From her speech yesterday at CPAC, you would never have guessed Tulsi Gabbard ran as a Democratic candidate for president just three years ago. In fact, one could easily mistake her for a card carrying, gun toting, God loving MAGA acolyte.
Not at all uncomfortable in front of a sea of populist conservatives, the former House representative from Hawaii expressed her gratitude to the audience for making her feel “right at home.”
She spoke of her disdain for the Washington elite establishment with as much enthusiasm as any young buck Republican in the House. Her support of the second amendment rolled off her tongue as easily as any card-carrying member of the NRA. And of course, she vociferously protested against the forever wars that she claimed were a result of “the bi-partisan war mongers of Washington who constantly beat their war drums, who have pushed us to the precipice of World War III and a nuclear catastrophe,” a quote from her first CPAC speech back in 2022.
But this is why Democrats shunned Gabbard in the first place. Not only because she seems more authentic than just about anyone in the Democratic party, but she upset the apple cart, enough even to earn the ire of Hillary Clinton. When Hawaii’s former congresswoman began to gain attention in the 2019 primaries for her stance against forever wars, the Clinton campaign went on a full force attack with the wild assertion that Gabbard was being “groomed” by the Russians to run as a third-party candidate. We all know how well Clinton’s “Russia, Russia, Russia” accusations aged.
Now, Gabbard has really given them something to talk about, not only by jumping ship from the Democratic party and showing up at CPAC, but also ardently standing up for Trump.
It does seem like an unlikely pairing, but then again, Trump has mastered the art of the unlikely.
Gabbard spent most of her speech defending the former president and deriding those, “who driven by their insatiable hunger for power, actively undermine all that we stand for.” She adopted all the monikers the MAGA right uses to describe their opponents including but not limited to “the Democrat elite” and the “swamp creatures in Washington.” (READ MORE from Jennifer Galardi: Roberts and Milei Set Fire to Libs at Davos)
She called Trump’s indictments a clear politically motivated “hit job,” and declared that the permanent Washington elites are trying to “steal the election.”
“What we’re seeing now is a continuation of what began in 2016, ever since he came down that golden escalator,” Gabbard continued. Trump must be gushing.
While many may see Gabbard’s words as mere flattery, she’s just calling out the obvious. What came next was definitely flattery.
“Now I’ve met a lot of tough people in my life. I can’t think of a single one who could not only withstand all they’re throwing at Donald Trump without crumbling, but someone who would actually choose to keep fighting against the entire Washington establishment.” The crowd cheered. She kept going.
“Now I’ve known Joe Biden for a long time. I used to consider him a friend. Do you think he could handle this pressure? I don’t think so. I think even a fraction of this pressure and stress and attacks that Trump has endured would cause him to crumble.”
Gabbard continued by criticizing Trump’s number two nemesis, Nikki Haley. Trump is surely beaming somewhere in South Carolina.
Gabbard offered a story of Trump that runs completely counter to the media narrative. She described a warm and sympathetic man who cares deeply about a contingency of people near and dear to her heart — veterans. Her words bordered on adoration. And we all know how much Trump loves to be adored.
Once again social media was wild with slanders from the left such as “traitor” as well as slurs from the right. Conservative influencer Rogan O’Handley, aka “DC Draino,” posted on X, “Just wanted to go on record that I am completely against Tulsi Gabbbard being Trump’s VP. We don’t need a Hawaiian Democrat in charge of the country (and Republican party) if something were to happen to President Trump.”
The audience at CPAC did not feel the same. In fact, the United States Army Reserve officer received the only standing ovation of the day, which has many speculating that Gabbard may, in fact, be a very viable VP pick, much to Draino’s dismay. (READ MORE: It’s Globe-fficial: Hollywood Has Lost Its Sense of Humor)
It does seem like an unlikely pairing, but then again, Trump has mastered the art of the unlikely.
There was no more an unlikely candidate for president in 2016 than Donald J. Trump. Not only was a second non-consecutive run for president unlikely, but also, unwelcome. It seemed highly unlikely that a presidential candidate could be indicted — and survive (for now) — four separate criminal charges, both federal and state, and still emerge as the leading Republican primary candidate.
What was obvious to me as I strolled the corridors of the Gaylord convention center at National Harbor over the past 36 hours is that the Republican party is now less Republican and more Trumpian. Gabbard no longer fits in with the Democrats and falls short of a Republican, making her a perfect match for Trump.