Updates from CPAC — Donald Trump Disses Ron Paul!

Apologies for the non-existent CPAC updates. The Internet connection inside the bloggers' lounge completely sucks. I had a full day nevertheless, and I'll provide a more detailed report later. For now I wanted to get this photo posted. The bloggers' lounge includes a balcony overlooking the main ballroom at the Wardman Park Marriott. Once I saw Donald Trump on the television monitors I went out to take a few photos. Just as I did, Trump announced that "Ron Paul cannot get elected." The next thing you know the whole left side of the ballroom erupted in boos. At the picture, Trump is responding back, to his right, to the huge cohort of unruly Ron Paul supporters. It was an amazing moment. The Hill's got the story, "Trump: Ron Paul a 'good guy,' but 'has zero chance' of being elected president" (via Memeorandum):

Business mogul Donald Trump said Thursday that Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) could not possibly win the 2012 presidential race.

"By the way, Ron Paul cannot get elected, I'm sorry to tell you," Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. "I like Ron Paul, I think he's a good guy, but honestly he just has zero chance of getting elected."

Both Trump's names and Paul's have been mentioned as possible candidates for the 2012 presidential race.

Trump, who was a late addition to the speech schedule at CPAC, said in the same speech that he is considering running for president and would make an announcement if he decides to run in the first half of this year.

Bonus: Apparently the same crowd heckled Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, seen below. The former vice president is not falling asleep. Rather, he's reading his notes:

At any rate, Talking Points Memo has the video: "Paul Supporters Hijack Cheney-Rumsfeld Reunion."

Pamela has more: "Where Have all the Rumsfelds Gone?"