is.
Unbelieveable, that the Republicans have sunk this low to blame a man for complementing the President for doing a good job. How much more close minded can you get.
"Other Republicans who are thought to be considering presidential bids and are on the CPAC speaking list include Texas Gov. Rick Perry..." BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA! Another election with a repukeblican retread loozer on the ticket???? ROFLMFAO! Pass the popcorn! Sign up Myth while you're at it! Maybe he's up to 48% now! HAHAHAHAH!!!
The Pubes are a bunch of card carrying IDIOTS.
Republicans are angry at Christie for praising Obama's response to superstorm Sandy. This reminds me of the near silence from Republicans when Obama got Osama bin Laden. Reminds me that Republicans said their number one priority was to make sure Obama was a one-term President–no their number one priority was not to do something good for the country. Reminds me when Obama promoted ideas previously promoted by Republicans–and the Republicans did a 180. etc etc etc. Their universal hate comes first. Never give Obama credit for anything even when he promotes Republican ideas or does something right.
So the Republicans finally have a possible winner in their ranks, and what do they do? They boycott him. Way to go. Bobby Jindal said they need to quit being the "stupid party." Doesn't look like there's much chance of that.
WHAT?!?!? He's being excluded by the far-right nut-bags? GOOD! He's not one of them – something I like about him.
Come to the middle, Chris Christie. Come to the middle. Lots of voters here!
The right wing whackos are still running the show. I would vote for Christie but I am a moderate !
The GOP lost alot of credibilty by attacking Christie for praising Obama. We all understand politics, but this is such an open admission that their statements about Obama are driven by a organized desire to defeat him no matter what he does, as opposed to a desire to defeat him because they believe he is not doing a good job.
I'm an Obama supporter, but if I were the GOP I would have said something like. "Good job, Obama! Look America – this is the first time we're praising him because it's the first time he's done something right!" which would bolster their claims of trashing him because he does things wrong.
Instead, the GOP blew it by attacking Christie for telling the truth, which had the effect of makling Christie come off looking honest and the GOP looking like liars.
Thank you, CPAC, for giving a venue to such sterling, deep-thinking luminaries as Ricks Perry and Santorum, as well as ideologues like little Randy Paul. The political has-beens and wanna-bes you promote are so far out of the mainstream you will help insure that the democrats stay in power.
Awesome! They self sabatoge again!
Probably best that he doesn't attend
As someone who is repelled by the hate and bile that fills the conservative wingnuts in America today, I would be likely to vote for Christie if I could should he run for President. I won't get the chance, because the ideological Torquemada's of today's GOP will make sure Christie never gets the chance.
CPAC the largest organization of conservative blowhards in America. 40 years of supporting Corporate Welfare and redistribution of wealth to the top 1%.
nice to see a bunch of loosers getting together again
why did they leave newt out?
Conservatives are actually devolving, getting dumber day by day.
Like him or not, you have to admire Christie's ability to not swing with the political breeze. The GOP could learn a lot about how to get back into power by emulating Christie's approach of giving credit where credit is due.
Just look at the list of losers the CPAC has lined up to speak! Christie is doing himself a favor by not appearing with these right wing nut cases.