By Anthony Gregory
Writes the great conservative Jon Basil Utley:
Antiwar sentiment was a major issue for the first time at this year’s giant CPAC meeting in Washington. Thousands of young conservatives attended, some 5,000, and for the first time, Ron Paul was voted the favorite presidential candidate with 31% of the vote. His speech about how governments use wars to take over dictatorial power was constantly interrupted with roaring applause. Top leaders of the conservative movement spoke, but it was Glenn Beck who carried the last day with mad applause, denouncing Republicans nearly as much as Democrats and saying, “It’s still morning in America, it just happens to be kind of a head-pounding, hung-over, vomiting for four hours morning.” Beck is not a war promoter and I’ve heard him on FOX TV saying he had pretty much come around to agreeing with libertarians on the wars.
Republican congressional leader John Boehner had spoken earlier promising that next time Republicans would be different and not cave in to big government.
Speakers covered the gamut of the conservative movement including old timers and new comers. Speaking has been almost obligatory for hopeful presidential candidates. Sarah Palin was not there. Romney spoke including praise for Bush and Cheney and came in 2nd in the straw poll with 22%. He was followed by Sarah Palin with 7% and Tim Pawlenty with 6%. Gingrich and Huckabee both came in with 4%.