Prominent conservative columnist Cal Thomas writes on CPAC “rejecting” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as a speaker (via FoxNews.com):

By not inviting him to speak, CPAC invites comparison with a pessimistic and hypercritical political environment of the past. If the Republican “tent” isn’t large enough for Chris Christie, then it will resemble a pup tent for some time to come.

Republicans should be focused on deconstructing failed liberalism and styling their alternative in positive terms, not rejecting one of their own. Hating President Obama is not a policy. Intellectually defeating his policies is.

CPAC, the largest annual gathering of conservative voters, is Mar. 14-16. Organizers for the event have been widely criticized for their decision to… exclude Christie and, to a lesser extent, gay Republican groups as sponsors.