Christie not on CPAC's guest list
(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.
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Interesting what it takes to get "in" to the GOP these days. I think it's the fewer than 1-percenters, it must be like living in a dream world where fact is fiction and trickle up is the game plan. What would Lincoln or Reagan think of all this rumbling from the rear end of the horse?
I'm a Texan and I'm ashamed that Rick Perry was invited over Chris Christie...you can't teach an old dog new tricks...I hope Christie becomes a Democrat.
this conference should get behind Santorum /Palin for the next election-guaranteed Democratic wins till the next century
If Christie wanted to be at cpac, he would be–you guys are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill–Christoie is doing a good job in Jersey as a moderate–pull your claws in...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. CPAC is important only to conservatives, where all the speakers are preaching to the choir. The rest of the country doesn't care. In other words, what happens at CPAC stays at CPAC.
"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."
Couldnt be hosted at a more suitably named venue.
Who do the Repubs like anyways?
Christie is not the darling he and others believe he is. I hope he gets the point of the snub and straightens up.
I don't particularly like Chris Christie but I am given to understand that at one time he and I shared the same political party... a party that is no longer interested in our support, or our opinions. Indeed. One could argue he and I (and a great many others) were cast aside to appease the more, er... hateful of the party faithful.
Oh, what tangled webs it weaved, when the Grand Old Party first set out to deceive.
For me that was back with GW. Many left prior to GW, others more recently. The point is, folks ARE leaving the GOP ... here, there, and well ... everywhere.
He wasn't crazy enough for them. He actually says some sensible things and they can't have that. It's not appealing to their base.
this is good for Christi to be snubbed by the GOP, it will only make him more popular, the gop might want another Bush, if so they cut there on throte. I could vote for Christi and I am a Texan.
Ancient-
Give it up. Written BY REPUBLICANS. "Got 98% of what WE WANTED"; Passed by an overwhelming MAJORITY OF REPUBLICAN.
Either it is a Republican initiative, or the GOP really IS the STUPID Party for being so easily fooled.
Chris Christie is my governor. I didn't vote for him; I didn't like his platform. I didn't like it when he cancelled the ARC Tunnel Project that would bring more trains into Manhattan. However, he did show leadership after Hurricane Sandy. He worked with The President to secure aid and funding for those NJ residents in need. He did this despite criticism from the right wing who thought he turned his back on Romney. Hopefully, Christie will continue to head down a more moderate path and reject the right wing nutjobs!
Lynda/Minnesota
I don't particularly like Chris Christie but I am given to understand that at one time he and I shared the same political party... a party that is no longer interested in our support, or our opinions. Indeed. One could argue he and I (and a great many others) were cast aside to appease the more, er... hateful of the party faithful.
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As another former member of that party- I think we can all say with authority, it no longer exists.
Christie is one of the few republicans independents seem to respect.
he has great crossover appeal and it's a shame and a tragedy that the republican party is distancing themselves from him.
yet another stumble by the republican party : (
Christie should take this as an affirmation of his political guts. Most of the speakers mentioned are complete hacks (Gov Perry), milk toast (Walker, Ryan), or out of touch with reality (Santorum). Christie would get my vote in 2016.
"As another former member of that party- I think we can all say with authority, it no longer exists."
Absolutely.
Keep eating your own and squashing your best chances at relevance, GOP. At least the "Old Party" of your moniker is correct.
Being turned downed by that group would be a badge of honer.
Either the CPAC is being very very smart, or very very dumb. Think about it, by distancing themselves from Christe they are gifting him every conservative leaning independent, trusting his passion for conservative values will be able to attract enough of the republican stronghold to beat just about any democratic candidate in 4 years. The biggest thing I think the republicans have to fear – other than their own infighting – is a Clinton campaign.
I supported President Obama, but Christie is a candidate that I can also support, if he runs for President as an Independent.
That's wonderful, CPAC. Snub the single most popular member of your party because he was thankful for support during a natural disaster. Christie is THE most electable candidate in the current field of potential 2016 presidential candidates, and you want to railroad him. Pull you heads out of your third point of contact and start dealing with reality.
If you cover every face of each speaker at CPAC, you will not know the difference. They all will say basically the same things over and over and over again. Yet, conservatives love hearing that same old tired message. They will bash President Obama, who will not be on any ticket. Go figure?
Ancient Texan
Anonymous- Even Jay Carney admitted the sequester idea came from the White House, but was thought to be so toxic that the "committee" would solve the problems without letting it go into effect. Bob Woodward also said it was the White House strategy.
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THE Bob Woodward? Is this like where I'm supposed to say "ok, sure, then ... it's ALL Obama's fault?" Where you are willing to fault one man, I'm able to see the whole picture and that picture frame doesn't fall squarely on Obama's back alone.
Christie is the ONLY Republican with any chance of being elected President. As the Republican party doesn't seem to have a clue as to how to get a President elected they probably should snub him. As for me, I'll write him in if they don't run him.