CPAC Conference Complete

Today our team of reporters--Susan Beach, Glenn Luther and producer Troy Donte' Prestwood blogged the CPAC conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Please take a look at our work and feel free to comment on anything you've read.
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Newt Gingrich Closes Conference With Stirring Address


By: Susan Beach

Young Republicans crowd around former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich, snapping photos and posing for pictures with him long after finishing his address to the attendees at CPAC.


A fast moving snowstorm and a late 5 p.m. start for Gingrich didn't appear to deter his well-dressed fans. They cheered and gave him standing ovations many times when he discussed saving for retirement rather than depending on social security and parents being able to chose the schools their children attend.


On terrorism, Gingrich said every decision made by President George Bush has been "profoundly correct." The two security problems facing the country are the dictatorship in Iran and the militant group Hamas, he said.

Gingrich said too much power is concentrated in Washington and not enough is given to citizens. Congress should replace the failed government with an efficient, intelligent system, which he explains in his new book "Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America."

Earlier in the afternoon Gingrich autographed copies of his book for hundreds of twenty-somethings who waited in a line that stretched down a long hallway in the hotel.


Photos: Glenn Luther
Photo 1 Caption: Newt Gingrich speaks to a huge crowd of mostly young conservatives at the CPAC conference. Gingrich said every decision made by President George Bush has been "profoundly correct."

Photo 2 Caption: A photo composite of the young well-dressed crowd as they listen attentively to Gingrich discuss the conservative agenda at CPAC.

Photo 3 Caption: Matthew FarrFloridalordia State University, smiles as Newt Gingrich signs his book, titled "Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America."


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Go From Gay to Straight at CPAC


By: Glenn Luther

For 14 years Gregory Quinian of the Pro-Family Network said he has lived a straight life. He has a message for gay Americans--quit! "I am ex-gay," said the married father." There is no future in homosexuality. The lifestyle as a whole is shallow, lust-filled and emotionally immature," he said.

Quinian is part of a growing number of people and organizations that say gays can change their orientation.

Pamphlets decorate a table at the conference. One reads "Ex-gays prove that homosexuals CAN and DO change to a heterosexual orientation." The display is part of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays, a non-profit organization that claims to support the rights of homosexuals who choose to change.

"This organization is like a support group for people who have struggling family members," said Jackie Rice, a volunteer with the group, who says she has a brother who is gay.
Rice said the key to helping them is to get gays to understand her point of view. "We let them know they are really not born that way...they can change. It's been very successful. I've been at a few weddings," Rice said smiling as she recalled her dealings with homosexuals. "They say to me, 'you mean to tell me I can do this, I can have kids?'" she said.

Photos: Glenn Luther

Photo 1 Caption: "We let them know they are really not born that way," said Jackie Rice, exhibitor for Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays. "We've seen people come back out," she said.

Photo 2 Caption: "There is no future in homosexuality," said Gregory Quinian, who claims to be "ex-gay." The lifestyle as a whole is shallow, lust-filled and emotionally immature," he said.

Photo 3 Caption: T-shirts hang nearby at the Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays booth. Store owner Stacie Stire said he is able to communicate hard messages effectively through humor. "We get lots of hate mail from tolerant liberals," she said.


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Very Few Black Conservatives Attend Conference


By: Glenn Luther

A magazine highlighting famous African American conservatives were handed out to the overwhelmingly white attendees at CPAC.

Mark Zak, executive director of the Freedom Foundation along with volunteers from the National Black Republican Association hand out copies of the Black Republican magazine with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice starring from the cover.

Inside the magazine the key story is Rice for president in 2008. "Republicans would benefit tremendously if they knew more about the history of their party," Zak said. "The Republican Party has always been the party of civil rights and individual freedom," he said.

The magazine, they said was picked up mostly by black college students. Yet it appears that few, if any actually showed up to the conference. When asked why no black Republicans were handing it out they said, "they all left 10 minutes ago."

Photos: Glenn Luther

Photo 1 Caption: A volunteer talks with a passerby about the "real" history of the civil rights movement that involved more Republican support than history books report.

Photo 2 Caption: A free issue of the Black Republican lays next to political buttons on a display table that highlights contributions of the Republican party to the civil rights movement. Condolezza Rice's photo appears to have been altered to the point she appears white.


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Young Conservatives Urged to Stop Liberal Judges


By: Susan Beach

A southern judge and an Arizona Congressman tell young conservatives to protect the Constitution and stop liberal judges from changing it.

"The American people don't want judges making law. They want to reserve that right for themselves," said Judge Charles Pickering, a U.S. district judge from Mississippi. Any changes should be made through the amendment process, he said.

The young audience hollered and applauded when Pickering closed his short talk urging them to "restore the rule of law" and preserve the Constitution.

Pickering joined his fellow panelists Rep . Trent Franks, R-Ariz.; Sandy Froman, president of the National Rifle Association; and Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch; in condemning judicial activism. Don't let liberal judges change or add to the Constitution, they said.

"Judicial activism is akin to thievery," said Fitton, who monitors the judiciary. It robs citizens of their liberty and takes away the respect of the courts system, he said. Froman agreed saying "it shakes the very foundation of our Federal liberty."

Photo 1: Glenn Luther
Photo Caption: Judge Charles Pickering wags his finger at the audience while talking about the bad decisions being made in America by polititions.
Photo 2: Susan Beach

Photo Caption: Tom Fitton condemns judicial activism by judges saying conservatives must be vigilant.


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Conservatives Call for Killing Murderers on Death Row Quicker



By: Glenn Luther

More than 200 CPAC attendees clapped in step with passionate rhetoric in support of the death penalty late this morning in the Regency Ballroom at the Omni Hotel.

"This to me is not a tough call, If you kill in this country, we want you to die before you die of natural causes," said Ben Ferguson, one of the conservatives chosen to debate the conservative view of the death penalty.

The debate between conservative speakers focused on the need to change current laws, as a way to invest in curbing crime. It is a good investment to "kill" murderers quickly rather than letting them live for years going through the legal red tape, Ferguson said. A streamlined system would help to reduce crime.

"It takes 30 years to kill them," he said pausing for a moment to let his speech build momentum. "We give them cable, feed them, and extend their lives," he said.

Photo: Glenn Luther

Photo Caption: Hundreds of people gathered at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. to see key political and social figures define the agenda and talking points for upcoming elections.


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Conservatives Say There is Not an Oil Shortage

By: Susan Beach

The oil supply isn't going to run out for decades, energy experts told conservatives gathered at CPAC.

There's a lot of exaggerated talk about energy shortages, said Rob Bradley from the Institute for Energy Research. He said there is no need for energy taxes and that consumers have to come first. Bradley wants to promote capitalism in countries with oil so that private businesses can start producing it to make sure the supply is plentiful.

Max Schulz of the Manhattan Institute said the U.S. has to open up areas in the country that are currently off limits to oil mining. The country also should seek oil from Mexico and Russia. ?Conservatives tend to shudder at the word diversity? but they need to diversify when it comes to oil supply, Schulz said

Another possible oil source could come from developing countries, said Roy Spencer, a research scientist at the University of Alabama and a leader at the Interfaith Stewardship Alliance. He said be believes poor countries need to build wealth by jumping into oil production.

On the topic of global warming Spencer questioned the cause. He said he doubted that global warning can be blamed entirely on CO2 emissions. How much of it is natural, he said.

Photos: Susan Beach

Photo 1: Rob Bradley

Photo 1 Caption: Rob Bradley is president of the Institute for Energy Research, a non-profit organization that evaluates energy policies. He told the crowd at CPAC that energy taxes are unnecessary.

Photo 2: Max Schulz

Photo 2 Caption: Max Schulz, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, talked about drilling for oil in areas of the country that are currently off limits.

Photo 3: Roy Spencer

Photo 3 Caption: Roy Spencer, a research scientist at the University of Alabama and a leader in the Interfaith Stewardship Alliance, said climate systems are complex and questioned whether global warming is man made or a natural occurrence.

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Bloggers At CPAC Make The News In Japan


By: Susan Beach

As I type my first story into my laptop to report on the morning speeches Saturday at CPAC, a Japanese television photographer zooms in on me. He is kneeling on the carpet two feet from me in the bustling exhibit room of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

In broken English he says I will be on NHK, a Japanese television network two days from now on Monday. The three-member news crew from Japan then moved down the long table turning the big camera light on other journalists.

Five writers tap away on laptops on the Bloggers' Corner table sponsored by TCSDaily.com. The row of four long tables in front of red, white and blue curtains is in the heart of the many booths in the exhibit hall.

The booth facing bloggers' row has a huge jar of chocolate kisses on the table and rubber pigs with the slogan "Stop the Pork." Reporters occasionally grab a handful of chocolates.

Photo: Susan Beach

Photo Caption: A Japanese camera crew records bloggers at the CPAC conference. A crew member said the footage will air in Japan on Monday.

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Indiana Congressman tells Republicans to quit acting like Democrats at CPAC


By: Susan Beach

Rep . Mike Pence, R-Ind., called on Republicans in Congress to stop acting like Democrats and get back to conservative ideals in time for the congressional elections in November.

"Many of the things we have done look more like the work of a Democrat majority," he said this morning to a room full of conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Pence described himself as a Christian, conservative and a Republican "in that order." He urged for fiscal and ethical reform in his party and said Republican leaders have to get back on course in order to be re-elected.

Scandals have eroded public confidence in politicians and have hurt the nation, he said from a podium backed by 18 American flags. The real scandal in Washington, D.C. is runaway Federal spending, he said.


Photo: Susan Beach

Photo Caption: Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana speaks to a packed ballroom of conservative activists. He said its time for Congress to return to conservative ideals in order to be victorious in the November elections


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Welcome To Our CPAC Blog

Welcome to GST Online. GST stands for Glenn, Susan and Troy. We are blogging live from the CPAC Conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. CPAC is part of American Conservative Union, a political organization dedicated to advancing the conservative agenda for the country.