Jeff Charles
libertynation.com
Socio-political Correspondent at LibertyNation.com. A self-confessed news and political junkie, Jeff’s writing has been featured in Small Business Trends, Business2Community, and The Huffington Post. Born in Southern California and having experienced the 1992 L.A. Riots up close and personal, Jeff’s insights are informed by his experiences as a black man and a conservative.Race Relations & Media Affairs Correspondent
Donald Trump brought the house down during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and delivered precisely what his supporters wanted. As he addressed the audience, the former president, in pure Trumpian fashion, savaged the Biden administration and the Republican establishment alike. He criticized the integrity of the 2020 election and lashed out at the activist media. He also teased a potential presidential run in 2024.
As many expected, the attendees were ecstatic about Trump’s speech, and even chanted “we love you” at one point. Liberty Nation was on the ground and spoke with audience members to gauge their reactions and determine what they consider to be the most essential parts of the former president’s remarks.
The Most Important Parts of Trump’s Speech
When asked about the former president’s speech, those in attendance did not hold back. They cited his remarks on election integrity and the GOP establishment as the two main issues the former president addressed.
In answer to the question, one lady mentioned she liked that he went “over all the accomplishments that he did,” and she appreciated “the fact of holding our party accountable, like what they need to do in the future.”
Another said she felt Trump’s criticizing Democrats for changing the voting process ostensibly because of COVID restrictions was key to his post-presidential message. She argued that it was essential to address this issue, especially because Trump could run again in 2024:
“The most important thing is when he’s calling out all the changes that they’re trying to make to the voting process. I think we all know he’s going to run again, so I feel like that’s him trying to say, hey, if we don’t do something now we’ll have the same outcome.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a staunch ally of the former president, also weighed in, noting that Trump is still the person who opposes the “corporatists” and the “establishment.” He insisted that Trump “is here to fight for every American, whether that’s from the Oval Office or Mar-a-Lago.”
A young man who watched Trump’s speech also cited election integrity as a priority. He said:
“I think it’s probably the election fraud and talking about how we’re going to win again, and we’re going to win three times in a row. I think that means that we need to have [election integrity] going forward into the future.”
Another person indicated that he liked that Trump urged Republican officials to address the election fraud issue, as well as his criticism of the Biden administration. “One, I think calling on Republicans in state legislatures and the like to get elections worked out once and for all. And number two is actually highlighting how disastrous the last 40 days of Biden has been. That was it for me,” he commented.
Lastly, one of the attendees noted the focus on the 2020 election, but also expressed that Trump was the “people’s president.” He stated, “Well, I’ll say the first thing was the emphasis on election integrity, because despite what side of the aisle you land on, if we don’t have election integrity. We don’t have anything.”
He continued:
“And then also just calling things as they are, calling people out for not standing lock and step and supporting what they say they support … They call him the people’s president. And the reason they say that is because he speaks to the people, a common language that addresses things head on and doesn’t beat around the bush. And he says a lot of what people think.”
The Base Is Ready to Fight
Even in the days leading up to President Trump’s speech, the crowd attending the conference was animated, upbeat, and optimistic. People spent the weekend meeting their favorite political stars, watching speeches from prominent conservative leaders, networking with one another, and participating in educational breakout sessions.
These are not people who have given in to dismay over the result of the 2020 election. They are not defeated. Rather, these people are fired up, ready to affect change. Trump’s supporters are not merely concerned with defeating the Democrats in future elections; the base appears infuriated with the establishment GOP elites, who they view as turncoats who sold out the president and their constituents. It is for this reason that Trump’s naming of the establishment lawmakers who supported his impeachment resonated with the crowd.
This year’s CPAC convention may represent a turning point. The conservative movement has pivoted to focusing on 2022 and 2024. If the sentiments expressed by those who attended are any indication, the establishment GOP and the Democrats have serious cause for concern.
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