On Thursday, March 14, "The Wall Street Journal" (WSJ), posed the question: Where does Allen West fit in the GOP? The open-ended question followed West's rousing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) speech aimed at firing up the conservative base.
Had WSJ watched the greeting West received, they would never have asked the question. Before he had uttered a word, the Tea Party audience answered the question with a standing ovation as West appeared on stage. They were loyally acknowledging that West remains a Tea Party "darling," a conservative leader of substantial right-wing clout.
On a mission to encourage the GOP to show their soft side, West spoke convincingly of ways that the GOP could reach out to win the hearts and minds of voters needed to win elections in the future. With faint echoes of former President George Bush's "compassionate conservatism," West emphasized that conservatives need not relinquish core values to show compassion for the poor and minorities.
Still, liberals who expected to see former Congressman West humbled, after losing his seat in Congress in 2012, were sorely disappointed. One memorable line put an end to any speculation that the retired military man was ready to surrender either his principles or his often controversial positions: “A bended knee is not, nor shall it ever be a conservative tradition.”
To drive the point home, West added, “I’m speaking from experience when I tell you that there is nothing on this green earth that a liberal progressive fears more than a black American who wants a better life and a smaller government.”
As for a future place for Allen West in the GOP, who can say? Mr. President, anyone?
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