Friday, February 11, 2011

CPAC 2011 Friday Morning

Went to the exhibit hall first thing and bought lots of stuff. Good place to meet people. More about that later.

Went to a good session on the left's attempts to take over the judiciary. More later on that one too, but I just watched Mitt Romney's speech. There was an overflow crowd, but I was able to get into the hall through the media lounge with my pass.The dour mainstream media

The big hall was packed and they stood up to clap for Romney. I wanted to be in the room to feel things. Being in an overflow room watching a monitor isn't the same. The standing O was tepid though, if that seem's possible. There were not hoots, no audible cheers. He got respect as the front-runner for 2012, but there was no passion.Romney on the floor this morning

Romney speaks. I’m reminded immediately that he’s flat when he makes these speeches to conservatives and I've watched him do it five times now. I feel it right away. I interviewed him three years ago at The Conway Daily Sun and he's personable in a small venue, but he lacks passion in both venues. He has pretty good material, but his timing is off. It's as if he's rehearsed the speech over and over and he's doing it the same way he did for his wife last night. He doesn’t have the chutzpah. He doesn’t have fire in the belly. His timing is off. He's not connected to the audience the way Gingrich is when he speaks. Romney looks good. He pronounces words well, but he’s lacking something very important. He doesn’t have presence. He’s like a talking mannequin.Referring to Obama and his economic policies, he says, “What we’re watching is not Brave New World. What we’re watching is Groundhog Day.” Good line, but it falls flat because of his delivery.

Romney quotes Obama's remarks about the worst economy since the Great Depression: "'It could be worse . . .' What’s next?" he asks. "Let them eat cake? or Let them eat organic cake?” Another good line, but he can't deliver it well.

“There are more people out of work in the USA than there are people working in Canada, yet Canada created more new jobs than America has [last month].”

That was a good line and the crowd responded. Not bad.
“15 million Americans are out of work.”

“This is a moral tragedy," he says because of the strain unemployment has on marriages and families. “LIberals should be ashamed that they and their liberal policies have failed these Americans.”

“The president and his fellow liberals look to Europe [for solutions, but] it (socialist policy) does not work there and it will never work here.”[Instead] Believe in capitalism, federalism, the Constitution as it was written by the founders.”He's done now. Bye-bye. Is he the best we've got? I hope not.

1 comment:

DAWN said...

I know what you mean about Mitt. I met him this fall when he was stumping for Rick Scott who is now our new Govenor. I also met Senator Marco Rubio around the same time, and had quite the opposite feeling about him. Marco is quite personable to talk with. Speaking with him was like joking around with my brother while speaking with Mitt was forced and uncomfortable. He seemed uneasy.

The local newspaper captured a moment Marco and I had talking together so I have a nice momento of his visit here.

Rubio's got charisma and common sense and I think he's going to go places in the future. I'm rooting for him.

Rumsfield spoke at my son's college graduation (VMI) and while I didn't get to meet him personally I was standing right next to him while he waited to speak so I managed to get some close-up pics. I thought he was very interesting to listen to.