"Cool" Conservatives honor James O'Keefe. XPAC ad: "Tech, Interactive, Engaging, and GNARLY... yeah baby!"

By GottaLaff

XPAC! It's "epic"!

How "fly" is this?! Dufus hipster conservatives have their own awesome little clubhouse now! Gnarly!

In fact, it's so gnarly that they seem compelled to remind us over and over and over... and over... just how freakin' hip it is:

Adding some entertainment to this week's annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. is the first ever Xtreme Politically Active Conservatives (XPAC) lounge, hosted by staunch Christian Republican Stephen Baldwin and conservative writer Kevin McCullough. Fox News will broadcast the event and is listed as a sponsor.

Oh, but ClusterFox isn't partisan-- or cool-- it's fair and balanced.

Wanna know who the kewl kids are?

Among those scheduled to attend are RNC chairman Michael Steele and right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter. Fox News analyst Brit Hume will be honored, along with "ACORN pimp" and alleged felon James O'Keefe, who was caught breaking into Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) office just weeks ago.

The Madam's Apple? A felon? "That's how I roll, he be da man" Steele? ClusterBrit? Can't get kewler than that now, can ya?

In one Facebook video there's a breathless, young, stoked spokeswoman, XPAC's Hope Ammen, who can barely contain herself:

"You're also going to get private meet and greets with young people who are getting out there to slap liberals!"

Encouraging violence! How groovy is that!?

A second video (neither is embeddable) lapses into Moon Unit Zappa '80sSpeak, describing XPAC as

"Tech, Interactive, Engaging, and GNARLY... yeah baby!"

Make that Austin Powers '60sSpeak.

And if you act now!

Change your fb profile pic, WIN an XPAC Prize Pack! (INCLUDING a NEW Mac iPad!!!)

Whether you’ve registered to attend the conference or not… you can win an XPAC hoodie, tee, skullie, or cap, also a copy of Stephen Baldwin’s and Kevin McCullough’s best selling title’s “The Unusual Suspect” and “MuscleHead Revolution” signed by the author’s. (AND JUST ADDED: a Mac iPad) All you have to do to be registered to win – is change your profile picture on facebook to the one listed above AND join the “XPAC” fan page.

It’s easy. It’s fun, and it helps get the word out…

XPAC gear… cool, slick, hip.

Rad!

This is big, guys. Wanna know how big? This big:

XPAC It's bigger than you can imagine. It's bigger than Geese being banned at JFK. It's bigger than Keith Olbermann on health care. It's bigger than Ron Paul on banning drugs. It's bigger than Michelle Bachman or John Boehner speaking from the floor. It's bigger than Obama's State of the union. It's bigger than Sony cameras, and if you think these all look the same... they're not.

It's bigger than Joe Biden sayin' "God Bless America."

It's bigger than a Fox Business Channel "Breaking News" story....

It's such an auto-matically huge, well tuned, reality that it makes news...

NOON... MONDAY... http://xpac2010.com

Wow! It's so big that they misspelled Michele Bachmann's name! Now, that's big!

The Bullying Behind GOP Young Republican Chair's "Racist" Win

By GottaLaff

The story that just won't end. I've posted about Audra Shay's winning the Young Rushpublics chairmanship here, here, and here. Now we get some behind-the-scenes crasskerfuffletrashitude:

Perhaps less remarkable than the outcome–new Young Republicans Chairman Audra Shay bragged on her Facebook page that she had pledges from the majority of delegate going in–was how the vote played out. Yesterday’s election was closed to members of the press, but The Daily Beast has pulled together an account of the vote, and the runup to it, and the details are shocking. Some highlights:

• Shay’s opponent, Rachel Hoff, was the subject of an ugly sexual innuendo whisper campaign that questioned her reasons for supporting civil unions.

• Shay’s electoral slate, dubbed Team Renewal, battled desperately–some likened it to intimidation–and, ultimately, successfully to block a motion that would have allowed delegates to cast their votes by secret ballot, for fear they’d lose.

• Near-fistfights on the floor, and finally something of a boycott, as some of Hoff’s slate of candidates lower on the ticket chose to remove their names from the ballot after her defeat.

“They just took a vote that may have set the party back 30 years,” said the co-founder of HipHopRepublican.com, Lenny McAllister, speaking from the floor of the Hyatt convention hall. “They just voted for a candidate who has a demonstrated tolerance for racial intolerance. She has joked about lynching and then claimed to be a victim. As a black man, I still don’t see what’s funny about that.”

Classy bunch, huh?

Young Republicans Choose Hate

By GottaLaff

Chip Sommedevilla / Getty Images

Original posts here and here. Freedom of choice just took on a whole new meaning:

Audra Shay, the Young Republican leader accused of endorsing racism on Facebook, was elected head of the group for GOP members under 40 this afternoon.

Audra Shay, the Young Republican leader who became the subject of a national controversy after The Daily Beast uncovered racist comments she wrote on Facebook and other social networking sites, won the race to become head of the Young Republicans by approximately 50 votes (out of about 950 voting delegates) at their national convention this afternoon in Indianapolis.

Are we surprised? No we are not. Especially not in light of this big, steaming, racist pile of Commenters at Freeperland, we aren't.

According to George P. Bush, son of Jeb Bush, “Rachel’s professionalism, hard work, and leadership will well-represent the GOP.” Sarah Huckabee, daughter of Mike Huckabee, said, “Rachel Hoff’s approach to politics and life seems to be: ‘Stand Up and Lead.’”

Change you can gag at. So much for rebranding. Just ask Ba-ba-ba-Bobby Jindal:

She ran on the platform of “Restore, Revitalize, Reinforce,” which emphasized rebranding the Young Republicans as more hip through Facebook and Twitter, and spreading "our message of lower taxes and less government to these corners and let people know that we’re here and we’ll hold the Democrats’ feet to the fire.” She was endorsed in the election by her governor, Bobby Jindal.

And here's how she deals with controversy. Those accusations about her being a racist? Well, she would have none of that!

Shay responded that the allegations against her were “political attacks” which “proves that my opponents will stoop to the lowest levels to steal this election from the jaws of victory.”

How's that for young, hip, and change-y? Yup, she'll fit right in with them cool, edgy, youthy Partiers of No Way.

"Do NOT Elect A Racist"... by Meghan McCain

By GottaLaff

As the Young Republicans prepare to elect a woman on Saturday who has compared to President Obama to a terrorist and appears to have laughed at a comment calling blacks “coons,” Meghan McCain seeks to stage an intervention.

I use MegMac's Tweets on My Tweet Spot regularly. Why? Because, if nothing else, she always has something interesting to say, whether inane, serious, sensible, or provocative. Look! Here's one of her more interesting moments now!

If you remember, posted about this... this... "person", this "Young Republican" named Audra Shay the other day.

Now Meghan is taking her on, too:

You can probably guess how I feel about a woman who thinks comparing President Obama to a terrorist and referring to blacks as “mad coons” is funny.

The definition of insanity is repeating the same actions over and over again and expecting different results. What exactly do the Young Republicans expect to achieve by electing a 38-year-old woman who thinks racial epithets are acceptable? [...]

I understand that my place within the Young Republicans and the Republican Party is a controversial one, which is something I am still trying to get comfortable with. I am criticized almost daily for not being “conservative enough.” But the Republican Party needs to reach out to all kinds of voters. The last time I checked, most conservatives are already Republicans. It’s the independents that we need to sway. We need to make them believe we really do practice what we preached about less government, less spending, national security, etc, and we aren’t recruiting leaders who are old and out of touch. I am not saying I am that face, but Audra Shay certainly isn’t. She represents the same old stereotypes about “young Republicans”—apparently racist and more middle-aged than youthful. In short, disconnected from the real youth of this country.

::brakes screeching!:: 38 is middle-aged?

Oh, and MegMac? No matter how hard your team tries, Rushpublicans just aren't, well, cool. But I digress:

What Young Republicans need is a revolution.

And what they're getting is a civil war.

But we appreciate the sentiment.

H/t: Cody

New GOP "Racist" Headache

By GottaLaff

(click on iamge to enlarge)

A couple of people have linked me to this, and I'm just now getting to it. And by get to it, I mean give it the full treatment:

After "Barack the Magic Negro" and other GOP racial gaffes, a top Young Republican official—who hopes to be elected chairman Saturday—laughs at a racial slur about President Obama.

That Rushpublic foot must be toeless after all the bullets it's taken from the party shooting at it.

Note to Republicans: Racist “humor,” the Internet, and political ambitions don’t mix. Audra Shay, vice chairman of the Young Republicans and the leading candidate to be elected its chairman on Saturday, is now the latest in a growing list of GOP officials learning this lesson the hard way, based on pictures of a now-deleted Facebook page obtained by The Daily Beast. [See image at the top of this post]

“This is still America… freedom of speech and thought is still allowed… for now any ways… and the last time i checked I was a good ole southern boy… and if yur ass is black don’t let the sun set on it in a southern town…”

Ahh, there's that big ol' tent with the droopy little pole I referred to here. Now if only there were a Sarah Palin mention.... Nah. That's asking too much.

On Wednesday, Shay—a 38-year-old Army veteran, mother, and event planner from Louisiana who has been endorsed by her governor, Bobby Jindal—was holding court on her Facebook page, initiating a political conversation by posting that “WalMart just signed a death warrant” by “endorsing Obama’s healthcare plan.”

And then the fun began.

Ba-ba-ba-Bobby keeps step-ep-ep-epping in it, doesn't he?

At 1:52, a friend named listed as Eric S. Piker, but whose personal page says his actual name is Eric Pike, wrote “It’s the government making us commies… can’t even smoke in my damn car… whats next they going to issue toilet paper once a month… tell us how to wipe our asses…”

Two minutes later, Piker posted again saying “Obama Bin Lauden [sic] is the new terrorist… Muslim is on there side [sic]… need to take this country back from all of these mad coons… and illegals.”

Eight minutes after that, at 2:02, Shay weighed in on Piker’s comments: “You tell em Eric! lol.”

"Coons." Nice. And Shay grabbed her pom-poms and cheered ol' Pike on.

Atta girl.

Next thing she knew, all hell broke loose. Well, Shay would have nobody, but nobody, thinking she was a racist! Nosireebob! C'mon! Who ya gonna believe, her or yer lyin' eyes?

“It is a disgrace that these types of political attacks are taking place and once again, it proves that my opponents will stoop to the lowest levels to steal this election from the jaws of victory.”

Rah!

As the party tacks right, it seems increasingly reluctant to challenge folks on its fringe for fear of offending the base—even, in this case, by failing to immediately rebuke racist supporters on a Facebook page. [...]

This story is still unfolding. The election for chairman of the Young Republicans will be held this weekend at their national conference in Indianapolis and a new urgency is now infusing the vote. [...]

It will be interesting to hear what Governor Jindal and other influential supporters of Audra Shay’s candidacy will say about this incident. In a response to my request for a comment from RNC Chairman Michael Steele, his communications director Trevor Francis stated simply but firmly, “This type of language is inappropriate, and is not representative of the views of the Young Republicans.” [...]

Will [Young Republicans] embrace the ideals of the Party of Lincoln, and the “Battle Hymn of the Republic?” Or turn toward the self-segregating notes of “Barack the Magic Negro?”

Call me crazy, but I'm not feeling all that optimistic.

Much more here.

Guess who turned out to be a Young Republican...

By GottaLaff

On my way to work just now, I was listening to Thom Hartmann, where I learned that the Craig's List murder suspect is a Young Republican.

Would he be considered a right wing extremist? Maybe we should ask Michael Savage.

CPAC VIDEO: OMG, Republican boys are cuter, fer sure

By GottaLaff



Prez O is so cool, and young Republicans are, like, soooo jealous. But they'll never admit it:

POLITICO caught up with some of the younger Republicans to find out who is the coolest Republican around, how the GOP can become a hipper party and whether Barack Obama's smoking is reason enough for Republicans to quit.

They sure know how to "tear it up" and party, don't they? I mean, look at them in all their rad rightie fashion riskiness.

As one kewl Repub dude even said in the unique vernacular of kewl Repub dudes, Biden is a "shady fellow." Serious. I want him. Now.

How awesome are these guys? Psh... They simply oooooooze hottttt.

Young Republicans organize on the Interwebs

By GottaLaff

Cyber community organizing? By Republicans? They must be socialists, and from the looks of their message, scared ones who are adopting some of Obama's strategies:

Tonight, they're launching a website, www.rebuildtheparty.com, and will ask RNC chairman candidates to support their platform, which puts a premium on Internet organizing and technology. [...]

All of them are under 40; they have affiliations with different prospective 2012 presidential candidates; they had different opinions of Sarah Palin; they're interested in building a permanent grassroots volunteer infrastructure (apart from state parties if necessary) and candidate recruitment.

The challenge is daunting, but if we adopt a strongly anti-Washington message and charge hard against Obama and the Democrats, we will energize our grassroots base. Among other benefits, this will create real demand for new ways to organize and route around existing power structures that favor the Democrats. And, you will soon discover, online organizing is by far the most efficient way to transform our party structures to be able to compete against what is likely to be a $1 billion Obama re-election campaign in 2012.

Our near loss in the 2000 election sparked the 72 Hour program, after a brutal realization that we were being out-hustled in GOTV activities in the final days. Our partial success in the 2000 election didn't blind us to the need for change, and our eyes must be wide open now. Barack Obama and the Democrats' ability to build their entire fundraising, GOTV, and communications machine from the Internet is the #1 existential challenge to our existing party model.[...]

This goal seems daunting, but it forces us to think creatively about creating the sharpest, most compelling messages that will make people want to join us by the millions. If Newt Gingrich and T. Boone Pickens could each build an army of 1.4 million activists around energy, and Barack Obama could recruit 3 million to receive his VP selection by text message, then we know this is possible. If anything, given where the Internet will be in 2 or 4 years, we are low-balling the potential to create a new Republican online army.

Hold campaigns and local parties accountable. As important as it is that we invest in new technology at the national level, we must remember that the RNC's primary objective is to win races state by state and district by district, not build up its own brand.

[...]As much high-level attention must be paid to candidates' online strategy as with the number of voter contacts made into a particular district or if the right media strategist is working the race. We must end a sense of dependence on the RNC at all levels -- in which the RNC simply turns over its lists -- and set goals that the campaigns must find creative and aggressive ways to meet:

In target 2010 Congressional races, we recommend setting a standard of at least 5,000 in-district online activists recruited, and a minimum of $100,000 raised online.

Would that be anything like spreading the wealth?