The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated
By Katie O'Malley
What is a conservative girl to do after a contentious and disappointing election season? Back in June, taking the post-election cruise with The National Review seemed to make perfect sense. The thought of the American people electing a far-left MoveOn.org candidate to the most powerful office in the land, indeed the world, seemed too surreal to even imagine. A victory cruise sounded like a perfect way to decompress after a very long year.
And yet I woke up on November 5th to find that George Soros has had his evil way with us and as far left an American candidate as I have ever seen had been handed the Presidency. Obama has me almost missing the Clintons.
I quickly moved through the Kubler-Ross grief cycle in those early days, hitting all seven before I checked my bags on Friday afternoon. Boarding the ship on Saturday, I honestly did not know what to expect from either the speakers or from my fellow travelers, but I did expect to see a grief counselor poolside next to tequila I.V. drips.
As it happens, neither support option was needed. The reports of the death/submission/disintegration of the conservative movement have been greatly exaggerated. Don’t get me wrong, it was not all sunshine and rainbows. The concerning realities of an Obama Presidency were certainly discussed both on the panels and around the cocktail table. There were a few Eyeores in the group, but for those on the left that thought (hoped) our week would be spent morosely bent over martinis, the mood would have been quite the disappointment.
The crowd, though certainly serious at times, was jovial more often than not. The comedy night, featuring Mark Steyn, Jonah Goldberg and Rob Long, was brilliant. Funny, cutting, self-deprecating at times but searing when tackling the left.
For the first time in what seems like ages, there was an air of, dare I say it, hope. Hope that we conservatives can stand or fall on our own merits, on our own positions, rather than win an office for the sake of having an R behind a name. It was a forward-thinking collection of people from all over the country ready to get to work.
I have grown weary of assessing the McCain candidacy and campaign. It was what it was. One thing it was not, was a referendum on the conservative platform. Republicans lost the White House a few weeks ago, not conservatives.
What I found among my fellow travelers was an enthusiasm to move ahead, press on, and continue to fight this important battle for our Republic. I found people enthusiastically embracing their conservative viewpoints and a willingness to be loud and proud.
I found reason to be comforted that though a battle was lost, the war rages and the troops are most definitely ready.
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