US conservative activists have picked Tea Party favorite US Senator Rand Paul as their choice to become the 2016 Republican presidential nominee as they wrapped up a major strategy gathering outside Washington.
Paul, popular among the younger conservatives who thronged to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), on Saturday narrowly beat Senator Marco Rubio — also tipped to seek the White House — 25 percent to 23 percent in the CPAC Straw Poll.
The Kentucky lawmaker saw his profile raised after mounting a 13-hour, non-stop filibuster in the Senate earlier this month to block John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA.
Photo: AFP
He used the blocking tactic to press for answers from US President Barack Obama’s administration on the scope of its drone policy.
Former senator Rick Santorum, a presidential hopeful last year, received 8 percent of the vote, closely followed by rising Republican star Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey with 7 percent and US Representative Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate to try to oust Obama from the White House, with 6 percent.
About 2,930 CPAC members participated in the straw poll.
“We convened thousands of energized conservatives today at this 40th annual national CPAC 2013 from across the entire country,” said Al Cardenas, chairman of The American Conservative Union. “It’s been a longstanding and fun tradition at CPAC national as well as our regional CPACs to poll the attendees and get their opinion on a number of important issues.”
Former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin took center stage on Saturday, needling Obama and even fellow Republicans.
“We don’t have leadership coming out of Washington, we have reality television, except it’s really bad reality TV and the American people tuned out a long time ago,” Palin told the conference.
Palin, a former Alaska governor who was John McCain’s running mate in 2008, has since served as contributor for the Fox News channel and even starred in her own reality show in 2010.
“Mr President, we admit it, you won, accept it. Now step away from the teleprompter and do your job,” she said in a swipe at Obama. “Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration ever. Barack Obama, you lie.”
Palin then caused the crowd to erupt in laughter and applause by taking large sips from a Big Gulp cup filled with soda in reference to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to ban such oversized sweet drinks.
His plan, opposed by conservatives in the name of individual liberties, was blocked by a New York judge this week.
However, the sharpest attacks by the self-styled “Mama grizzly” were aimed at the head of her party, accused of trying to marginalize ultra-conservative Tea Party candidates in primaries for the 2016 elections.
“The last thing we need is Washington, DC vetting our candidates,” she said, before lashing out at political consultants who advise on Republican Party strategy.
“Now is time to furlough the consultants,” she said. “These experts keep losing elections, and keep getting rehired and raking in millions.”
North Korea blew up sections of roads in its own territory that are part of links once used to connect the southern part of the peninsula with the north, in a show of defiance after it accused Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang. North Korea detonated bombs north of its eastern and western borders at around noon yesterday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. South Korea’s military later fired off warning shots within its border, said the JCS, which also confirmed there were no reports of damage in South Korea from the detonations. A video released by the South Korean
‘PROVOCATION’: Accusing Seoul of flying drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaftlets, the North told eight artillery brigades ‘to get fully ready to open fire’ Tensions on the Korean Peninsula rose again after North Korea ordered troops along its southern border to be ready to fire and military leaders in Seoul said Pyongyang might be preparing to blow up roads connecting the two nations. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected efforts under way in North Korea to destroy the eastern and western roads connecting the two nations, warning that an explosion could take place as early as yesterday. That followed North Korea’s announcement last week that it would “completely separate” its territory from the South, blaming Seoul’s joint drills with the US and the
A member of chart-topping K-pop group NewJeans yesterday tearfully testified to South Korean lawmakers as part of an inquiry into workplace harassment, amid a boardroom drama over her super producer. In recent years, South Korea’s K-pop industry has become a global juggernaut powered by the success of groups like BTS, but domestically it is known for imposing strict standards and controls on fledgling stars. Rising K-pop idols are expected to adhere to their powerful agency’s behavior and appearance guidelines, with many stars describing receiving extreme backlash from fans over perceived mistakes in their personal lives, for example dating. Hanni, 20, who is
IRANIAN THREATS: Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami said that it would be a ‘mistake’ for Israel to attack Iran and if it did ‘we will strike you again painfully’ Israel yesterday bombed a Syrian coastal city, while the US conducted multiple strikes on targets in Yemen nearly a month into Israel’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Syria, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza all belong to the so-called “axis of resistance” led by Iran, which on Oct. 1 conducted a missile strike on Israel. Israel has vowed to retaliate for the strike. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami yesterday said in a speech that Tehran would hit Israel “painfully” if it attacks Iranian targets. “If you make a mistake and attack our targets, whether in the region or in