The right's ever favorite Conservative Political Action Conference, affectionately known as CPAC, got under way Thursday in National Harbor, Maryland. It's a time for every 2016 hopeful to woo the conservative base by touting their right-wing bonafides. Here are a few highlights from the land of the loony.
1. Carly Fiorina taking on Hillary Clinton
This was rich—the only Republican woman with 2016 potential tried to go toe-to-toe with Hillary.
“Mrs. Clinton, name an accomplishment,” Fiorina said during her speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, D.C. “And in the meantime, please explain why we should accept that the millions and millions of dollars that have flowed into the Clinton Global Initiative from foreign governments do not represent a conflict of interest.”
Okay, as long as we're listing accomplishments, here's a couple for Fiorina:
• Driving Hewlett-Packard into the ground
HP stock had a net drop of more than 50 percent during her tenure, far more than that of Dell or IBM, two key competitors.
• Job creation ... in China
During a 2010 debate, Sen. Barbara Boxer famously noted Fiorina's knack for outsourcing: "I guess my opponent is kind of used to creating jobs in China and other places."
2. Chris Christie trashing Jeb Bush
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie conceded that Jeb's the "frontrunner," but only if "the elites in Washington" are picking the nominee, he added.
"If the people of the United States decide to pick the next president of the United States and they want someone who looks at them in the eye, connects with them and is one of them, I'll do OK," Christie added.
I guess by "connect" he means "shouting down" people whenever he's questioned. Because that's Christie's specialty, telling reporters and constituents to "
sit down and shut up." It's a sure vote-getter.
Head below the fold for the rest of the top five.
3. More Christie: bragging about cutting cancer screening and health care services for women
“I ran as a pro-life candidate in 2009 unapologetically, spoke at the rally on the steps of the statehouse. I was the first governor to ever speak at a pro-life rally on the steps of the statehouse in the state of New Jersey,” Christie told the approving crowd. “And I vetoed Planned Parenthood funding five times out of the New Jersey budget.”
'Nuff said.
4. Shadow boxer Ted Cruz asks fellow Republicans: When have you stood up and fought?
After listing every blowhard, self-aggrandizing position that each and every speaker will take, Cruz added: “But when have you stood up and fought?” The idea being that only Ted Cruz, Senate martyr, is the only one who’s actually taken individual action to push back against the damning onslaught of liberalism — and worse, moderate Republicanism. Cruz mentioned that everyone can claim they’ve fought Democrats. But “when have you been willing to stand up to Republicans?”
Or alternatively: When have you hosed the nation solely for your own political gain?
5. #llamadrama
That's right—the sideshow that ran away with the CPAC coverage: Llamas on the loose!
Both Fox News and CNN took live footage of llamas running wild in the streets in Arizona.
"There it goes… wants to be free," remarked the CNN commentator, who admitted feeling "silly" for narrating the llamagate blow-by-blow.
Fox News' Shepard Smith later added, "Black llama we can't find anymore, but white llama's being put into a truck."
#Llama rampage at the exact time when the #CPAC is reaching its crescendo - Coincidence I think not, Obama involved?
http://t.co/...
— @LibrariumViews
#WhiteLlama wins #CPAC straw poll for GOP 2016 Presidential Candidates #CPACQ #CPAC2015 #llamas
— @Kragar_LGF
Sorry CPAC, the llamas stole the show.