Blogging Teacher Natalie Munroe Defends Critical Comments About Students

The AP story is here: "Embattled teacher: Blog spoke truth about pupils." Some cached blog posts are here: "CB East teacher suspended for blog investigation." And a sample, "A Big Problem Today":

My students are out of control. They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire, and are just generally annoying.

Well, yeah. The problem is that as teachers we sign up to deal with that, and hopefully role-model better attitudes. That said, it's hard out there.

See as well, at WPVI-TV Philadelphia, "CB East teacher defends blog posts."

Plus, Monroe's got a report at the blog: "Bloggate - Day 1: The Scandal Begins":

See, what I'd done was written a casual blog. I talked about everything--such exciting topics as our trip to Sesame Place, my favorite (and least favorite) restaurants, my work experiences, the diaper genie. I had 9 followers--2 of whom were my husband and myself, the other 7 were friends. When I started it, my goal was to write 1-3 times a week, though I didn't usually have time to do it that much. I ended up writing 84 blogs between 8/9/09 and 11/25/10. (I remember that, at one point, my track of blogging was about equal with my gym-going, but my gym-going eventually surpassed my blog track. I went there religiously at least 3 times a week until my morning sickness started...) I slowed down at the end, writing only about 10 blogs between June and November. I was too busy with being pregnant, teaching a new curriculum, and being harassed at school to write anything between November and February.

Hillary Clinton in Harper's Bazaar

The Public Relations Office at Hearst Magazines sent me its new piece from Harper's Bazaar, "Hillary Clinton: Myth and Reality." It's an interesting interview, for example:

She seems resigned to gender being an issue in politics. "Being a serious candidate for president as a woman brought out all the stuff that still exists about that," she says. "Some of it was personal, some of it was gender based, and you kind of accept it. I think that if you live long enough, you realize that so much of what happens in life is out of your control, but how you respond to it is in your control. That's what I try to remember."

And while I'm on this, Clinton's State Department has release an action memo today, "Internet Rights and Wrongs: Choices & Challenges in a Networked World."

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2011: Get Ready for Rule 5 Power-Blogging!

I'm behind on Rule 5 blogging, but things are looking up with the new Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition:

More at American Perspective and Maggie's Notebook.

And maybe I can start getting some major linkage from R.S. McCain.

Michelle Obama, Daughters Receive Foreign Gifts

Culture of corruption.

At US News, "Michelle Obama Received $244,000 in Foreign Gifts":

The first lady has more in gifts from foreign nations than any other government official.

And at National Post, "Sasha and Malia Obama must give up $7,000 gift from Saudi Arabia."

CBS Reporter Lara Logan Sexually Assaulted During Egypt Protests — UPDATE! Debbie Schlussel Alleges Logan Had it Coming!!

At NYT, "CBS: Lara Logan Suffered ‘Brutal’ Attack in Cairo":

Lara Logan, the distinguished CBS News correspondent, was attacked and sexually assaulted by a mob in Cairo on Feb. 11, the day that the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was forced from power, the network news division said in a statement Tuesday.

After the mob surrounded her, Ms. Logan “suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers,” the network said.

Ms. Logan and a camera crew, along with an unknown number of security staff members, were covering the celebrations in Tahrir Square in central Cairo, where untold thousands of people had gathered. CBS said the group that enveloped Ms. Logan, “a dangerous element” within the larger crowd, numbered more than two hundred people “whipped into a frenzy.” She was separated from the crew and then attacked.

After being rescued, “she reconnected with the CBS team, returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning. She is currently in the hospital recovering,” the network said.

Also at Hot Air, "Horrendous: CBS reporter brutally sexually assaulted during Cairo protests."

*****

UPDATE: This is beneath contempt, from Debbie Schlussel:

Hey, sounds like the threats I get from American Muslims on a regular basis. Now you know what it’s like, Lara.

There will be no further comment from CBS News and Correspondent Logan and her family respectfully request privacy at this time.

I just love it when the people of the profession of “the public’s right to know” suddenly want “privacy.” Tell it to your next interview subject, Lara. Of course CBS has no further comment. Wouldn’t wanna impugn the “peacefullness” of “Religion of Peace” animals, would we? Now, if they were Christians or Jews, well, then there would be comments galore.

So sad, too bad, Lara. No one told her to go there. She knew the risks. And she should have known what Islam is all about. Now she knows. Or so we’d hope. But in the case of the media vis-a-vis Islam, that’s a hope that’s generally unanswered.

This never happened to her or any other mainstream media reporter when Mubarak was allowed to treat his country of savages in the only way they can be controlled.

Now that’s all gone. How fitting that Lara Logan was “liberated” by Muslims in Liberation Square while she was gushing over the other part of the “liberation.”

Hope you’re enjoying the revolution, Lara! Alhamdilllullah [praise allah].

Look, it's a riveting story, but in cases like this, more information is usually forthcoming. I don't read Debbie Schlussel, in any case. She's widely reviled around the conservasphere, for issues I'm only vaguely familiar with. But even in the absence of more information on exactly what took place, it's just vile to attack Lara Logan for deserving it since she chose to cover the protests for CBS. No doubt Islam has its savages, and I'm hardly the biggest bleeding heart for Muslim rabble, but to take this further as a defense of Mubarak's police state is also pretty twisted.

Atlas Shrugged

Freedom Works showed a couple of clips from Atlas Shrugged, Part I, at the "Blog Bash" last Thursday. The movie's website is here. Some will say a film can't do justice to an epic of this scale, but considering that War and Peace is probably faster reading, perhaps a movie version will be a welcomed diversion. Besides, the cinematography looks fabulous:

Why Fret? Sarah Palin Will Win GOP Nomination and She'll Beat Obama!

Nate Silver says Republicans are fretting over "the quality of their slate of presidential candidates for 2012." Perhaps, although not Jedediah Bila:

The GOP Shakeout After CPAC

I think CPAC encouraged a bit more speculation on the shape of the GOP primaries than is warranted at this point. No major prospective candidate has announced yet, although Herman Cain is making some headway among grassroots activists. There's a new poll out of the Granite State, and the subtitle's most telling: "Romney Holds Big Lead In Primary Poll: Survey Shows Most Likely Voters Still Undecided" (via Memeorandum). But don't tell that to the conservative base, according to Jennifer Rubin, for example: "Romney was big CPAC loser." And there's also this, from Frank Gaffney, "Conservative Crossroads: Return to Reagan Coalition Roots or Lose in 2012":

To all outward appearances, the just-concluded Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was a huge success. It was attended by a large, boisterous crowd, a substantial part of which was student-age – a promising indicator of the movement’s appeal to the coming generation. A number of luminaries, including several prospective presidential candidates, addressed enthusiastic audiences clearly invigorated by last November’s successes at the polls.

CPAC’s apparent vigor, however, obscured the fact that the conservative movement is at a crossroads: Will it continue to be comprised of, and appeal to, all three elements of Ronald Reagan’s winning coalition – fiscal discipline, traditional family and other social values and a national security approach rooted in the philosophy of “peace through strength”? Or will it be reduced to a libertarian-dominated, small-government agenda which ignores or repudiates Reagan’s conservative values and robust defense platforms?

Upon the answer rests not only the future of this vital movement, but of America. For, if conservatives get this strategic question wrong, they not only are unlikely to enjoy the support of the electorate come 2012. They will not deserve that support.

Unfortunately, the evidence that libertarian impulses were ascendant at CPAC was not only to be found in the straw poll victory of their exemplar, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. It was also apparent in who was, and who was not, participating as sponsors of the conference and/or some of its events.

The former included GOProud, Muslims for America and the so-called “Conservative Inclusion Coalition” – organizations that, in the name of “inclusiveness,” are insinuating into the conservative movement individuals and initiatives that are divisive and anathema to many who hew to Ronald Reagan’s beliefs and policies. Such sponsors include: aggressive promoters of the anti-family and pro-homosexual agenda; advocates for gambling, open borders, amnesty for illegal aliens and legalization of addictive drugs; champions of gutting the defense budget and immediately withdrawing from Afghanistan and Iraq; and people associated with Muslim Brotherhood front organizations and agendas. For example, at a panel sponsored by said Conservative Inclusion Coalition, a panelist even expressed enthusiasm for reaching out to the Nation of Islam, Louis Farakhan’s notoriously anti-semitic and increasingly radical Islamist organization.

I'd bet folks can see where Gaffney's going with this, but RTWT in any case. It's not likely Ron Paul will do any better this time around than he did in 2008, but if the larger libertarian isolationist agenda gains traction in the primaries Mitt Romney's support could tail off. So too for Sarah Palin. She's definitely in the Reagan mold, and she's destined to win a few primary contests, although not necessarily Iowa or New Hampshire. More on that at Politico, "Key 2012 early states cool to Palin."

And after that, who knows? Mitch Daniels or Haley Barbour --- or Chris Christie? Maybe Ann Coulter's got some inside game, but I'm not betting on Christie either. It's like I said above: It's way early still. Let's see some candidates throw their hats in the ring. Stuff will start to sort out a bit more by then.

Robert Stacy McCain Video Ambushed at CPAC!

This is pretty freaky, actually. It's been what, almost three months since Robert's "You buy the ticket, you take the ride" comment regarding the Julian Assange rape allegations. And Tommy Christopher's been waiting up late at night, every night, for this very moment! See, "Conservative Blogger RS ‘The Other’ McCain Apologizes for Rape Remarks."

And here's Robert's post, "I Didn’t Rape Tommy Christopher":

You wouldn’t know that, given the way he has obsessively hounded me over a single blog post I wrote in December when Julian Assange was arrested. Recognizing that my attempts to clarify were a violation of the First Law of Holes, I posted my mea culpa, dropped the subject and moved on, but Tommy remains fixated. He even brought his Mediaite camera into the smoking area at CPAC to do an “ambush” interview.

More at the link.

Strange fixation. But then, CPAC had a lot of strangeness, come to think of it.

Alex Knepper Creepy-Crawls CPAC

Some folks might recall last year's epic Alex Knepper takedown at NewsReal Blog: "David Frum and His Pro-Pedophile Protege Alex Knepper." I wasn't involved in the investigation, although knowing Alex Knepper, I did write about it at the time. And recall a couple of weeks ago I had a Facebook exchange with Knepper. The pro-pedophile faux-conservative lashed out, calling me a "malicious cunt." He deleted the thread, but by then I'd saved it. Months later, Knepper's still blaming others for an alleged smear campaign that destroyed his reputation. No doubt he's got psychiatric issues, but that's for medical professionals to sort out. Be that as it may, I can report that Knepper is one creepy dude in person. David Swindle, Editor of NewsReal Blog, informed me that Knepper was making the rounds at CPAC. I didn't think much of it, but on Saturday night I saw the pro-pedo man-boy monster up in the bloggers' lounge, and I called him out: "Hey Knepper, are you going to call me a mendacious asshole, or something?" I was actually looking for "malicious cunt" but it escaped me temporarily. But no matter. Knepper erupted into a genuine fit of horror upon seeing me. He screamed, "No ... no way!" And I said to him, "Shake my hand, Alex." But he pulled back, waving me off, "No ... no way. Get away from me. NOOOOO!! Just get away from me." And I said once more, "C'mon, shake my hand, Knepper." And then I looked at his face. He seemed, well, in that moment, a victim, which is disturbing, considering his imminent predations. I wanted to spit on him, at the least. But I walked back out of the lounge to get some refreshments. It all seemed strange, even funny; and then outside the lounge, a fellow pulled me aside and thanked me for confronting Knepper, saying "That guy is a sh*thole."

That said, I wasn't thrilled that Knepper'd parked himself in the bloggers' lounge. He's a creepy crawler, and I didn't care to be around him. My camera settings were screwed up the whole conference (my bad), but here's a blurry shot of Knepper scowling at me not long after our confrontation. And shortly after that he sat down right in front of me. I couldn't believe it, actually. And I wasn't comfortable. My camera was sitting on the table. I tilted it up a bit a clicked a picture. He was with a group of friends who had sat down near the bloggers seated next to me. Notice my laptop at the picture below, at left. Sitting there is Steven Ertelt of LifeNews.com. Next to Steven, partially obscured is Dana Loesch. And sitting next to her, talking on a cell phone, is Regis Giles, of "Girls Just Want to Have Guns" and younger sister to Hannah Giles. (Regis Giles' CPAC interview is here). Chris Loesch, husband to Dana, is seated at the end of the table. Jeff Dunetz of Yid With Lid is standing at right, with his left arm raised. Alex Knepper's back is to me in the foreground. Out of view is Tania Gail, who was seated next to me.

By this time I wasn't feeling well --- and it was time to go, in any case. No need to say anything more. If folks had known of Alex Knepper, I doubt they'd have wanted to hang with a guy who's publically declared his lust for "chilfs" ("children I'd like to f**k").

I'd have preferred to wind things down on a lighter note, but I suppose something like this was bound to happen sooner or later.

RELATED: "Axis of Pedophilia: Former Conservative David Frum Protests 'Vicious, Invasive and Outrageous' Bullying While Cutting Loose Pervy Protégé Alex Knepper."

Think Progress Fails Video Ambush of Fox News Reporter Jesse Watters

I saw Jesse Watters a couple of times during the conference, but didn't have a chance to speak to him. And I'm just seeing this now, at any rate. From Red State, "Fox reporter embarrasses Think Progress dolt at CPAC." It's really too good:

Rosaleen Tallon at CPAC Ground Zero Mosque Premiere

Okay, some of those in attendance were devastated at the emotional power of the presentations . Folks were weeping. It was quite an event. I'm going to be posting each of the videos individually, so check back later. Here's Rosaleen Tallon, the first speaker after Pamella Geller's introduction. Do yourself a favor and grab a cup of coffee. Powerful stuff:

RELATED: From last night, "CPAC and the Muslim Brotherhood."

Robert Stacy McCain at CPAC!

What would CPAC blogging be without Robert Stacy McCain, the epic schmoozer of the conference?

J.C. Penney's Black Hat Search Scheme on Google

I'd call it a search strategy, but J.C. Penney denies any knowledge of this Google link-bait scheme. Either way, read the whole thing, at NYT, "Search Optimization and Its Dirty Secrets":

Does the collective wisdom of the Web really say that Penney has the most essential site when it comes to dresses? And bedding? And area rugs? And dozens of other words and phrases?

The New York Times asked an expert in online search, Doug Pierce of Blue Fountain Media in New York, to study this question, as well as Penney’s astoundingly strong search-term performance in recent months. What he found suggests that the digital age’s most mundane act, the Google search, often represents layer upon layer of intrigue. And the intrigue starts in the sprawling, subterranean world of “black hat” optimization, the dark art of raising the profile of a Web site with methods that Google considers tantamount to cheating.

Despite the cowboy outlaw connotations, black-hat services are not illegal, but trafficking in them risks the wrath of Google. The company draws a pretty thick line between techniques it considers deceptive and “white hat” approaches, which are offered by hundreds of consulting firms and are legitimate ways to increase a site’s visibility. Penney’s results were derived from methods on the wrong side of that line, says Mr. Pierce. He described the optimization as the most ambitious attempt to game Google’s search results that he has ever seen.

“Actually, it’s the most ambitious attempt I’ve ever heard of,” he said. “This whole thing just blew me away. Especially for such a major brand. You’d think they would have people around them that would know better.”

And check Robert Stacy McCain's post, linking this to blog optimization: "Stupid Google Tricks."

Democrats Spin Victory Out of CPAC

That's Haley Barbour below, during his speech at the Marriott Ballroom. I wasn't really listening all that closely, since it was hard to hear the speeches from the bloggers' lounge. I'm personally not betting on him to be a force in the GOP primaries. Barbour can raise the dough but his attractivness as a national candidate remains to be seen. We could say that about a lot of the Republican presidential hopefuls, and progressives are banking on that.

RELATED: At The Hill, "Democrats Claim Political Victory From CPAC" (via Memeorandum):

Democrats and President Obama gathered the most momentum from this past weekend's gathering of conservative activists, the party claimed Monday.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) sought to spin the now-concluded Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in their own favor, releasing a web video framing the Republicans who spoke at CPAC -- including a number of possible presidential candidates -- as focused on issues from the past.

"The biggest winners coming out of CPAC were Democrats and the president, as it is clear, based on the presentations there, that Republicans have no message and nothing to offer the public accept re-fighting the political and legislative battles - battles they have already lost," DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse wrote in an email about the new video.

More at the link and CNN:

Ann Coulter on GOProud

Background here, from Rick Moran, "CPAC Boycott by Social Cons Uncovers the Right’s ‘Gay Problem’."

Now, I read this in the hard-copy of Human Events, "In honor of the gays who have come out of the closet as Republicans to be one of the 140 sponsors of CPAC 2011, I thought I'd run one of the interviews I gave before speaking to GOProud last September ..."

Can you lay out your stance on marriage equality (Prop 8, DOMA) and DADT?

I'm against gay marriage, but that's no offense to gays. It is just in defense of a crucial linchpin of civilization that's already hanging by a thread.

Are gay rights part and parcel with basic conservatism? If so, why are so many elected Republicans so skittish/unsupportive about the subject? If not, tell me why.

No, we don't generally care for identity politics of any sort, much less hearing about people's sex lives, even Nino Scalia's. (And judging by the number of children he has, it's pretty active.) Conservatives believe in individual rights, low tax rates, fighting terrorism and punishing criminals -- so do gays! They also happen to believe Judy Garland was the most underappreciated and misunderstood person in the history of show business. I don't think most gays care about gay marriage; they like going to the gay marriage meeting because it's a good way to meet other gays.

Hey, what gay problem? Coulter's the best!

More at the link.

RELATED: At Marooned in Marin, "CPAC 2011 - Wrap Up."

Congressman Allen West Visits CPAC Bloggers

From Midnight Blue:

CPAC and the Muslim Brotherhood

Okay, following up from this morning's entry, check the link for full video: "David Horowitz Gives Barnburner at CPAC!" And the transcript is here: "The Muslim Brotherhood Inside the Conservative Movement."

Now it turns out the Muslim Brotherhood debate is becoming one of the bigger stories to emerge from CPAC. Politico covers it from the MFM angle, "Right Fractures Over Islam" (at Memeorandum).

While a gay rights controversy drew headlines at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, another — and even more bitter — dispute rippled as views varied widely on how to reconcile the conservative movement with Islam in the United States.

At the 38th annual conservative gathering, there was no shortage of accusations of Islamist sympathies, Muslim Brotherhood infiltration and charges of fear-mongering. Republican presidential hopefuls, including Newt Gingrich and John Thune, also drew applause with suggestions that the Obama administration has taken a politically correct blind eye to the connection between radical Islam and terrorism.

Freshman Rep. Allen West also drew thunderous applause in his keynote speech about the threat to America posed by Islam and other security threats. And as Republican candidates define their national security stands in the 2012 elections, conservative discomfort with Islam in America will be a feature of the debate.

“We are also faced at home and abroad with a mortal threat in political Islam,” conservative activist David Horowitz said in his address to the conference. “Political Islam is a totalitarian movement that seeks to impose Islamic law on the entire world through the seizure of states by stealth and electoral means where possible and by terror where necessary and sometimes by a combination of the two. There are hundreds of millions of believers in political Islam.”

CPAC organizers held an official panel on the threat of sharia law, with several other affiliated, but unofficial, events on inclusion, religious liberty and the so-called ground zero mosque controversy, featuring the controversial blogger Pam Geller and Jihad Watch’s Robert Spencer.

“Sometimes when you hear snide comments about Jews in the ’50s or Muslims today — we’ve been through this. The Republican party chased away the Catholic vote for over a hundred years,” said Grover Norquist, an ACU board member and a tax activist who has tried to bring Muslim voters in to the GOP for more than a decade. “You chase away people politically. The thing about the political effects of bigotry — it can last generations. It’s tough to fix.”

Be sure to RTWT.

When I was a young man, the name Grover Norquist was awe-inspiring. Now it's just pathetic. The dude married Kuwaiti-born Samaah Alrayyes, an Muslim outreach specialist at USAID. Gee, no wonder Grover wants to tamp down criticism of jihad as "Islamophobic." And no wonder the Soros-funded Islamo-appeasing Think Progress is on the case, "Frank Gaffney Braves Muslim Brotherhood Infiltration To Warn CPAC About Grover Norquist."

And that's not all, Horowitz has an update at NewsReal, a response to the left's hysterics, "The Muslim Brotherhood and the Fellow Traveling Left at Slate":

Yesterday morning I gave a speech at CPAC warning of the dangers posed by the infiltration of the conservative movement by the Muslim Brotherhood in the person of Suhail Khan and his sponsor Grover Norquist. Both Khan and Norquist are board members of the American Conservative Union, and both spoke at CPAC. The facts about Norquist and Khan which I discussed in my speech were taken from an elaborate dossier presented to the board of the American Conservative Union and posted on Frontpagemag.com. This morning SLATE, which is published by the Washington Post, rose to the defense of Khan. This was reminiscent of the past when liberals defended the Soviet spy Alger Hiss and attacked conservatives like Richard Nixon who were attempting to expose Hiss — a parallel I mentioned in my speech ...

In my speech I made the specific charge that Suhail Khan was a protege of his father and of the convicted terrorist Abdurahman Alamoudi ... I also charged tht Suhail Khan, along with his patron Grover Norquist, was instrumental in getting President Bush to agree to ban the use of secret evidence in trials of terrorists. This was a campaign launched by the terrorist Sami al-Arian (whose brother, also a member of Palestine Islamic Jihad, was deported on the strength of secret evidence.) Grover Norquist and Suhail used their influence to get al-Arian a face-to-face with George W. Bush who then attacked the use of secret evidence in his campaign and was about to implement al-Arian’s proposed ban when 9/11 took place. Al-Arian who, as the head of PIJ in North America, and its chief financier was responsible for the suicide murders of over 100 people in the Middle East,was also supported in this campaign by the ACLU, The Nation magazine and the American Left. (The ACLU was also one of his chief defenders when he was indicted for terrorist activities and eventually deported.) Suhail Khan has no response to these (or any other) facts because they are true.

For the record, Palestine Islamic Jihad is an umbrella group of Muslim organizations committed to the destruction of Israel. And again, duh, it's no surprise why progressives want to bury the details of the Muslim Brotherhood in America. CPAC basically had its own Green-Red alliance working the wings. Seriously. Here's the video of Suhail Khan's bald-face lie at CPAC, "There is no Muslim Brotherhood in America":

God, can he get any worse. David Horowitz outlined all the evidence during his speech. But see Andy McCarthy for good measure, "Unindicted Coconspirators."

And check Politico one more time. Suhail Khan has a standard line attempted to defuse the criticism: "Pam Geller, Robert Spencer — they’re not part of the conservative movement." Project much, Mr. Kahn?

And here's Pamela, during the Q & A on Friday, "There are 12,000 people that come to this event that don't know they've been completely sold out by CPAC leadership":

I'll have more later ...

David Horowitz Gives Barnburner at CPAC!

I should be flying back home when this post goes live. I've got a lot more reporting and stories to tell from CPAC. Anyway, I moved out from the lounge to the balcony to listen to Horowitz's speech. You won't be hearing much of this in the mainstream press (MFM):

Also at Pamela's, "'Pamela Geller Versus CPAC'."

And check David Weigel's report, "CPAC 2011: Suhail Khan Responds to David Horowitz."

Lots more later, pictures, commentary, gossip ... the whole bang!

Until then!

VIDEO: Congressman Allen West Keynote Speech at CPAC

At Marathon Pundit, "Allen West closes out CPAC, calls for "The dawn of a New America."

And previously, a photo opportunity with Congressman West. A very nice man, and a privilege to meet him.

Lincoln's Birthday

President Abraham Lincoln was born today, 202 years ago, February 12, 1809.

I imagine it's fitting, then, that I walked the Washington Mall yesterday morning, from Capitol Hill to Lincoln's Memorial. I think that's my favorite place to be in the whole United States. Perhaps I'd tire of it should I be living in D.C., but being here fills me with pride and historical grandeur. I'll have more sightseeing pictures later. I spent just a few minutes at the memorial, but it is indeed a temple:

I'll have more from the Mall after I'm home in the O.C.

Ron Paul Is No. 1 for 2012 in CPAC Straw Poll

At NYT, "At Conservative Gathering, Ron Paul Is No. 1 for 2012":

WASHINGTON — With the Republican presidential campaign poised to open, conservative activists signaled on Saturday that they were unsettled over who should win the party’s nomination, indicating a wide-open race for the right to challenge President Obama.

For three days, prospective Republican presidential contenders delivered speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference here, introducing themselves to influential figures who will help choose the nominee. The results of a straw poll on Saturday underscored the fluidity of the field.

Representative Ron Paul of Texas won the poll for the second year in a row, and Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, took second place. The results reflected the challenges that lie ahead for Republicans as they weigh arguments of electability over ideology and try to unite the party to defeat Mr. Obama.

Mr. Paul received 30 percent of the vote, and Mr. Romney won 23 percent. The rest of the potential contenders finished in single digits, including Sarah Palin, who declined an invitation to speak here; she received support from only 3 percent of the poll’s voters.

Organizers said that more than 10,000 people from across the country attended the conference, but only 3,742 of them participated in the straw poll, the results of which offer little indication of which candidate will emerge to take on the president. The tepid showing of many of the candidates underscored the problems they face as they seek to introduce themselves to Republican primary voters. The conference is intended to allow candidates to test the themes of their prospective candidacy.

There more at the link, but see Politico, "YAF kicks out Ron Paul."

I was up in the bloggers' lounge when the YAF folks started handing flyers with the announcement. The Paulbots make CPAC seem like a circus, or at least more so than would normally be the case at an event this large. Lots more at Memeorandum.

BONUS: David Weigel, "Two Pauls Are Better Than One: Father and son Ron and Rand Paul wow the crowd at CPAC." And, "CPAC 2011: The Straw Poll Aftermath."

VIDEO: Ann Coulter's Speech at CPAC

Here's the Chris Christie segment (via Freedom's Lighthouse):

Plus, Allahpundit has full video and commentary, "Coulter at CPAC: If we don’t run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee — and he’ll lose." And at The Hill, "Coulter: Nominate Christie, because Romney will lose":

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter warned activists Saturday that if the party nominates former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2012, President Obama will win reelection.

Asked in a Q&A session after a bombastic speech at CPAC what she thought of the 2012 field of hopefuls, Coulter initially hesitated, but went on to essentially deliver an endorsement of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

"If you don't run Chris Christie, Romney will be the nominee and we'll lose," said Coulter, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

"By the way," she added, "I warned you about McCain."

Coulter didn't mention any other rumored 2012 contender by name, but said most of them are "good in the positions they're in now."

More at the link (via Memeorandum).

I'll have some more Coulter pics later.

Congressman Allan West at CPAC!

Rep. Allen West stopped by the bloggers' lounge before heading out to deliver the keynote address for CPAC 2011.

Robert Stacy McCain performed the introductions:

I'm listening to the speech right now.

Updates coming ...

Andrew Breitbart at CPAC!

This was my first chance to listen to him. He's definitely hot property at the convention. Here's Andrew during his speech this morning at the Marriott balloom.

Andrew was on a roll, as usual. Jillian Rayfield of Talking Points Memo was not amused: "Breitbart: Code Pink Protestors Used To Be 'Kind Of Slutty,' Now They're 'Long In The Tooth'":

In his rambling CPAC speech today, Andrew Breitbart described how he has enjoyed going to progressive rallies and peppering the protesters with questions. But, he said, the women of the anti-war group Code Pink are "tedious at this point" because they used to be "kinda slutty lefties," but "they're getting long in the tooth."

"I don't know why I decided to make my career trying to destroy the institutional left. I thought that would be a fun thing to do," he said at the opening of his remarks. He described how he's found that the people in protests "are not individuals. They've been community organized."

"They're not Americans," Breitbart said later. "They're animals."

Breitbart went on to describe how a "collusion" has developed between the SEIU, OFA, Acorn, and the Obama Administration. "The President is using these thugs," he said.

"It's vulgar to think that the President" has "his fingerprints all over" protest groups, Breitbart said, also noting that "at the end of the day a lot of them are just overacting extras."

He came up to the bloggers' lounge a bit later, and conservatives swarmed around to listen. Andrew quipped, "That wasn't the speech I planned to give." He then proceeded to recount the epic significance of the Pigford scandal:

And he's with Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit and John Hawkins of Right Wing News:

I spoke with him for a couple of minutes. We've met before, but he's a superstar now. He mentioned he might be interested in expanding the coverage at Big Government et al. to colleges and universities. I said, "Hey, I'm your man there":

VIDEO HAT TIP: Marooned in Marin,"Breitbart at CPAC: The Left Is Being Organized By The President Against The Mass ."

Ron Paul's Speech at CPAC

I'm hardly a fan of Ron Paul, but no doubt he's a top CPAC newsmaker.

The Hill has a report, "Ron Paul slams Patriot Act, backers drown out jeers at conference." And the big theme at USA Today, "Ron Paul: U.S. ‘propped up’ Mubarak in Egypt." (Via Memeorandum.)

In any case, listen to it. The guy's a crank, IMHO. And from the comments at Gateway Pundit:

When will this guy just go away? His looney followers are what make me hate the guy. They are worse than Obamabots.

Well, his loony followers make it easier to hate the guy, but Ron Paul's a clown all by himself.

BONUS: More coverage, with a lovely photograph of Mary Katharine and myself: "Mary Katharine Ham Covers Mitch Daniels' Speech at CPAC."

More later ...

Mary Katharine Ham Covers Mitch Daniels' Speech at CPAC

Very few bloggers were at the lounge Friday night. Seemed strange after being packed like sardines on Thursday. The big evening event was the Ronald Reagan Banquet, and it was a humdinger. Phyllis Schlafly was emcee. And George Will was on hand. He introduced Governor Mitchell Daniels. I'll post some pics later. But Mary Katherine Ham was in the house, and she reports: "Full Text: Mitch Daniels’ Speech to CPAC." And the video's at Hot Air, "Mitch Daniels’s Speech at CPAC." And from Hotline on Call, "Daniels to CPACers: Don't Be 'Suicide Bombers'":

In a speech that appeared aimed directly at conservatives wary of his stance on social issues, Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels bluntly warned participants at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday against spurning candidates and issues capable of attracting broad public support.

"Purity in martyrdom is for suicide bombers," said Daniels, whose potential 2012 presidential candidacy has been defined by his critique of the some of his party's most ardent activists. He also called not-so-subtly for a shift in the party's political tone.

"I submit that, as we ask Americans to join us on such a boldly different course," Daniels said, "it would help if they liked us, just a bit."

Daniels' speech was markedly different than those given at the conference by other prospective GOP presidential candidates, who mostly struck to red meat for the party's base. Though the governor did take a few early jabs at President Obama, he seemed less interested in catering to his than in challenging to reach beyond its orthodoxy "to unify America, or enough of it, to demand and sustain the big change we propose."

Some conservatives have criticized Daniels for calling for a GOP "truce" on social issues so it can focus the party can focus on the economy. Daniels never referenced the controversy directly in his speech, but he did say the party must attract supporters who aren't plugged into politics or conservative commentary.

"We must be the vanguard of recovery, but we cannot do it alone," he told a packed house in an after-dinner talk. "We have learned in Indiana, big change requires big majorities. We still need people who never tune in to Rush or Glenn or Laura or Sean," Daniels said, referring to talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. "Who surf past C-SPAN to get to SportsCenter."

More at the link.

And check back for updates. Meanwhile, at New York Times, "At Conference, G.O.P. Hopefuls Offer Criticism of All Things Obama."

Ground Zero Mosque Documentary Preview

That's Pamela taking questions after Friday's panel, "The Ground Zero Mosque: The Second Wave of the 9/11 Attacks." The event featured a brief 10-minute screening and a panel discussion. The entire film will screen today. As she notes:

On Saturday the entire film will be screened at Citizens United’s CPAC Theater – Delaware Ballroom: the World Premiere of the AFDI/SIOA documentary film on the Ground Zero Mosque.

More on this later ...

Meanwhile, from Ed Morrissey, "Video: 9/11 families visit CPAC to protest the Ground Zero Mosque."

Ann Coulter at CPAC

I missed the Sarah Palin impersonator, but Ann Coulter looked stunning during an interview with Pajamas Television:

Da Tech Guy has more, "Can someone explain to me why people swarmed the Sarah Palin impersonator ..."

Plus, The Other McCain updates, "CPAC Day 2: Into the Scrum" (more here). And Midnight Blue is retiring early for the night, "CPAC Experience: Flu Like Symptoms," and at No Runny Eggs, "CPAC random pics – Day 1."

And for real news, see Hot Air, "Romney supporters at CPAC pitching him as the anti-Palin." And Los Angeles Times, "Pawlenty, Romney bash Obama at CPAC":

On a seeming collision course toward the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney spoke to cheering crowds Friday at the second day of a gathering of the nation's conservatives, blasting President Obama for what they said was his failure to lead on national security and the economy.

While Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, have not formally declared their intentions, their White House ambitions appear more evident every day.

Romney's wife, Ann, introducing him to the packed house at the Conservative Political Action Conference, came close to an admission, saying that she "hoped" to see her husband elected. And when Romney, who has been on a nationwide tour, said at one point "if I decide to run for president," some in the room chortled.

But neither Pawlenty nor Romney, nor any of the other featured speakers here Friday, which included possible 2012 contenders Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Republican Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, could compete with the rowdy reception given Rep. Ron Paul, the Texas libertarian.

More at the link.

It turns out that Ron Paul rent-a-bots have surged CPAC, apparently sent by the folks at Campaign for Liberty, and perhaps a few other isolationist-style "conservative" outfits.

And there's more: Dave Weigel updates on the gay marriage tussel, "CPAC 2011: Big Ol' Gay Party." He reports on Andrew Breitbart's private party at D.C.'s 18th Street Lounge. Apparently Breitbart's all for the GOP big tent, and he reverted to '80s-era alternative rock to cut loose the jams:

Depeche Mode was played; a fight nearly broke out between two people who were too drunk to explain what they were fighting about; some people were convinced that Dana Loesch, who was wearing leather pants, couldn't have possibly been Dana Loesch, because she was wearing leather pants.

Well, I met Dana Loesch yesterday. Her leather pants were real and fabulous.

Expect updates ...

More CPAC Blogging

While I'm conferencing today (and possibly without an Internet connection), check Goldfish and Clowns, "$2500 to attend CPAC Totally Sucks."

Well, yes, but a bloggers' panel with Dana Loesch takes some pressure off:

And more on yesterday's events, "CPAC Audience Rejects Donald Rumsfeld."

Yet, Secretary Rumsfeld received a warm welcome at the CPAC bloggers' lounge. And I introduced myself:

Also, I took a wonderful picture of Tania and John Ruberry with Rumsfeld as well, and I'll update with that later.

Donald Trump at CPAC: 'Ron Paul Can't Get Elected'

I'll have more CPAC pictures posted later, but Fox & Friends just interviewed Donald Trump, and no doubt his CPAC turn yesterday generated some buzz. For example, at ABC News, "Donald Trump: If I Run For President ‘This Country Will Be Respected Again’" (via Memeorandum):

During his speech, which was added to the CPAC agenda at the last-minute, Trump hinted that the time may be right for him to run for president, arguing that he had had at least as much experience as President Obama.

“Our current president came out of nowhere,” Trump said.

He laid out his policy viewpoints in straightforward terms: “I’m pro-life. I’m against gun control, and I will fight to end Obamacare and replace it with something that makes sense for people in business and not bankrupt the country.”

Trump added, “If I decide to run, I will not be raising taxes.” He also pledged to help America re-gain a competitive advantage with China and other countries that he said “are screwing us.”

I liked it!

And my full report is here: "Updates from CPAC — Donald Trump Disses Ron Paul!"

More CPAC reporting later!

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?"

More on Sarah Palin and CPAC

Earlier it was her comments on GOProud. Now she responds to Rick Santorum. This post has all you need, seriously: "Did Rick Santorum ‘Knock’ Governor Palin? UPDATED: Santorum Responds, Barr Fights Back – Further Updates – ADDED Palin/Santorum Reactions."

Politico's getting some mileage out of it: "Santorum's Twe-eating his Palin words" (at Memeorandum).

I'm off to CPAC.

Check my Twitter feed for instant updates, when I can get them posted. I'll try to post pictures to the blog as well.

CPAC Socializing

I think Tania's gonna bust me, since the flash is way too bright on this picture. But this will have to do until I can get a few more choice shots tomorrow:

I just happened to see Tania, as I was checking out the registration desk. We recognized each other immediately. It was also a pleasure to meet John Ruberry, a.k.a, Marathon Pundit, who was hanging out as well.

Tania arrived early Wednesday. She's got another report: "The CPAC 2011 Experience – In The Beginning."

And I'm seen here with Herman Cain and Pamela Geller:

More reports tomorrow.

Made it to CPAC!

And all you get is this Boeing 737!

(That's a few minutes prior to boarding, at John Wayne Airport, about 7:00am.)

Well, at least for now. I'm at the Henley Park Hotel in downtown D.C. I'm guessing it's just about 5 minutes or so from the Marriott Wardman Park, the conference hotel. Robert Stacy McCain just tweeted.

Look for a report in the morning.

Meanwhile, at Politico, "At CPAC, the race for second place as Paul goes all out" (via Memeorandum).

CPAC 2011

As this post goes live I'm probably on my way to John Wayne Airport. My plane is scheduled for take off at 7:30am.

I haven't missed a day of blogging since John McCain won the GOP nomination in 2008. Readers may remember, but my wife and I took the boys to Las Vegas for a little vacation --- and I did without the blogosphere for a few days. It probably won't happen again this weekend, but if posting is erratic folks will know why. This is my first trip to CPAC. I plan on taking loads of photos. I'll post some updates as soon as I get a bit of extended downtime. At any rate, I have a hunch there might be some controversy over gay rights again this year. Not so much a Ryan Sorba-style showdown, but perhaps something with the GOProud crew. Seriously. Why is GOProud's Chris Barron talking to Lawrence O'Donnell on the eve of the convention? C'mon. MSNBC? It's not like those folks wish conservatives well. Something doesn't add up, to say the least, and perhaps this indeed confirms the warnings of the American Principles Project:

See what I mean?

So, until later, a little reading from the right --- from the really, truly genuine right:

* Douglas Feith, "Dictators and Hedgehogs."

* Douglas Murray, "Cameron's Multicultural Wake-Up Call."

* Henry Olson, "After the Republican Wave."

* Kay Hymowitz, "Sarah Palin and the Battle for Feminism."

* Lila Rose, "Planned Parenthood NY: Giving Pimps Discounts, on the Tax Payers’ Dime."

And until later, see Midnight Blue's CPAC updates.

Borders Bankruptcy

Or near-bankruptcy.

See LAT, "Is Borders heading for its final chapter?"

I used to think about how much the big-box bookstores improved my quality of life. When I was in graduate school (UCSB) I used hang out at Borders on State Street all the time. Especially memorable were the times I met Dr. Michael Gordon, my dissertation advisor, for bread and coffee. It was a lot of fun. Of course I should add that I'm not necessarily crying about this. Both Barnes and Noble and Borders savaged local booksellers, so among a lot of Bohemians (including my mom), they won few friends. Still, there's something in the convenience of always being able to find a good quality bookstore at the neighborhood mall. Strange, in any case. Markets working, and all that.

More at Pat Austin's, "The End of Dead Tree Books Is Nigh."

Palin Derangement Syndrome — In the Mold of Ronald Reagan Edition

From the lead letter to the editor, at today's Los Angeles Times:

Only one Reagan

Re "Palin casts self in Reagan mold," Feb. 5

Sarah Palin's attempt to cast herself in the Reagan mold is laughable at best. Her anti-intellectual position is nothing more than another of the ad hominem, bandwagon, emotive arguments for which she is so famous, stirring up "mob mentality" by attacking the present administration.

The "small government" Palin advocates would be far more authoritarian than anything proffered by the Obama administration. Indeed, a Republican (or "tea party") government would basically annihilate Social Security, Medicare and the Environmental Protection Agency, remove a woman's right to choose and promote some extremist brand of Christianity, autocratically removing more and more of the freedoms we currently enjoy.

Palin stands for nothing more than promotion of Sarah Palin. The fact that so many people are actually convinced by her brand of argumentation is truly frightening. She is most definitely not Ronald Reagan.

Rebecca S. Hertsgaard

Palm Desert

That's pretty classic Palin derangement, and it's especially interesting that the Times gave this woman's letter top billing in today's edition.

Also interesting is the latest CNN poll out today, "CNN Poll: Republicans want winner over ideology in 2012" (via Hot Air and Memeorandum). And I'll be perfectly honest: If Palin's a candidate I'll personally pull out the stops for her to win the nominiation. Yet, while others might not say so, I do have some concerns about her general election viability. I spoke with my department chairman yesterday, mentioning that I was attending CPAC, and he didn't flinch in announcing Palin as his pick for the nomination. But we both agreed that she could have some problems winning voters at the middle of the spectrum. At any rate, the CNN survey shows some weaknesses for Obama. He's got just 25 percent of voters that would definitely vote for him, and a majority of 51 percent said they think he'll lose reelection in 2012. As for Palin chances, a new Rasmussen horse-race poll shows that right now Obama beats Palin 49 to 38. Of the prospective GOP hopefuls cited, only Mitt Romney currently leads Obama, 44 to 42 percent. See, "Romney, Huckabee Even With Obama, Other GOP Hopefuls Trail."

Bottom line: Obama's deeply vulnerable, and Sarah Palin would be a fool not to announce her candidacy. The electorate will sort things out, and there's still lots of time for things to develop.

More later ...

RELATED: "Heading to CPAC Tomorrow!"

Heading to CPAC Tomorrow!

I'm flying out in the morning. I'll post an announcement with some tentative plans for blogging.

Meanwhile, from Tania Gail, "The CPAC Experience: Conference Survival Tips For Everyone."

Also, a behind-the-scenes video from the folks at CPAC:

(UN)RELATED: At The Other McCain, who I'll be hanging with, "LIVE AT FIVE – 2.8.11."

Julian Assange's Prosecutor Accused of Anti-Men Bias

The surprise of the century, no doubt. At Time, "Courtroom Conflict":

The extradition hearings in London Monday of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange drips with intrigue: a mysterious Australian hacker accused of sex crimes by two Swedish women. Now add this to the mix: Monday, a retired female judge accused the female Swedish prosecutor attempting to extradite Assange of having a "biased view" against men.

As part of the two-day hearing to determine whether Assange should be taken to Sweden to face sex-crimes charges, retired Swedish appeal court judge Brita Sundberg-Weitman launched an outspoken attack on Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny. Sundberg-Weitman was flown to London by Assange's legal team to give evidence supporting their argument that Assange's extradition would be a "flagrant denial of justice".

They got their money's worth, as Sundberg-Weitman a published academic and associate professor at Stockholm University, accused Ny of having a "rather biased view against men," according to an account by Britain's Press Assocation.

More at the link above, and at Telegraph UK, "Julian Assange extradition hearing: Swedish prosecutor 'is biased against men': Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks website, is the victim of a "malicious" attempt to extradite him by a Swedish prosecutor who is "biased against men", a court has been told."

I've been meaning to update my reporting on this, but once Phyllis Chesler weighed in I paused a bit to think it through. See, "NewsReal Faux Feminist Naomi Wolf Joins Assange in Crusade to Bring Down America."

I still might have some commentary, perhaps reconciling the dual strands of feminism animating the case.

Sarah Palin's Comments on CPAC and GOProud

The clip's at Breitbart's, "Sarah Palin Throws Support Behind GOProud Participation at CPAC." And a teaser:

Well, I’ve never attended a CPAC conference ever so Sarah Palin Throws Support Behind GOProud Participation at CPAC." And quoted there: I was a little taken aback this go around when I couldn’t make it to this one either and then there was a speculation well I either agree or disagree with some of the groups or issues that CPAC is discussing ... perhaps what it is that you’re suggesting in the question is should the GOP, should conservatives not reach out to others, not participate in events or forums that perhaps are rising within those forums are issues that maybe we don’t personally agree with?

This has generated a little controversy. Shane D'Aprile reports, "Conservative group wants answers from Palin on gay rights":

The conservative American Principles Project, which is already boycotting this week's Conservative Political Action Conference over the inclusion of a gay GOP group, is now demanding "clarity" from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The organization wants to know exactly where Palin stands on the inclusion of GOProud as one of CPACs sponsors and wants clarity on her stance on gay marriage after Palin suggested over the weekend that she supports the group.

Asked about the controversy over GOProud's presence at CPAC, which has led to a boycott of the event by several leading conservative groups and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Palin told the Christian Broadcasting Network that she desires a "healthy debate."

"Should conservatives not reach out to others, not participate in events or forums that perhaps arising within those forums are issues that maybe we don't personally agree with?" Palin asked. "And I say 'no.'"

Palin's comments to CBN were highlighted by Andrew Breitbart, who is a member of GOProud's board and will take part in one of the group's events during CPAC later this week.

But the interview raised the ire of APP's President Frank Cannon, who demanded answers from Palin on Monday.

"The concern of conservatives is over the participation of a group whose stated goals run at odds with that of core conservative principles, not over debate over those issues," Cannon said in a statement. "Governor Palin should clarify her comments by letting us know whether in her definition, traditional marriage is a core component of conservatism."

Palin's views on gay rights aren't entirely clear. She drew attention earlier this year after she re-tweeted a message from conservative talk host Tammy Bruce that was seen by many as expressing support for the repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Palin later said she didn't support the repeal.

More at the link.

Also, a discussion by Kathryn Jean Lopez, "CPAC’s Culture Club: Sex and the Boycott."

Frankly, as a matter of pure policy, I doubt GOProud can be a genuinely conservative group, so when the American Principles Project reports that GOProud is actively lobbying in opposition to the defense of traditional marriage, that's a substantial problem. As quoted at the Lopez entry: "“It is no more acceptable as a participant at CPAC than a group that said it embraced the ‘traditional conservative agenda’ but actively worked for higher taxes and greater governmental control of the economy."

APP's full boycott letter is here: "CPAC Coalition Letter." And reading that reveals an even greater problem: GOProud is an "identity politics" organization adopting a "long-term strategy to impose" same-sex marriage. Sounds more like radical progressivism than conservatism.

In any case, we'll see how it goes. Perhaps I'll have a chance to swing by some of the GOProud events, and if so I'll publish reports and updates.