Conservative Americans are ready to destroy the village to save it, rues Anayat Durrani On the heels of the Tea Party Convention, conservative activists and presidential hopefuls from across the nation came together at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Participants stood united in their demand for lower taxes and less government and unleashed their fury against the Democratic Party, United States President Barack Obama, and his policies. The three-day conference wrapped up this past weekend in Washington and drew 10,000 participants. "Saving Freedom" was the theme of this year's CPAC with participants working hard to demonstrate a party in resurgence. Speaker after speaker took aim at Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. They said the GOP would make major gains in the November congressional elections and take back America. Former vice-president Dick Cheney made a surprise appearance on the first day of the conference, rallying the crowd as he declared that Obama will not succeed in any major legislative victories in 2010 and called Obama a "one-term president". After his speech, there were chants of "Run Cheney, run!" though the former vice- president said he was not interested in running. Mike Pence said he was more than happy to wear the "Party of no" sign that Democrats have labelled Republicans for trying to stop Obama's agenda in Congress. "Some folks like to call us the 'Party of no'," Pence said. "Well, I say 'no' is way underrated here in Washington. Sometimes 'no' is just what this town needs to hear." Pence expressed great confidence that the GOP would take back control of Congress and America. "Conservative Republicans are back. We're in the fight for fiscal discipline and limited government, and we are on the side of the American people." Conservatives have been emboldened in the past 12 months, which has seen some significant GOP wins, and Obama's approval rating dip under 50 per cent. "Barack Obama has created at least three jobs that I know of: Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie and Scott Brown," former House speaker Newt Gingrich told the crowd Saturday, referring to recent GOP victories in governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey. Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown captured the Senate seat held for more than 45 years by the late popular Democrat Ted Kennedy. His win cost the Obama administration its 60-seat control of the Senate. Gingrich stressed a need for conservatives to unite across the nation to save America. He called the radical left a "secular, socialist machine" that espouses values that would destroy America. He added that if it were to remain in power, "that machine is antithetical to the survival of America as a prosperous healthy country." The conference was void of a unifying leader. And, while many speakers shamelessly slammed "teleprompter" Obama and the Democratic Party, some took aim at their own party as well. "After eight years of a Republican president and most of those times where we had majorities in Congress, conservatism did not fail America -- conservatives failed conservatism," Rick Santorum, former Republican senator from Pennsylvania, told the crowd. Fox News talk show host Glenn Beck who served as keynote speaker at CPAC on the final day of the conference, criticised Republicans for abandoning conservative principles. "I have not yet heard people in the Republican Party admit they have a problem," Beck told a packed ballroom in Washington. "I have not seen a come-to- Jesus meeting." Presidential contenders surfaced at the conference, testing out the waters for a possible 2010 run, among them former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who defended George W Bush's record saying "history will judge President Bush far more kindly," and proclaimed the Obama administration "a failure". This year's convention, hosted by the American Conservative Union, had both tea partiers and conservative groups in attendance. The tea partiers consider themselves independent from either major party but their views tend to fall closer in line with conservative positions on less government, lower taxes and less spending. CPAC is co-sponsored by more than 90 other conservative organisations. The convention is the most powerful annual national conference for conservatives. House Minority Leader John Boehner reiterated that the GOP should "not attempt to co- opt the tea parties," calling it an unwise move. Rather, he said while he is leader, Republicans will respect and listen to them and "walk amongst them", adding that, "the other party will never, ever do that." Tea partiers are not interested in becoming a third party but rather electing the conservatives who share their views. The tea partiers may prove crucial to Republicans seeking gains in November's congressional midterm elections. A straw poll ballot was held at the conference that put Texas libertarian Ron Paul in the lead with 31 per cent of the delegates' votes. Paul, 74, unsuccessfully sought the nomination in 2008. Mitt Romney who won the last three presidential straw polls at the annual conference, came in second with 22 per cent, while Sarah Palin, who did not attend the conference, came in third with seven per cent. Tim Pawlenty, the governor of Minnesota, received six per cent and Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana got five per cent. At the tale end, four per cent each went to former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas. During his speech at CPAC, Paul blasted lawmakers in Washington for failing to address the nation's growing debt. "Debt is the monster," Paul said. "Debt is what will eat us up, and that's why our economy is on the brink." Following announcement of the results of the straw poll, former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appeared on Fox News Channnel and criticised CPAC for becoming too "libertarian" and for being a "pay for play" event. Huckabee did not attend this year's event. The convention was not without its controversial moments. Several prominent social conservatives bailed out of this year's CPAC convention because of the presence of a group of gay Republicans called GOProud. Ryan Sorba, head of the California Chapter of Young Americans for Freedom objected to the inclusion of GOProud CPAC and was booed off stage.
