Marco Rubio and Liz & Dick Cheney at CPAC

Video highlights from day one
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Marco Rubio!
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"America already has a Democrat Party, it doesn't need two Democrat parties."

Text highlights from the transcript:
Rubio began talking about his grandfather, who was born poor and grew up disabled by polio in Cuba. He taught young Marco some very important lessons about American exceptionalism.

RUBIO: ...America where -- which is the only place in the world where it doesn't matter who your parents were or where you came from. You can be anything you are willing to work hard to be. The result is the only economy in the world where poor people with a better idea and a strong work ethic can compete and succeed against rich people in the marketplace and competition. And the result is the most reliable defender of freedom in the history of the world.

Simply put, there's nothing like America in all the world. And even today with the problems that we face, who would you rather be? Which country would you trade places with? Just remember, an afterthought, when was the last time that you heard news accounts about a boatload of American refugees arriving on the shores of another country? And yet there have always have been those who haven't seen it this way. There have always been those that don't recognize this. They think that we need a guardian class in American government to protect us from ourselves. They think that the free-enterprise system is unfair, that a few people make a lot of money, and the rest of us get left behind. They believe that the only way business can make its money is by exploiting its workers and its customers. And they think that America's enemies exist because of something America did to earn their enmity.

Now, the problem is that in 2008 leaders with this worldview won elections. And now they know that the American people will never support their vision of America. So, instead, over the last 12 months they have used a severe economic downturn, a severe recession as an excuse to implement the statist policies that they have longed for all this time. In essence, they are using this downturn as cover not to fix America, but to try to change America to fundamentally redefine the role of government in our lives and the role of America in the world.
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And now as we near these midterm elections, what the American people are looking for is very clear. They are looking for leaders that understand what has happened, will come up here and stand up against it, and in its place will offer a clear alternative. First, we have to understand what's happening. Leaders at the highest levels of our government are undertaking a deliberate and systematic effort to redefine our government, our economy and our country. Now, people, as I said, all across America figured this out over a year ago, and they didn't wait for their senator or for their congressman to do something about it. They did it themselves. They have taken matters into their own hands, from tea parties to the election in Massachusetts.

From tea parties to the election in Massachusetts, we are witnessing the single greatest political pushback in American history. Now, the political class tries to make sense of all of this, but they can't, because never has the political class or the mainstream media that covers them been more out of touch with the American people than they are today. You see, 2010 is not just a choice between Republicans and Democrats. It's not just a choice between liberals and conservatives. 2010 is a referendum on the very identity of our nation.

And the issues are so big, so consequential, so generational that many of the old rules of political engagement will not apply. For example, a long list of early establishment endorsements will not spare you a primary. Clever one line slogans aren't going to spare you the need to discuss policy issues in detail. And the old, tired political attacks that worked once in the past aren't going to get you elected this time.

And the reason is simple because people get it, because they understand that if we get this wrong, there may be no turning back for America. That's why the second thing leaders want -- the second thing that people want are leaders that will come here to Washington, D.C. and stand up to this big government agenda, not be co-opted by it.

After all, the U.S. Senate already has one Arlen Specter too many. And after all, America already has a Democrat Party, it doesn't need two Democrat parties.

Rubio went on to offer a list of clear differences between conservatives and Democrats and the establisment. You'll want to see his entire speech!

CPAC Surprise: Nation's #1 Conservative Makes Surprise Appearance

Liz Cheney gave a solid speech shortly after noon (video). She discussed the screw ups and incompetence the Obama Administration has demonstrated in fighting terrorism. "That kind of incompetence gets people killed" Cheney said.

She went on to say:

LIZ CHENEY: During the 2008 campaign President Obama admitted he did n0t have a lot of experience. But he told us what he did have was wisdom and judgement. The kind of wisdom he said we would need in a nation facing tough crises. Well, the record is now clear: a wise man would not give the mastermind of 911 a platform in civilan court on American soil from which to preach jihad. A wise man would not usher Al Queda trained terrorists onto American soil. A wise man wouldn't fret on whether a terrorist had been read his Miranda rights. And a wise man would hire better people.

But the big surprise came at the end of her speech when she introduced her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. The room erupted in sustained cheers.

From Politico:

The room exploded with excitement for the former vice president, who was greeted with cheers of “run, Dick, run!”

“A welcome like that is almost enough to make me want to run for office again — but I’m not gonna do it,” he said.

Cheney made clear that he has passed the torch to his daughter, of whom he said he is “enormously proud.”

“She said I could come with her, but that I had to be arm candy,” the former vice president joked.

Cheney said that he is excited for the opportunities this November’s elections present for conservatives, especially for the younger generation to step up and take control of the movement.

“The sky is the limit here. I think 2010 will be a phenomenal year. And I think Barack Obama is a one-term president,” he said.

Guess who drove his truck to CPAC?

Scott Brown declared:"I'm the newly elected REPUBLICAN Senate from Massachusetts!" He repeated the "REPUBLICAN" part in case anyone missed it. His video, which includes his introduction of and the remarks of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is here.