CPAC was remarkable this year, with a huge (and straw-poll conquering) turnout of Ron Paul supporters and great antiwar, pro-liberty programs on the one hand and establishment love-fests of various kinds on the other — including a “Defender of the Constitution” award for Donald Rumsfeld. James Poulos of Pajamas Media pulled me over during the conference to talk about the split, 2012, and why there isn’t much of a Burkean traditionalist presence at CPAC. See the video here. (Registration required, but it’s free.)
When I witnessed conservatives and libertarians booing Donald Rumsfeld and then walking out (!) on Dick Cheney, I cried tears of joy.