2012 on the ballot at conservative conference
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/08/art.pawlenty.gi.jpg caption="Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will speak at the conference on Friday evening."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Conservatives will descend upon the nation's capital Friday for the 2009 "Values Voter Summit," the fourth annual gathering of like-minded political activists who will plot 2010 strategy and hear several potential presidential prospects discuss the GOP's future.
In-between speeches, attendees will also participate in forums with titles ranging from “Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” to “Global Warming Hysteria.”
Perhaps the most anticipated event of the weekend will be "2012 Presidential Straw Poll," the results of which are scheduled to be announced Saturday.
The potential Republican candidates on the ballot are: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
Romney won a similar straw poll in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same hotel and featured many of the same speakers. Romney also won the last Values Voter straw poll - in October 2007 - when he narrowly defeated Huckabee in a vote that was open to both attendees and people who signed up to vote on the internet. This year’s survey will only be open to conference-goers.
Just four of the Republicans on the ballot will actually attend the event. Pence, Huckabee and Pawlenty will address the conference on Friday morning, while Romney will deliver remarks on Saturday.
Palin was invited to the event, but according to organizers, the former GOP vice presidential nominee never confirmed she would attend.
Among the other conservative luminaries slated to speak: Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Georgia Rep. Tom Price, New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Miss California Carrie Prejean.
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Yeah, like trying to stop global warming is 'thuggery'. Give me a break. The GOP loves their talking points about future generations having to pay for the policies of the Obama administration, but they don't ever consider that it won't matter if the planet is toast.
Nothing matters at all if you can't breathe.
I didn't realize that ignorance was a "value."
They certainly put up enough straw men to have a straw pull.
Ya this conference of "the world is flat" believers should be a hoot. What a pack of morons!
As a registered Republican, my vote will go to Ron Paul or no Republican at all. I'll never cast another vote for any of those other Neo-Con thugs. Don't get too excited Neo-Socialist-Libs...you all fit in the same box as the Cons.
Good Luck.
“Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” to “Global Warming Hysteria.”
These are GOP wingnut terms for "A correction of the strangle hold the rich and corporate America have on the US" to "This may cut into our capitalistic hyper profit motive in the name of saving our planet and resources".
"In-between speeches, attendees will also participate in forums with titles ranging from “Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” to “Global Warming Hysteria.”
You have got to be kidding. Thugocracy? You want to see that watch the TEA parties. There you can see the real thugs. I really can't understand how there can be so many stupid people running the GOP. Their moto should be " It's our way or no way. We do not compromise".
This braying donkey has no class at all. The man is an educated ignoramus.
Are they going to whine about the Metro some more?
Here we go again the party of values. Whose values? A bunch of self-righteous white men and woman and one India whom all feel so obligated to tell us how to live our lives and govern this nation. What next?
What an assembly this will be. I am sure they will continue in the fine tradition of John Birch and Joe McCarthy. The are proud deniers of global warming, that republican deregulation and lack of government oversight caused this depression, that their war of choice has spilled ouir precious blood, that we should have followed Hoover's choice of "not intervening in the markets" and let the enite banking system collapse and that market solutions will ever provide the working poor health care. This fringe and regional party has shrunk to a festering and rotten core that dishonors the once noble party of Lincoln.
already? why not start for 2016 as well?
thy do not have any virtue nor values for these Republican idiots...they do not care the nation any way....they speak...
Ha – yeah, they really know how to get support of the moderates with sessions titled “Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” . ha ha ha – what a bunch of children.
I guess they don't want moderates – just right wing wackos.
I like the use of the word "descend". It brings to mind something between an attack by the Visigoths and an infestation of rodents.
From the description of the programs on the agenda, it looks like truth and critical thinking will be in abundance. I hope that this is going to be filmed because it has the potential to be highly amusing (if you can get past the part that it would not be a mockumentary).
At least after looking like a sap for not understanding issues, Pawlenty learned you don't jump on something with out having facts, like scrapping the missile shield. Yesterday, the Mitt-wit spoke out and over reacted without knowing what he was talking about. Based on governing by the seat of his pants, the Mitt- wit will get the nod, if for nothing else, his $800 haircuts.
Romney, Palin, and Gingrich are three I could support for President from this list.
I wish there could be an economically conservative movement without so much influence from some of the conservatives' personal religious beliefs. However, the "values" focus of this forum is preferable to the Marxist leanings of much of the current Democratic White House and congress.
Tim is trying so desperately to be a conservative.
I would vote for the first republican who stood up to big daddy rush
and to the birther's.
How does Sanford – Wilson in 2012 sound?
Perhaps a new strategy is in order too? Maybe steer away from the word "values?" At this point it's quite clear that each Republican's downfall has been adverse to whatever values they were championing, i.e. Sanford, Larry Craig, ect.
The irony and hypocracy is doing serious damage to conservatives and has subsequently made the word "value" valueless.
Perhaps if your party took a more humanistic approach, to where no moral superiority is ever boasted, maybe then you might be taken seriously?
Just a thought.
The bid on dinner with the Palins is around $40,000. Anyone wonder what she would do for a million dollars?
Michelle Bachman seems to be the smartest of all these potentials. I wonder if God will let her run?
you forgot fat boy limbaugh, after all he is the leader of the party and hannity is his sidekick.
Apparently the Republicans don't get it. With speech titles such as “Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” and “Global Warming Hysteria” is it surprising the GOP are loosing membership by the truckload. They are obsessed with pushing polarizing and fringe ideas into mainstream politics at the expense of real issues. I would be more impressed had those speeches been titled "The Necessity of Tort Reform" or "The Solution to No Child Left Behind" at lest those would be real issues. The GOP is sounding more and more like the John Birch Society rather than any main stream political party.
Ha ha ah Look at the Loonies on the Ballot the Moderate Republicans are going to run not walk away from this one Good luck GOP HAHAHAH