The Other McCain

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CPAC Day 3: Fear and Loathing and
Tri-Corner Hats in the Kruiser Cabana

Posted on | February 12, 2011 | 8 Comments

Every year, there are two CPACs: The one I attend, where conservatives get together and have a wonderful time — as at the scene (above) inside the late-night “Kruiser Cabana” party hosted by Stephen Kruiser of PJTV — and the (allegedly) divisive and controversial hatefest reported by the liberal media. How more transparently biased could the media possibly be? Pamela Geller calls attention to the lede of a Time magazine feature about CPAC:

The Conservative Political Action Conference, a three-day carnival of Republican ladder-climbers and red meat throwers, convenes Thursday in Washington.

One of the reasons I spend most of my time covering the behind-the-scenes fun at CPAC — rather than chasing the pack of media jackals in pursuit of a “gotcha” quote from the speakers on the big ballroom stage — is because their coverage provides such a warped funhouse mirror distortion of what this event is really all about.

Yes, there are would-be 2012 GOP presidential contenders speaking at the conference. Yes, there will be controversial things said from the main stage in the ballroom — “controversial,” that is, by the standards of liberal reporters who find any blunt expression of fact to be controversial. But CPAC isn’t about the political stars up on the stage, it’s really about the thousands of conservative activists in attendance. And this year, there are a record 12,000 of those, including more than 5,000 college students for whom this event is a rite of passage.

When they aren’t merely distorting CPAC, liberal reporters do not hesitate to lie about it. Michael Shear of the New York Times:

Egypt Captivates World’s Attention — Except at CPAC
Three weeks of historic protests in Egypt upended President Hosni Mubarak’s regime on Friday with the world looking.  But here at the Conservative Political Action Conference, no one took any notice. . . .

There is a word for that kind of reporting: Bullshit.

Egypt: Mubarak Resigns

That’s the headline on an item I filed from CPAC moments after Mubarak’s resignation was announced. And here’s a headline that apparently the New York Times didn’t see fit to print:

Ron Paul: U.S. ‘propped up’ Mubarak in Egypt

So how is it that one of the biggest draws at CPAC can address the Egyptian crisis from the main ballroom stage and yet the New York Times insists that “no one took any notice” of the crisis?

We could ponder that puzzle at length, but why bother, when we can just ignore the liberal media and have fun? Speaking of which: What’s crossing the mind of this man in a pirate hat?

That’s DC new media legend Matthew Keller, but things aren’t always what they appear. That’s not actually a pirate hat, but a festive colonial tri-corner, and the woman reclining on the bed behind him? That’s Houston Chronicle blogger Kathleen “Texas Sparkle” McKinley, who was merely resting her feet. And they weren’t alone together, but actually in the middle of the crowded party depicted in the top photo.

The guy with the mohawk and the big smile is Fingers Malloy of FTR Radio. The ladies are Pennsylvania GOP activist Angela Lash and Red State blogger Amy Miller. “Resting their feet,” IYKWIMAITYD.

Ian Schwartz of Real Clear Politics, James Poulos of PJTV, and Philip Klein of The American Spectator. You may notice a woman peeking over Ian’s shoulder. Her Twitter handle is “rumpfshaker.” NTTAWWT.

Suzannah Fleetwood and Amy Miller show off their festive tri-corner hats. (You’re supposed to be looking at their hats, BTW.)

Philip Klein of The American Spectator and Alana Goodman of Commentary, cheerfully conspiring for global domination.

Plans for global domination were interrupted by the arrival of Keller and Miller, only one of whom was wearing a festive tri-corner hat.

Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs and Susannah Fleetwood, and aren’t you glad there are no festive tri-corner hats to distract you?

Category: CPAC

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