(UPDATE: Dave Weigel tweets, “Chris Christie wins Virginia Tea Party Patriots 2012 straw poll.” Apparently, Sarah Palin finished 2nd, Ron Paul 3rd, Newt Gingrich 4th, Jim DeMint 5th. – promoted by lowkell)
I’ve been sporadically following the Virginia “Tea Party” convention this weekend, mostly on Twitter. Here are a few interesting “tweets” I’ve seen so far. (also, see Dave Weigel’s blog on Slate)
From Ryan Nobles:
*”Just interviewed Dick Morris.. I asked “Will Eric Cantor ever be speaker of the house?” His reply.. ‘Yes, and sooner than you think.'”
*”Watching @notlarrysabato grill the LG with a flip cam.”
From Jeff Schapiro:
*”Allen, on tea party enthusiasm for C’nelli: ‘He’s a good teammate.'”
*”C’nelli, at tea party convention, cites ‘utter failure of the Republican Party’ in DC for rise of Obama-ism.”
*”Allen, testing themes for possible Senate rematch w/ Webb, tells tea partiers Obama health reform is ‘monstrosity.'”
*”Phil van Cleave, gun advocate, tells tea partiers 2nd Amend rights ‘the first one they’ll come after.'”
*” Bob Marshall on if, when he’ll run again for US Senate: ‘My wife will tell me.'”
*”OK, OK — there is a Democrat here. Mark Kea[m] on AFP govt-transparency panel.”
*”McD, at tea party convention, backs amendment giving states veto over federal law.”
From Rick Sincere:
*”Attendance at Va Tea Party Convention is ‘more than 2,600′”
From Dave Weigel:
*”Cuccinelli: ‘Montisquieu is turning over in his grave.'”
*”Didn’t spend much time watching Allen’s aborted 2008 prez campaign but this feels like a 2006 CPAC speech. Choose your own tax code!”
*”Santorum reminds crowd that a Senate seat is up in Virginia in 2012; puts hand on Allen’s shoulder.”
*”Ken Cuccinelli will be a candidate for president by 2016 at the latest.”
*”Allen says he was angry when the federal government forced states to lower the drinking age”
*”Santorum apologizes for direct election of senators: ‘We made limiting government harder.'”
*”Santorum: ‘Prior to the 17th amendment, Washington was a little town that not many people paid attention to.’ Okay, then.”
*”Cuccinelli: If we lose the health care case, ‘federalism is dead.'”
*”Contrast! Allen’s speech all about his gubernatorial successes; Cuccinelli opens with line on how Tea Party was spawned by GOP failures”
*”George Allen blasts ‘federales’ and ‘officistanis.’ Is that new?”
*”How lucky is Jim Webb that he’s not facing an Allen rematch this year? Pretty damn very.”
*”Steve King tells crowd they can abolish judicial districts and shrink Supreme Court ‘if the people are with us.'”
*”Just in time: Handout from ‘Virginians for Constitutional Government’ passed out. Headline: ‘George Allen is a Tea Party FAKE.'”
*”Loud applause for George Allen. INSANE applause for Ken Cuccinelli.”
*”On schedule: Panel conversation with ‘three black Obama voters.’ Onstage: black conservatives, bc the Obama voters bailed.”
*”Now Virgil Goode: He says if we deport all illegals and stop giving out green cards, unemployment will be 5%”
*”Aldrich tips for tea partiers: Don’t travel alone, choose friends wisely, insist on conditions bf interviews, carry gun.”
*”List of liberal enemies in Aldrich PowerPoint: Matthews, Olbermann, Maddow, Couric, and… Bob Beckel.”
*”Overflow crowd for Floyd Bayne, the independent running against Cantor.”
*”Rigell is asked who he’d back for speaker — he says Boehner and Cantor would both be good.”
*”Glenn Nye bails on Tea Party candidate forum with Scott Rigell and the independent. This is announced to boos.”
*”Dick Morris predicts 100-seat GOP gain in the House.”
From JR Hoeft (Bearing Drift)t:
*”Golden says Rep. Ron Paul for Speaker of the House”
*”I am principally a job creator and businessman, say Rigell.”
*”Golden – I have spent a lot of time watching the History Channel. (HA!)”
*”Golden – forget about the four star command – we need to save the core competences of JFCOM…saving at least half the jobs that”
*”Rigell…Non-essential spending is putting too much pressure on the military…if we need to take responsible action to increased efficiencies, I’m receptive to the argument…but I haven’t seen a compelling case”
*”Golden: Continue to fight the drug battle. Lots of kids don’t understand the long term effects. I would not legalize drugs, except maybe medical marijuana.”
*”Rigell – it’s a defining moment. we’re all at risk in the country. not all leaders and ideas are equal. for the folks who believe massive deficit spending, government spending on healthcare, federal mandates, for people who trulty think that’s the path to go – against our freedom – vote for the incumbent.”
*”Golden – Whether Nye or Rigell win – win or lose – I’ll be on their team.”
*”James Madison and Thomas Jefferson would be right here at this Tea Party Convention…says Allen”
*”We’re number one in energy in the United States, says Allen…we’re sick and tired of getting jerked around by oligarchs…”
*” Allen has mentioned Ken Cuccinelli at least three times. at this point.”
*” HUGE ovation for Cuccinelli. Wow. Even I;m surprised.”
*”We wouldn’t be here today….if there hadn’t been and utter failure by the GOP….even Tribbett applauds and gets on his feet!”
*”Allen advocates for balanced budget amendment and line item veto.”
*”Steve King gives a big shout-out to Bob Goodlatte for his persistence of proposing a balanced budget amentment.”
*”The colonists could not be forced to buy a certain good….even King George III acknowledged they didn’t have it, says Cuccinelli.”
*”4 p.m. I gotta get back to Hampton Roads for a real debate between Nye, Golden and Rigell.”
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