CPAC Coverage: Getting To Know The Opposition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12441638

On February 12, 2011, the BBC News posted an article entitled "CPAC 2011: Meet the Republican Presidential Contenders". This article covers the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that was held in Washington DC on February 10th. Republican presidential hopefuls delivered speeches at the conference, which this article covers from three perspectives; two Republican conference attendees rate the speeches while BBC's Katie Connolly provides her forecast for each speaker's chances of running in 2012. One conference attendee expressing his take on the presenters is Mike Bayham, a New Orleans-based political consultant who has been a delegate at each Republican National Convention since 1996. Charlotte Evans is the other reviewer attending the conference; she is a Republican student activist with a strong interest in energy policy, self-described as a fiscal, pro-life, and federalist conservative.

Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Mitch Daniels, John Thune, Haley Barbour and Rick Santorum, all spoke, while Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee where noticeably absent from the line-up.

I find this article valuable because it educates me on the Republican Party's developing strategies for the 2012 election. "Know your enemy" is the phrase that keeps popping into my head when I think about why any news highlighting the Republican Party would capture my attention.

This article does a great job of covering the speeches from three different perspectives; each person reports their opinions on the areas of the speeches that were most notable to them, from healthcare, energy, national spending, defense and the economy. I like each person's candid take on the presence, personality, and delivery of each contender - image is something that can certainly factor into votes. While the two attendees obviously have Republican agendas, Katie Connolly brings the insight of a journalist in touch with varying factors playing out in the media regarding these political figures. I especially enjoy the layout of the article, with a number rating system providing a summary of the reviewers' perspectives. This article puts Mitt Romney in the lead, with much credit going to his ability to engage his audience. One to watch, one to defeat.

I was not surprised to see Sarah Palin absent from this event. She has built an ice castle for herself somewhere in fantasy land, where she controls all elements surrounding her spoken word. If you can't tell a reporter the name of just one newspaper you read, I guess there are acres of topics that are liable to make you look really stupid. Let's just hope the American public doesn't fall for this highly sanitized portrayal of the Great American that Palin is trying to create inside a bubble void of much needed criticism.

My Political Hesitations

I really need to challenge myself to engage in critical thinking during this Spring course on US Government at Austin Community College. I think that a combination of stressful work environments and dissipating  youthful ambitions have led me to tune-out when it comes to political interest. Self-preservation, perhaps?

In my college years, I was an activist for animal rights and veganism. I did have an impact at Ball State University, where I founded an organization and successfully petitioned to remove veal from the cafeteria menu as well as gaining a vegetarian option at every meal served. My passions moved on through the years to human rights, namely the rights of women and ending the global violence committed against women. This passion grew through my career as an advocate for survivors of family violence; however, seeing the brutal realities of this victimization and the re-victimization often inflicted by the civil and criminal justice systems over seven years of working with survivors can leave you shell-shocked. The secondary trauma I experienced led me to a delicate state of needing to bury my head in the sand. Any source of conflict became a trigger for that overwhelming sensation that the world is a bad place and very little can change. I tuned out the news, lessened political engagement, and made my own happy bubble filled with like-minded friends and comfortable surroundings.

I'm easing back in, listening to National Public Radio on my drive home from work. I even send political action emails from time to time! I must admit I prefer my political news delivered with humor; I'm not above taking my news (with a grain of salt) from Saturday Night Live!

This semester I will work on letting my ire burn instead of avoiding the stressful feelings that political questionings can stir up.

http://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bill-maher/inside/index.html#/real-time-with-bill-maher/inside/extras/guest-stars/bookshelf.html

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bltoday.htm