Rand Paul Romps To Victory at CPAC

++Rand Paul won his second consecutive straw poll at CPAC. He stressed foreign policy this time.

++The results were:
Paul--25.7%
Walker--21.4%
Cruz--11.5%
Carson--11.4%
Bush--     6.3%

++Walker is now number 1 in the polls in early primary states. 

++If I were a Democrat, I would worry about Jeb Bush. Despite the booing and heckling,Bush handled himself well on immigration and education. Sean Hannity gave him some softballs but it is clear where Bush will push his message. He boasts of his record as governor until the Recession. He cuts the Great Recession and who might be responsible and picks up where he left off while Governor. He argues he can increase growth rates to 4%, even though both his father and brother never got near these numbers. On foreign policy,cut the Iraq War, and start at the end of W's term and the warning about what happens if we leave early. 

++I've read alot on leftwing blogs about Jeb's performance but I found him weirdly slick in a rough way. He is trying to portray himself as authentic and he does act like the adult in the room. He already has his plate of policy positions.

++What looks like a negative--opposition to same-sex marriage is moot because the SCOTUS decision will come way before any primaries. He can still oppose but say we have to obey the law. 

++What will be seductive to the voter if his foreign policy language. The GOP is now hung-ho for war. It believes and probably can convince the country that the United States is "retreating" in the world. No news media is going to argue we are actively involved in military operations in 130 countries or that our military budget is obscene. Jeb makes the case for war smoother than W. 

++I would be stunned if someone like Walker actually got near the nomination. Yes, he has won in a Democratic state. Yes, he beat the recall. Yes,he has bullied his way through the legislature. But he is only a high school graduate who has only been a politicians all his life and has been under constant investigation.