The CPAC Files: Karl Rove

Robin Burk is accredited to this year's Conservative Political Action Conference as a member of the Winds of Change.NET team. She's covering CPAC as a private citizen and maybe a "citizen journalist" (if she could figure out what that means), as an academic studying the new media, and as an ordinary voter interested in national & international affairs. Robin is not affiliated with the organizations who sponsor CPAC.

UPDATED below the fold.

Rove is clearly loved here. The crowd in the ballroom exploded in cheers when he walked in. He's got an effective self-deprecating sense of humor when he's in a sympathetic crowd like this. Interesting.

Here are my notes from his talk. Comments follow.

Rove...

• Encourages support of Rick Santorum in 2006.

• Notes massive outspending by Democrats vs. Republicans in the 2004 election. "What is significant about the 2004 election is not that we won, but how we won. This president put all his chips on the table."

• Asserts a mandate for Bush's platform of changes. Stresses Reagan's role in making liberty around the world a Republican issue. "Afghanistan, Ukraine, Palestinians and Iraq - 100m people on 2 continents cast free votes in nations that have never known democracy. Over 1/2 of them are Muslim voters in the middle east."

• Says the conservative movement is now the locus for reforms to create a more free, more prosperous and more just society. Those who oppose this are in a difficult position since most people know we need reforms in many areas of public life.

• Says finally, the conservative movement is defending time-honored values, including mediating structures like families, churches, "culture of life", traditional marriage.

• Warns Republicans to follow through on promises and not grow arrogant or ossified. At one time conservatism was mainly a reactionary movement in response to Democratic agendas. Now the conservatives have the momentum, are "shaping history" and acting on a clear vision. Liberalism is now the reactionary side.

-----

My (Updated) Comments: Rove stressed several themes in a tightly written talk. The overall message: liberty here and abroad rests on personal freedom and responsibility, but also on key social and intermediary structures (including religious and civic organizations, schools, compassion towards those in need in a way consistent with accountability).

The warning not to get complacent was delivered quietly, but it was there.

Rove's message boiled down to "Bush was elected with an historic mandate, and that mandate was for his whole policy platform." I suspect more than a few people who voted for Bush might not buy that assertion. Rove's warning about not becoming complacent is apropos here.