Conservatives take turns slamming Obama, Hillary Clinton and even Jeb Bush
Republican potential presidential candidates seemed torn Thursday: Would they get more accolades from conservatives by bashing President Obama, Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush?
It was hard to say whom the thousands of activists attending the first full day of the Conservative Political Action Conference disliked most.
They cheered when Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, offered a terse description of Obama: “Lawless imperator,” or emperor.
They loved former business executive Carly Fiorina’s demand: “Mrs. Clinton, name an accomplishment.”
And they applauded energetically when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Bush would be the favorite of “elites in Washington who make backroom deals.”
The conference, which will continue Friday with appearances by Bush and other possible 2016 candidates, is the biggest test so far of how they fare with this crucial Republican constituency. Bush faces the most scrutiny, and some activists Thursday were considering walking out during his appearance.
Six potential candidates appeared Thursday, and their views were largely similar. They wanted the Affordable Care Act repealed, a get-tougher policy with illegal immigration and stronger American leadership in the world, especially against terrorism.
“We need a president who will stand up and say we will take the fight to them and not wait till they take the fight to American soil,” said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who got the day’s biggest crowds and biggest cheers.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal went further, calling Obama “disqualified” and “incapable” of being commander-in-chief.
The differences involved tone and style. Christie, never a big favorite of this bloc, engaged in a 20-minute question and answer session with radio talk-show host Laura Ingraham. He started slowly, drawing only occasional, polite applause as he bashed Washington elites and The New York Times.
One constant criticism, Ingraham said, is that he’s hotheaded.
“The word they miss is passion,” Christie fired back. “Sometimes people need to be told to sit down and shut up.”
Fiorina aimed her firepower at Clinton. “Like Mrs. Clinton, I too have traveled the globe,” said the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive officer. “Unlike Mrs. Clinton, I know that flying is an activity, not an accomplishment.”
She challenged Clinton to “please explain why we should accept that the millions and millions of dollars that have flowed into the Clinton Foundation from foreign governments don’t represent a conflict of interest.”
Fiorina proved an energetic warmup for Cruz, a favorite of this crowd. He walked around the stage as he spoke, almost shouting at times.
Cruz urged rebuilding the Reagan coalition of the 1980s, when the former California governor challenged Washington and its ways.
The Texas senator went down a list of issues – immigration, the debt ceiling, efforts against the Islamic State and so on – and, without naming names, urged everyone to make sure their candidates are true to conservative principles.
This story was originally published February 26, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Conservatives take turns slamming Obama, Hillary Clinton and even Jeb Bush."