Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the party’s 2008 vice presidential nominee, blasted away at President Obama on Saturday with a flurry of verbal jabs and zingers that revved up the thousands gathered for the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference.
Mrs. Palin accused Mr. Obama of waging a “permanent campaign” since the November election, dinged his administration for a lack of transparency and likened life in Obama’s Washington to a bad reality show.
“We don’t have leadership coming out of Washington,” Mrs. Palin said. “We have reality television. Accept that it is really bad reality TV and the American people tuned out a long time ago.”
Mrs. Palin said that while the Democrat-led Senate has not passed a budget in more than four years, families across the nation has struggled to make ends meet and keep up with the costs of filling up their trucks with gas and buying diapers.
“Refusing to pass a budget is government refusing to declare what it intends to do with the people’s money,” she said. “Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration every. Barack Obama, you lied.”
Mrs. Palin has become a favorite among many grass roots conservatives since Sen. John McCain tapped her as his running mate. Since the 2008 election, Mr. Palin quit her job as governor before the end of her term, and worked unit recently as a commentator for Fox News.
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The American Conservative Union’s three-day event, billed as “America’s Future: The Next Generation of Conservatives,” is seen by some Republicans as an opportunity to begin rebounding from the 2012 election, where Mr. Obama won a second term thanks in part to the GOP’s struggles to win the support from the nation’s growing minority groups — in particular Hispanics.
“As conservatives, we must leave no American behind and we must share our powerful message of freedom and liberty to all citizens — even those who may disagree with us on some issues because their is solid common ground in fighting against government outreach and for independence,” Mrs. Palin said.
“Those who may disagree with us on some issues, they are not our enemies. They are our sisters and our brothers, and our neighbors, they are our friends. It is imperative to reach out and share that conservative usage of liberty and less government and lower taxes and individual responsibility. It is time we stop preaching to the choir, and let’s grow.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, introduced Mrs. Palin to the crowd, saying that he would not have been elected in the November election without her help and that she challenges the “entire world view” of the “mainstream media.”
“The mainstream media is absolutely convinced that women cannot be conservatives, and if they are they especially cannot shoot really big guns and hunt grizzly bears in the woods,” Mr. Cruz said. “That’s why Gov. Sarah Palin drives the mainstream media bat crap crazy.”
Mrs. Palin complimented her fellow tea party favorite right back, saying the Texas senator “chews barbed wire, he spits out rust, that is what we need.”
Mr. Palin also brought along what looked to be a 32-ounce “Big Gulp” to the podium with her. As the hall chuckled while she took a sip from the large cup, she told the audience not to worry: “Bloomberg’s not around. It is just pop with low cal ice cubes in it.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has earned the scorn of many conservatives around the country over his proposed anti-obesity law banning servings of sugary drinks over 16 ounces.
Mrs. Palin, though, aimed her stiffest criticism at Mr. Obama, who she said is still campaigning four months after he won four more years in office.
“Mr President, we admit it, you won, accept it. Now step away from the teleprompter and do you job,” Mrs. Palin said, sparking a loud round of applause from the revved up crowd.
On the issue of guns, Mrs. Palin knocked Mr. Obama’s push to expand background checks on gun sales. “More background checks? Dandy idea, Mr. President. Shoulda started with yours,” Mrs. Palin said, suggesting that Mr. Obama should have been better vetted before being elected president.
Mrs. Palin also likened Mr. Obama’s skill set to that of the man behind the biggest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history. “He is considered is a good politicians, which is like saying Bernie Madoff is a good salesman,” she said.
She criticized Republicans for being “too scripted” and “too calculated.” And she took a shot at GOP strategist Karl Rove, who has been dubbed the “architect” of the George W. Bush’s two presidential victories, and come under fire following the 2012 election for not getting a bigger bank for his buck.
She said the “architects” should “head back to the Lone Star State and put their name on some ballot.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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