Republican Leaders Gathered in N.O.

More than 1,000 Republican activits from across the country gathered last week for the 2014 Republican Leadership Conference at the New Orleans Hilton.

Attendees got to hear most of the nation’s top conservative leaders and some of the leading candidates for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won the Presidential Straw Poll conducted during the conference.  Cruz was the hit of the conference.  He had the delegates laughing and crying during his 25 minutes at the podium.  He spoke without notes.

Cruz said, “Everywhere I go, people ask me if we can save this country.  That’s how desperate things have become.”  Cruz cited a list of conservative victories he has had since being sworn in in January 2013.  His first speech on the Senate floor was in support of Sen. Rand Paul fillibuster against the use of drones to kill American citizens.  It ended when President Obama announced publicly that the government has no right under the Constitution to kill Americans without a court order.

Cruz said Senate Republicans, even though in the minority, have been able to defeat every single gun control bill proposed in Harry Reid’s Senate.

Cruz took on the mission of blocking the admission to the United States on a diplomatic passport of an Iranian who took part in the holding of American hostages in Iran.  His fillibuster had little chance of success but it ended with the unanimous passage of a bill to bar the Iranian from U.S. territory, despite his diplomatic status.

Other speakers at the conference included Govs. Bobby Jindal, Phil Bryant, Rick Perry, and Sarah Palin, as well as Congressmen Bill Cassidy and Marsha Blackburn and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza, who introduced his new film, America.

Sean Hannity of Fox News drew a large crowd to the Exhibit Hall for the taping of an interview with Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty.