Notes taken from the Washington Post
In his speech he was urging grass-roots activists to turn Democrats out of power in November and deliver the country from “the bondage of big government.” Pence repeatedly brought audience members to their feet with a stirring articulation of conservative principles. Noting his party’s failures to adhere to those values when they last held power in Washington, he said to cheers and applause, “We don’t just need a Republican majority, we need a conservative majority on Capitol Hill.”
Pence defended Republican opposition to Obama’s economic and health-care policies, saying: “Some people around here like to call this the ‘party of no.’ Well, I say no is way underrated here in Washington, D.C. Sometimes no is just what this town needs to hear.”
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) received one of the most thunderous ovations so far in the three-day conference when he delivered a stinging assault on Obama’s agenda and a plea to deliver the nation from “the bondage of big government.” Pence said, “This is our moment” — not just for a Republican majority on Capitol Hill, but for a conservative one.
“Now’s the time,” Pence said. “It’s time for all of us to do all we can to preserve what makes this country great. If you can give, give. If you can speak, speak. If you can write, write. And if you can run, run.”
The loudest applause for Pence came when he mentioned the upcoming trial of Sept. 11 terror suspect Khalid Sheik Mohammed. Pence said the U.S. intelligence community should be given the tools to fight terrorism as a war and then called on the Obama administration to alter its plan to try some terror suspects in civilian courts.
And when he recycled and updated a line used by conservatives at past gatherings, he also brought down the house. “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job, and a depression is when you lose your job, and a recovery is when [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi loses her job.”
Pence quoted former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who, as she was coming to power, described her country as on its knees. “America is not yet on its knees, but it’s bowed,” he said.
Pence then asserted, without naming names, that “officials in this administration” say privately that they see their job as “managing America’s decline.” He then said, “The job of the American president is not to manage American decline. The job of the American president is to reverse it.”
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Wild Thing’s comment……..
Mike Pence is so great. I really like him. He led the way on Drill here Drill now and so many other things. He has never been a rino.
I realize this speech is 24 minutes long. But I promise you it is well worth watching it. If you have any time today to do so I really recommend it.
A good speech. There are some conservative members of Congress. Still too many RINOs, but that may change in November. Pence states we should focus on 2010, then on 2012. I think we need to focus equally on both.
Mike Pence stands strong on his beliefs. We need more like him.
Tom, thank you so much for watching the video. I know it is a long one. I agree too we need more like him.