Donald Trump stole the show Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference—and that's just what the conservative pro-gay rights groupGOProud wanted.After a number of groups and conservative leaders boycotted this year's annual conservative conference over the inclusion of GOProud, the group decided to take matters into its own hands. GOProud leaders invited Trump to speak and promote his potential 2012 candidacy.
"With all of the boycotters… undermining CPAC, we wanted to bring value-added, we wanted to bring some excitement and energy to CPAC," GOProud co-founder Chris Barron told The Ticket. "And who's a better person with a bigger megaphone and a bigger personality than Donald Trump?"
Trump received a warm welcome from the audience and lots of laughs and applause for using the tough "You're Fired!" language that has made him a star of the NBC reality franchise "The Apprentice."
"The United States has become a whipping post for the rest of the world... a laughing stock," Trump said as he revealed that his desire to run for president is rooted in improving America's global reputation and financial power.
He advocated for fair trade, pledged not to raise taxes and promised to create jobs if elected. And he also stuck it to President Obama. "Nobody knew who the hell he was" when he ran for president, Trump said. And with "no record," for Obama, "there was nothing to criticize," Trump claimed.
He also blasted other countries for "screwing us" financially.
Trump's tough talk did manage to offend some in the audience--fans of 2008 presidential hopeful Texas Rep.Ron Paul reacted loudly when Trump dismissed Paul's chances of becoming president. "I think he's a good guy but he has just zero chance of being elected," Trump told the audience, drawing loud boos from Paul supporters across the ballroom
As we noted earlier today, Trump has tacked rightward in recent years, after exploring a possible bid as an independent candidate for the Reform party in 2000. But on Thursday, he struck a more sharply conservative tone, proclaiming himself "pro-life," anti-gun control, and an opponent of "Obamacare."
Trump, whom many believe is just angling for more time in the limelight, is drawing out his potential presidential attention at least until June, when he claims he will make an official decision about 2012.
But regardless of whether Trump is for real, Barron believes GOProud achieved its primary goal Thursday. "I really feel like it's a high moment, a celebration and that's what CPAC should be about—a celebration," Barron said.
Some GOProud supporters concurred, saying the choice to reach out to Trump made sense.
"I think that the gay community can learn something from Donald Trump and GOProud and all of the different avenues that we're going in," former Lt. Dan Choi, who'd been discharged under the military's "don't ask, don't tell policy," told The Ticket. "I think that's what Donald Trump represents for a lot of people-- he's not going to convince everybody to agree with him… and the gay movement cannot expect every gay or transgendered person to fall in line."
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the network carrying "The Apprentice."
(Photo of Trump: Alex Brandon/AP)
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