Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

…because things have been so busy so lets just throw out the thoughts.

Considering how big the Boycott news was before the conference it wasn’t that big a deal inside.

If I go next year I’ve got to find a closer hotel (or maybe Smitty be home and have space).

Considering the voting patterns of the last 80 years how significant is the fact that two of the most popular speakers at CPAC were black conservatives (Cain and West).

However it must be noted that unlike last year when the entire hotel was glued to their sets during Beck’s Speech, outside the hall plenty of people where ignoring West’s.

Anyone who touts the straw poll results from CPAC has an agenda.

There is no subject so boring nor advocate so disliked that they can’t draw a crowd by offering free food and booze.

I can’t see why a person will pay $15 dollars for a few chicken fingers when there is a McDonalds at the bottom of the hill.

Nor do I think it is wise to imbibe an excessive amount when in the company of a large group of people who write for a living or as a hobby.

CPAC always provides an abundance of rather incredible looking women dressed(?) to be noticed.

The security guys at the conference are very under-appreciated.

As is the staff.

One of the things that confused me the most was the undercurrent of pessimism in the place concerning 2012. In Jan 2010 we won a single senate seat in Massachusetts and all were energized, just three months before we won the house with historic margins and yet everyone seemed down. It makes no sense to me.

I highly recommend sitting next to Midnight Blue while blogging for days. It’s good for your karma.

6 months ago I talked to a young lady who was unhappy over a personal situation. I was very pleased to see her with a young man I know and approve of. It was one of the highlights of CPAC for me.

I seemed to encounter an inordinate number of inebriates this year,

I also spent more on Taxi’s that week than I have in my lifetime.

Steve of No Runny Eggs is a great person to have around.

I was disappointed that Captain Ed’s wife didn’t make it this year, she is a treasure.

I was pleased to see Susanna Fleetwood and her fine husband again…

and Katy with hers

and Dana Loesch with hers.

Nice Deb has an excuse with 6 kids in the house somebody has to be home.

Am I the only man in the conservative movement who doesn’t find Ann Coulter the least bit attractive?

Of course that doesn’t make her any less brilliant.

Tim Pawlenty bores me.

Herman Cain does not.

Nor does Dale Peterson….

Or Haley Barbour.

Ron Paul is the MSNBC of CPAC, he shows that you can make a good living off of a niche market.

He’s still right on domestic spending…

…and abortion.

And he is a more serious candidate than Donald Trump, of course that’s not saying much.

Donald Trump’s speech at CPAC was not as good as everyone is painting it, he just said aloud what every sane person already knew about Ron Paul.

I’ve never seen a person so giving of his time to his fans as Andrew Breitbart.

I think I spent less time with Stacy McCain at this event than I ever have at any such event.

I miss Smitty.

Didn’t get a chance to meet Wombat although saw him briefly.

It was very funny and ironic to have the makers of the film Atlas Shrugs suggest that they were looking for free promotion rather than paid (ie ad for my show). After all a free lunch is what the book is all about isn’t it.

And no I haven’t read it, will likely miss the movie too.

If there is anything more pleasant at CPAC than sitting for an hour talking to Little Miss Attila I’m not aware of it.

It was also fun to see the sheer joy of meeting people who were at CPAC for the first time.

The room that the MSM gets at CPAC really stinks, particularly compared to us bloggers.

But CPAC could give them the Platinum treatment and they still would not treat us conservatives nice

CPAC is much more manageable the 2nd time around.

I’m still pissed at the DJ at the freedom works party for not playing the songs I wanted to dance to.

I bet they would have played them at Breitbart’s party.

I only saw Cynthia Yockey for a moment, that’s a shame.

The lack of Val Prieto and Cheryl Prater was CPAC loss.

The Cannoli went over VERY well this year.

I think a lot of people at CPAC are there to try to cover a “gotcha” moment.

And Chris Barron’s decision to call Cleta Mitchell a bigot was one of them.

Speaking of which I had only three unpleasant experiences at CPAC, one was a fellow who had similar words for me for my opposition to Gay marriage. It was interesting to see my words twisted in that fashion.

In contrast a very pleasant experience was seeing Corinna Conn again

I think that CPAC should just sanction Pam Geller’s events and be done with it. The idea that they are “unofficial” is simply nonsense.

The Swag bags were pretty thin compared to last year.

I think Roxeanne would enjoy CPAC, I also think she would slap an awful lot of faces there.

I don’t see Sarah Palin coming to CPAC next year either.

You can learn more about a pol in an hour of smoozing than in a week of speeches.

Last year I focused on the attendees, this year I focused on the vendors, Maybe next year I’ll spend my time among the authors…

…If I can afford it that is.

CPAC’s come and go but the google group is forever.

Update: the Loud Talker puts up his list too.