ACU Announces Sarah Palin as CPAC 2012 Special Keynote Speaker

ACU says Gov. Palin will be its closing keynote speaker at CPAC 2012. From the press release:

The American Conservative Union (ACU) today announced former Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will deliver a special keynote address at CPAC 2012 – the 39th annual Conservative Political Action Conference. America’s largest gathering of conservative leaders and activists will be held Thursday, February 9 – Saturday, February 11, 2012, in Washington, DC. The FOX News contributor and New York Times bestselling author will conclude the three-day event, a slot occupied by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and U.S. Congressman Allen West in the past three years.

“Few national conservative leaders in America today energize and inspire our grassroots activists like Governor Sarah Palin. Her strong record of leadership, championing of our shared principles and magnetic personality have made Sarah Palin a hero to millions of conservatives across the country,” said ACU Chairman Al Cardenas. “As we ready for the critical 2012 election, I’m honored to welcome Governor Palin to the Conservative Political Action Conference for the first-time ever.”

The full press release is here. So far, no confirmation of the appearance from Gov. Palin's camp.

- JP

Ziegler overplays his hand

After reading John Ziegler's defense of his interview with ACU chairman David Keene and watching the videos, we are of the opinion that the documentary film maker, former talk show host and shameless self-promoter blew it.

Well before Keene got up and started to walk away, it became painfully obvious that Ziegler doesn't know to quit while he's ahead. As an interviewer, once you've asked the same question several times in a row and your subject hasn't answered it, you have made your point. To continue asking the question gives the appearance that you are badgering, and that's what happened when Keene walked into the hall. Ziegler should have wrapped up his interview well before that point, but instead he chose to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. By following Keene into the hallway and continuing to press him, Ziegler stomped all over his own effectiveness.

We believe that Keene is a fraud, but by running what should have been a five-minute interview into the nearly half-hour farce which resulted, Ziegler's fiasco had the effect of actually generating sympathy for Keene in some quarters, and it did Sarah Palin no favors. The Western CPAC dustup was a missed opportunity and a doggone shame.

Ziegler was extremely effective in making a point (several of them, in fact) with his excellent documentary "Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted" which was a great help to Sarah Palin in making her case that the media had taken sides in the 2008 presidential campaign and was shamelessly smearing her family. Perhaps John should stick to making films and promoting them, two things which he's very good at. But he has a long way to go to master the art of the interview. Though by his words he insists he is trying to effect change in the corrupt "conservative" leadership, Ziegler has forgotten what is a cardinal rule whether one is practicing medicine or trying to change hearts and minds: First, do no harm.

Updates: Morrissey, Riehl and Freire all weight in, each with a unique perspective. Our question about Ziegler's pursuit of Keene is the same one we try to remember to ask ourselves before we post anything on this blog -- in the long run, does this help Sarah Palin or hurt her?

- JP

Ziegler confronts Keene over Palin remarks; told to leave Western CPAC

John Ziegler asked American Conservative Union chairman David Keene about his remarks dissing Sarah Palin and his support for liberal Arlen Specter over conservative Pat Toomey in 2004. For his trouble, Ziegler got kicked out of Western CPAC by an angry and foul-mouthed Keene:



h/t: Gateway Pundit 

Update: Ziegler elaborates on what happened between Keene and himself at WCPAC and provides additional video.

- JP