Former Congressman Allen West on Thursday addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in what TheBlaze’s Mike Opelka described as a “fiery” speech that had “everyone on their feet.”

“I’ll give it to you straight,” West began. “Last November we did take one on the jaw, but this movement and this fight is not determined by the punches that we take. We’re defined by how quickly we pull ourselves off the mat and our perseverance.”

“There’re no shortage of people telling us what conservatism cannot accomplish, what we can’t do, how we cannot connect, how we must change our values to fit the times.”

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, I want to tell you: That that truly is a bunch of malarkey,” he added, seemingly channeling the spirit of VP debate Joe Biden.

“Last time I checked,” he continued, “a bended knee is not, nor shall it ever be a conservative tradition.”

He went on to argue that people like him (i.e. a black conservative) absolutely terrify liberals.

“I’m speaking from experience when I tell you that there is nothing on this green earth that a liberal progressive fears more than a black American who wants a better life and a smaller government,” West said.

The speech runs about 20 minutes and it’s certainly worth a watch:

Exit Question: Will West make a return to Congress?

“I’m not finished yet,” he told Opelka. “I have more to do.”

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Front page photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons