Snippets from CPAC

-I'm back in NYC now (left early because my laptop won't turn on and it's cutie Peter's birthday) and I just spoke to Acey who is still in DC. He and Julian are heading over to Grover Norquist's house for a party. I'm jealous.

-I'm friendly with John Fund when I run into him in NY, though he sometimes mistakes me for someone who works at Fox News, so this story about his behavior at CPAC is kind of amusing to me. Maybe he thought they were public computers? Otherwise, just odd.

-Chris Nolan, aka the token liberal among the official bloggers, made this observation about the conference:

I've been here in Washington, D.C., at the Conservative Political Action Committee convention and um, they don't like Liberals here. I'm not sure they even like moderates.

But they're very nice and well-mannered. They're also very young. If you're thinking conservatives are a bunch of old coots longing for the days of black-and-white TV, women staying home and minorities in their places, think again.

This is a young crowd. Young as in youthful. "I just took whatever they gave me for graduation," says the nice young man sitting across from me. He's talking about his laptop. It's a contrast to the post-election Democracy Rising party I attended in Berkeley a few months ago. That room was filled with grey hair in part, of course, because hair colorists are an unknown species in that little town. This room – this convention by contrast – is filled with fresh young earnest faces. And lots of blondes.

-Radley Balko notes the mixed messages of some CPAC vendors.

-I thought it was common knowledge that Matt Drudge is gay. I guess not.

-The National Debate is all over an Al Franken meltdown.

-Michelle Malkin did a book signing at CPAC and came over to chat with the bloggers. She was a big sweetie and her family was adorable. La Shawn Barber agrees.

-Mark Harris at Save The GOP has a list of good CPAC quotes.

-Oschisms posts about my questioning his boozy smell and also feels, uh, warmly toward Wayne LaPierre.

-I met an online friend, Melinda Haring of Child of Reagan. She was hi-lar-ious.

-Pat and Claudio from Vast Rightwing Conspiracy have some of the most comprehensive coverage of the panels.

-I miss DC already.