Christie’s Shameless, Desperate New Play: Wooing The GOP Base
It’s almost sad. Chris Christie, putative GOP savior, supposed scourge of the party’s right-wing saboteurs, in the minds of Republican establishment figures and donors anyway, is now courting the far-right base he was supposed to crush.
Desperately clutching his presidential hopes when he ought to be working to remain as New Jersey’s governor, Christie is taking a page from an old GOP playbook: attacking the “liberal media” while courting reactionaries – specifically those who gather annually at the Conservative Political Action Committee.
You may recall that last year Christie was snubbed by the folks who organize the annual winter gathering of the far-right faithful. Mitt Romney went so far as to implore CPAC to listen to voices like Christie’s.
“Frankly, the heat he is taking in the press as a result of Bridge-gate has endeared him to some conservatives.” Civic Forum PAC Ford O’Connell told the Christian Science Monitor. “He’s going to need conservatives on his side. This is about mending fences on both sides.”
Ryan’s Speech To CPAC Will Provide Clues To His 2016 Plans
Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) speech to an influential group of conservatives on Friday will provide clues on whether he has his eyes on becoming president or chairman of the House's powerful Ways and Means Committee.
The 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee is coming off a big week after introducing a plan aimed at balancing the budget within 10 years, and his Friday morning speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) will be delivered to his biggest live audience since the election. The address gives him an opportunity to discuss his budget in detail or lay out a broad economic vision of the country.
“[Ryan] now has a recognition that a lot of people don't know what goes on inside the Beltway, and to get things done with the issues he's pushing he needs a national platform to do it,” said GOP strategist Ford O’Connell. “In some ways the budget may be boring to the media, but it's red meat to these guys.”
Conservatives Showcase Diversity And Divisions At Annual CPAC Rally
Republicans are holding their breath Thursday at the start of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, the big annual Washington gathering that is expected to air divisions within the GOP four months after President Obama’s reelection.
The roster of speakers tells the story: From movement-conservative keynote speaker Ted Cruz, the outspoken new Republican senator from Texas, to libertarian Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky and Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida, an establishment favorite, different strains of conservative thought will be on full display.
Other speakers will shift the focus to the recent, uncomfortable past. Mitt Romney, not a beloved figure in conservative circles, will make his first public address since losing to Mr. Obama last fall. And Sarah Palin, the GOP’s vice presidential nominee in 2008, will return to the spotlight after her recent split with Fox News.
“For a party seeking to rebrand and expand its tent, CPAC couldn’t come at a worse time,” says Republican strategist Ford O’Connell.
Even if the public isn’t paying close attention to politics right now, the media are – and they will focus on conflict, not consensus. “The only thing we agree on is free markets,” says Mr. O’Connell.
Read more from Linda Feldmann at The Christian Science Monitor
Santorum, Romney To Face Off In High-Stakes Appeal To Party Faithful
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will appear in the same venue Friday for the first time since Santorum handed Romney a three-pronged defeat earlier in the week.
Both will be competing for the support of the same cluster of die-hard conservatives — more than 10,000 in total — who have amassed for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.
Addressing the annual convention of party faithful is a rite of passage for presidential candidates, but for Santorum and Romney, the stakes are much higher.
Still reeling from his bruising Tuesday loss to Santorum in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri, Romney must convince activists he’s the bona fide conservative he claims to be. For Santorum, the challenge is to win over those whose doubts about his electability against President Obama make them reluctant to bet on a losing horse.
“Romney needs a big idea to rally folks around,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell. “Mitt Romney is the most electable, but he hasn’t given anyone in the base or independents any reason to vote for him. That’s why he needs that big idea. ‘Believe in America’ just ain’t going to cut it.”
