Video: Best speech at CPAC delivered by … George Will?
posted at 1:30 pm on February 21, 2010 by Allahpundit
Via Newsbusters, no foolin’. Some of you may be tempted to skip it in protest of his critique of Palin last week, but you’ll be missing out: This is as funny in places as Coulter’s speech and vastly more substantive, putting The One’s program in the context of history both recent and not so recent. Look out for the Tocqueville quote near the end and try not to shudder.
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George Will has his good days and bad days. He has a lot of bad days of late, but this and his appearance on Colbert aren’t bad at all.
fiatboomer on February 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM
Giggity.
BadgerHawk on February 21, 2010 at 1:36 PM
The beginning of MLB spring training always peps him up.
a capella on February 21, 2010 at 1:40 PM
No blue jeans lectures?
Disturb the Universe on February 21, 2010 at 1:43 PM
“Partisanship is a good thing.”
On that I agree with droning, plodding, academically-pontificating torpid George.
profitsbeard on February 21, 2010 at 1:43 PM
I didn’t hear George Will’s speech but I heard his denim jacket was supremely stylish.
viking01 on February 21, 2010 at 1:44 PM
no one, not a single speech was better than Beck’s
Onager on February 21, 2010 at 1:50 PM
I’d say John ‘stache’ Bolton did the heavy lifting at CPAC.
Part1
Part2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CxNoTnIurM
daesleeper on February 21, 2010 at 1:51 PM
As Tocqueville might have said, “The bigger the government the smaller the people”.
SteveMG on February 21, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Thanks – but I’ll skip it.
HondaV65 on February 21, 2010 at 1:52 PM
WOW, not too shabby!
abobo on February 21, 2010 at 1:52 PM
Cleta Mitchell…?
Seven Percent Solution on February 21, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Ya big dummy!
daesleeper on February 21, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Is there somewhere other than “Mox News” to pull these vids?
toliver on February 21, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Finished watching the first one.
The Suzy joke was good. He seems to be just restating the glaringly obvious.
George Will didn’t support Ronald Reagan BTW.
sharrukin on February 21, 2010 at 1:57 PM
Townhall at UStream has a bunch of vids.
A voice of reason on February 21, 2010 at 1:59 PM
ooops….click the “Archived Videos” tab to see the list.
A voice of reason on February 21, 2010 at 2:00 PM
And why not. Among the partisan poseurs, Muslim-pandering twats, populist media moguls and whatnot, Will and Bolton would be the conservative intellectual heavyweights on the scorecard.
Who did you expect to surprise with his policy chops – AssClown Ron Paul?
Jaibones on February 21, 2010 at 2:00 PM
Dang! I see that fiatboomer beat me to the comment about the Colbert appearance.
Will is stodgy, but he still can hit the high notes.
percysunshine on February 21, 2010 at 2:02 PM
It was excellent. Will gets on my nerves sometimes, but he hit it out of the ballpark with that speech.
AUINSC on February 21, 2010 at 2:06 PM
Jeez, this guy blows hot and cold.
Aitch748 on February 21, 2010 at 2:08 PM
I have read Will over at Townhall and he would write off topic like a baseball or art gallery article in the middle of some news event. I had given up on him especially since the only time he seems to resurface to comment about politics is to criticize people who like Palin. I reluctantly watched the speech and I think it speaks to the fat we are in such trouble with the currant crew even Will is focused at this point on REAL issues we need to address NOW as conservatives.
Conan on February 21, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Is there a transcript of this anywhere?
BuckeyeSam on February 21, 2010 at 2:18 PM
Soooo… who hacked the videos to put in the trailer “MOX News, unfair and biased”?
Loon alert!
percysunshine on February 21, 2010 at 2:19 PM
Cpac had videos available on their site.
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 2:20 PM
You’ll be missing out if you do, trust me; it’s excellent.
churchill995 on February 21, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Comparing the speeches of Beck and Will, they are equally good. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. In this case, Beck was the most passionately inspiring. Will’s was the most succinctly stated. One identified Pogressivism as our enemy. One called the enemy Dependency. I agreed with both and enjoyed both.
redneck hippie on February 21, 2010 at 2:20 PM
He made a good point that the economic crisis is deliberate, as is the Global Warming scam. Good quote from Alexis Tocqueville!
I think it was a good speech, but it wasn’t that great. Maybe for George Will it was great as he seems to get lost all too often.
sharrukin on February 21, 2010 at 2:21 PM
ernesto on February 21, 2010 at 2:21 PM
The 3rd part was the best, especially the Friedman quote about government agency acronyms.
Bishop on February 21, 2010 at 2:21 PM
Too many times Will has been first in line to criticize his own side when it would have been better either keep his mouth shut of save it for later. That and he is an elitist prig. Screw him.
SurferDoc on February 21, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Current policy is intended to foster dependency of the governed to the governing…sounds a lot like tyranny. I say we fight to stop it.
daesleeper on February 21, 2010 at 2:23 PM
I have thought that this bow-tied twerp was a woman trapped in a man’s body way before I even heard of Sarah Palin.
molonlabe28 on February 21, 2010 at 2:23 PM
Will makes some excellent commentary with some unseemly jabs at GWB–without naming him, natch—that ruined it for me.
KittyLowrey on February 21, 2010 at 2:24 PM
Yeah I was very pleasantly surprised. I have never heard Will speak before, that I can remember. I don’t normally agree much with what he writes (that you guys link to constantly) but I am going to give him a second look.
Absolutely stellar speech. I recommend everyone to watch it, well worth the time.
Mord on February 21, 2010 at 2:25 PM
SurferDoc on February 21, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Yeah that might have been a tad helpful during the 2008 election no? He and so many other inside the beltway pundits really damaged the republicans in the last election by not keeping their mouth shut.
KickandSwimMom on February 21, 2010 at 2:27 PM
Will and Beck, essentially saying the same thing, in very different ways. I can almost forgive George for his Palin hit job… NOT… heh
WordsMatter on February 21, 2010 at 2:28 PM
Agree with AP on tis, of the CPAC speechs I watched, Will’s was the best and most memorable.
WashJeff on February 21, 2010 at 2:29 PM
His sense of humor is very dry, and very funny. I laughed out loud many a time watching these clips. George Will should be included in Glenn Beck’s comedy tour. Will was 100 times funnier than anything I’ve seen on Comedy Central lately.
joncoltonis on February 21, 2010 at 2:33 PM
elitist ass most of the time.
Lisa on February 21, 2010 at 2:33 PM
His speech and Beck’s were the best speeches at CPAC. Will did rush out to shower after mingling with the unwashed, though.
d1carter on February 21, 2010 at 2:38 PM
Thanks for posting this, AP. I wouldn’t have bothered watching it otherwise, and it was excellent.
Will and Beck are in agreement about Cloward and Piven, although Will doesn’t call them by name. Will and Sarah Palin are in agreement about the real agenda behind AGW, although Will would never bother to mention Palin’s name, except as an excuse to criticize her.
Why George Will insists on criticizing those who agree with him, just because they use a simpler vocabulary, or have a less-educated accent, or a more low-brow delivery, is beyond me.
Is it simple insecurity? Is it envy (in spite of what Will says about it in the speech)? Is it nervousness about actually trusting those he claims are best able to run their own lives, to go about accomplishing the goal of getting government out of their lives?
To put it more simply: does he believe that only he, and people of his circle are capable of returning my liberties to me?
No wonder, for all the high-minded talk of trusting the American people, so little is accomplished toward that end.
notropis on February 21, 2010 at 2:39 PM
No way. I can’t listen to George Will for 30 minutes.
Blarg the Destroyer on February 21, 2010 at 2:51 PM
I have not watched this yet and I may change my mind after but Mr. Will is still someone who thinks he molds the views of the great unwashed. He is not commiserating with like minded people, he is instructing. Until he realizes that outsiders have serious opinions and views he will push me away with the tenor of his delivery.
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 2:53 PM
The ‘Second kick of the mule’ parable was pretty funny.
percysunshine on February 21, 2010 at 2:54 PM
When George Will gets it wrong, it’s usually forgivable.
When George Will gets it right, he aces it.
BKennedy on February 21, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Great speech, thanks for posting.
Sharke on February 21, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Excellent speech by Will. I put it up there with Romney’s speech. Really good CPAC this year.
jaime on February 21, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 2:53 PM
I with you.
But this speech is really worth a listen.
IrishEi on February 21, 2010 at 3:01 PM
I once had a speech teacher tell me to insert humor strategically throughout my speech. When I ask why he told me that when I make people laugh occasionally they will listen to the rest of the speech out of fear of missing the funny stuff.
I have heard several speeches by this man and he is brilliant at getting you to listen to his message out of fear of missing the funny stuff. I have heard very few speeches incorporate the funny stuff into the message as well a Mr. Will does. It was the best speech at CPAC.
Helloyawl on February 21, 2010 at 3:02 PM
Darn. I’d like to hear the guy but with this crappy internet connection at home it would take 3 hours. And no, it’s not a dialup, it’s COMCAST wireless. sigh.
scalleywag on February 21, 2010 at 3:05 PM
Watch it Cindy, you will enjoy it.
A good speech, I don’t think it as rousing as Beck’s, but then it is George Will, not much about the guy is rousing.
It was funny, and made good points. Not the type of guy that would inspire a lot of folks though. All the personality of Ben Stein.
But overall worth the watch. I might add that I would have suspected that it would be AP’s favorite.
conservnut on February 21, 2010 at 3:06 PM
I think Obama needs a funny teleprompter.
percysunshine on February 21, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Not having heard it, I think I already know the one you mean. It makes reference to “soft tyranny” that does not often kill, but prevents much from being born.
Kralizec on February 21, 2010 at 3:12 PM
The Husband & I are going for a walk but I am definitely going to watch. As delivery goes I will probably prefer Mr. Will to Mr. Beck since I like sarcasm more then raw emotionalism. Must be why I defend AP.
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Is it always like that or could it be the link?
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 3:13 PM
Great speech, Allah. Heavy on facts and quotes. I’ll D/L and watch again — he’s a fast talker.
If the Republicans insist on doing a health care kabuki dance with Obama, I’d recommend they steal some of Will’s lines.
Thanks for posting.
Nichevo on February 21, 2010 at 3:14 PM
Bad audio at those links.
Here’s the complete vid at Ustream with a bit of Steven Crowder’s intro.
David Combs on February 21, 2010 at 3:16 PM
Just.
Awesome!!!
dissent555 on February 21, 2010 at 3:20 PM
Okay, the introduction immediately makes me unhappy.
Cindy Munford on February 21, 2010 at 3:23 PM
That’s what I thought until I read some of the comments & changed my mind. I have to admit it was good.
Colorado Anne on February 21, 2010 at 3:36 PM
Will and Peggy Noonan do at times use an Ivory Tower delivery that I cannot stomach easily.
This speech is tremendous.
SlimyBill on February 21, 2010 at 3:37 PM
I assume she must have been the one with the annoying laugh through the whole thing?
Colorado Anne on February 21, 2010 at 3:37 PM
Excellent speech, George. Now stop trying to undermine the Sarah Palins of this country who are trying to do the very things you suggest.
pugwriter on February 21, 2010 at 3:38 PM
Well, the bar on my connection status says “very low”.
scalleywag on February 21, 2010 at 3:51 PM
It was a good conservative speech. I have ignored him as a compromising beltway insider for quite a while, so this was a very pleasant surprise.
It is as if someone spoke to him from beyond and said “Arise Sir George and don your conservative arms as in younger years. Help them to slay the socialist evil that has darkened the nation; there may not be another chance.”
ray on February 21, 2010 at 3:53 PM
Witty and informative, indeed. Splendid speech.
Cybergeezer on February 21, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Before the advent of Rush Limbaugh, Mark Steyn or Charles Krauthammer, Bill Buckley and George Will were the brightest, most effective purveyors of American conservatism outside of the political establishment. If Will sounds like he’s schooling you, he probably is – but so is Cheney. I never agreed with Will 100%, but I always give him a chance to change my mind.
Terrie on February 21, 2010 at 4:03 PM
A very good speech! Well worth a half hour of my time, anyway!
ndulik on February 21, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Will is my man. He is not afraid to call out the RINOs. Palin wouldn’t dare do that.
keep the change on February 21, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Those who refuse to listen/watch this speech are missing an excellent delivery of how our liberties are at stake as government grows. Will’s speech is fact-filled and sprinkled with great anecdotes and a dry wit.
Will’s points are no different than Beck’s or Palin’s. He just presents those ideas in his own style.
The speech is a keeper. Will knows what he is talking about.
onlineanalyst on February 21, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
Norwegian on February 21, 2010 at 4:25 PM
Absolutely fabulous speech not to mention hilarious at times. A great summation of core beliefs.
patrick neid on February 21, 2010 at 4:30 PM
How odd. I was given to believe that criticizing a conservative’s presentation meant that you were a RINO pussy troll.
CliveStaples on February 21, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Wow, alot more negative than positive responses it seems from the HA crowd, from what I have seen of the CPAC speeches thus far this, is by far the best hands down. I know Will is a poor fit for the populism of the Tea Partyer’s and thus the tenor of the commenters here, but this is good stuff. By definition populism and high-brow aren’t a good fit, but when you need an effective articulation on why conservative’s are right and progressive’s are wrong in 30 min’s it requires a high caliber vocabulary. On this, one is pressed sorely to top that than Will whose command the english language has very few peers.
I’ve been looking forward to Bolton’s remarks, but I’ve yet to come across more than just snippets, mainly by the outraged left on the “nuke Chicago line, which I am all for, provided fair warning for me to move, anyone know where I can link to the full speech?
Archimedes on February 21, 2010 at 5:13 PM
George Will is one of my favorite conservative columnists and thinkers.
therightwinger on February 21, 2010 at 5:19 PM
At first sight I almost skipped listening to this, but am glad I decided to give it a 5 min. trial- I found it to be accurate and entertaining, even caught myself laughing out loud a time or two. Thanks for posting AP!
huskerdiva on February 21, 2010 at 5:24 PM
Here Here George. This is a home run!
Jvette on February 21, 2010 at 5:29 PM
Not a big George Will fan, but I loved this speech. Parts of it actually had me falling out of my chair with laughter. Made some d@mn good points too.
joedoe on February 21, 2010 at 5:32 PM
I listened to Will’s CPAC speech on cspan and was very impressed. He was really to the point! He was also at the top of his game today during the THIS WEEK panel dicussion as well. Sometimes I want to reach into the TV to shake him during those panel discussions because he seems so passive but today he was fired up…maybe inspired by CPAC? I looked on THIS WEEK’s website and the only clip I saw from today’s show had a wierd Freak Show title and wasn’t the best part of the show. You can imagine…trying to paint all conservatives as John Birchers, etc. The clips didn’t show how he got the best of Arianna Huffington and Donna Brasille.
RBE on February 21, 2010 at 5:36 PM
You’ll miss an outstanding speech, then.
holygoat on February 21, 2010 at 5:46 PM
I have had my issues with George Will concerning foreign policy issues. He was a nay-sayer concerning the Iraq War, and with my older son a combat veteran of that war, I really had no patience for what Will was writing. But last April, at the Republican National Lawyers Association annuial conference in Washington D.C., he delivered, to my surprise, a superb speech. George Will talked then about the subjects he did at the CPAC — Obama’s domestic agenda. My advice to George: stay on those issues.
Phil Byler on February 21, 2010 at 5:51 PM
That is my kind of humor. Deadpan.
***
I may have some disagreements with some of the things Will has said in the past, but I don’t think I can pick out anything I disagree with here.
Count to 10 on February 21, 2010 at 5:56 PM
Absolutely.
It made Culter’s speech look clumsy.
Count to 10 on February 21, 2010 at 5:58 PM
Will is pure enlightenment. An American Cicero.
AshleyTKing on February 21, 2010 at 6:02 PM
I am sending video of Will’s speech to all my conservative friends and I bet Rush will play it during his show. Allahpundit, thank you for drawing our attention to what is a classic George Will takedown of liberalism.
I don’t see Will as passive on This Week so much as he is patient. In a sentence or two, he eviscerates the arguments of the liberals stacked on his show’s round table panel. I hope I’m misunderstanding what I sense is an anti-intellectual bias against George Will. We need more, not fewer, political leaders with the gravitas of George Will and Dick Cheney.
Terrie on February 21, 2010 at 6:14 PM
It’s funny that people can praise a man for being smart on domestic issues, but say he is to be ignored in other areas. I think George Will has proven he is a smart man. Period. When you encounter a smart man, you take his advice, whether you like it or not. Just because you disagree with him on foreign policy, doesn’t mean he is not right on that as well. George Will is as close to a true conservative, in a constitutional sense, as any talking head. If you find that your views differ from his, you might want to reevaluate your views.
keep the change on February 21, 2010 at 6:16 PM
Jews and University professors tend to be more intelligent than the average. They also tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic.
I think I will make up my own mind and vote for Ronald Reagan despite who George Will thought was the right candidate to support!
sharrukin on February 21, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Will’s speech was great but I’ll respectfully submit that Michele Bachmann’s speech was electrifying, easily the best of the CPAC.
Her riff about choosing exceptionalism or choosing decline was spot on. Her mention that we’re the “majority in waiting” was just the pep talk people wanted to hear. Her talk about Levi Preston was great, too. I especially enjoyed her saying that “people can indulge in fantasy football but they can’t indulge in fantasy economics”, which I wrote about here.
LFRGary on February 21, 2010 at 6:50 PM
good old reagan quote in there:
‘The rule in Washington is: ‘If it moves, tax it; If it keeps moving, regulate it; Once it stops moving, subsidize it until it moves again.’”
About sums it up……
truecon on February 21, 2010 at 7:01 PM
My exact thoughts…
Good speech, though. A ‘bow tie’ would have nailed it.
Seven Percent Solution on February 21, 2010 at 7:17 PM
It is awesome seeing truth shine it’s light on the dark corners and cobwebs of our government. Truth is truth regardless of who speaks it.
I am just glad to hear the George Will talking and speaking this truth that I have admired and listened to since I was a little girl, instead of the George Will that I have been hearing in the past two years.
This is a speech well worth spending your time on.
Willow on February 21, 2010 at 7:22 PM
Will’s speech was good but I understand the best part of that dinner was the Guy who sang the National Anthem
The_Lid on February 21, 2010 at 7:35 PM
Yes, easily the best speech, at least the best of the several I have seen. By George that was good!
jgapinoy on February 21, 2010 at 7:36 PM
“My farmer died”
“I know what you’re doing, you’re going down the list”
“They will in a minute.”
Absolutely hilarious, and extremely insightful. I’ve never seen him speak before, and I’m impressed.
Tanya on February 21, 2010 at 8:29 PM
I’ve had my issues with Will, but this was indeed the best conservative speech I’ve seen in years. I’m forwarding to friends.
Sugar Land on February 21, 2010 at 8:50 PM
Don’t forget the great Russell Kirk, who was of the same generation as Buckley!
Fallen Sparrow on February 21, 2010 at 8:52 PM
Fair to great speech.
Am I the only one pulling my hair out after having to listen to the cackling woman (or man?) who did the constant hi hi hi he he he hi hi after every line he had, funny or otherwise?
melachiro on February 21, 2010 at 9:41 PM
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