Murmurs About Political Outsider at Conservative Gathering

OXON HILL, Md. â€" A new face generated curiosity and unexpected 2016 speculation at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday: Ben Carson, the celebrated neurosurgeon.

Mr. Carson’s pitch is part revenge of the nerds, part rebellion against political correctness and part history lesson, with some Biblical references and a rags-to-riches story mixed in.

In the space of just over a month, Mr. Carson has gone from being an apolitical doctor known for separating conjoined twins to an entrant in the conservatives’ 2016 presidential straw poll. At the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 7, Mr. Carson surprised many in the audience by criticizing President Obama’s tax and health care policies while calling for reduction of the federal debt, all while the president sat feet away at the head table.

At the conference on Saturday, Mr. Carson used brain anatomy to explain the human capacity to plan ahead, quoted Jesus, and told his story of growing up poor in Chicago with a single mother who made him read. He rejected the notion that he should talk about race because he is black, again noting that all brains look the same.

“When did we reach a point when you have to have a certain philosophy because of the color of your skin” he said.

Mr. Carson advocates a flat tax, saying he finds the idea of letting those with less income! pay a proportionally smaller tax bill “very offensive, having grown up poor. What you’re saying is I, the superior and elite one, will take care of you.”

He has also said that health savings accounts, combined with catastrophic health insurance, would be a better solution to rising health care costs.

Already a seasoned member of the lecture circuit, Mr. Carson uses comedy to showcase his intellectual credentials. He mocked critics of his policy prescriptions who might say, “He’s a neurosurgeon, so he couldn’t know anything about economics.”

After a beat, he added, “It’s not brain surgery.”

He announced on Saturday that he intends to retire from medicine later this year to focus on his education scholarship program.

“Once we get that taken care of, who knows what I’ll do,” said Mr. Carson, 62, to cheers from the crowd.

After his speech, Mr. Carson’s name could be heard in murmurs in the hallways of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Cener, on the Potomac riverfront just outside Washington. Eric Ekman, who traveled from Sandy Hook, Conn., to attend the conference, said he had never heard of Mr. Carson until Saturday’s speech. But he immediately bought Mr. Carson’s new book, “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great,” and was eager to learn more.

Already, Mr. Ekman was impressed that Mr. Carson “made a scholarship fund so he could encourage students as opposed to athletes.” That was in contrast, Mr. Ekman said, to politicians who join government to try to shrink it, without offering private alternatives.

Sunday Breakfast Menu, March 17

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

In the wake of President Obama’s meetings on Capitol Hill with lawmakers from both parties, the Sunday shows feature discussions of whether Congress is any closer to a fiscal agreement.

Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio will appear on ABC’s “This Week” to talk about the budget battles, as well as the Congressional efforts on immigration and guns.

The program will also include a conversation about the foreign policy challenges facing the Obama administration with Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state; Stephen J. Hadley, former national security adviser; and retired Gen. James E. Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In addition, Representative Xavier Becerraof California, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, will join ABC’s panel.

Having released a new budget proposal last week, Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, chairman of the Budget Committee, will be on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” along with Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota.

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will be on CBS to talk about the future of the Republican Party after the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, and Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, will discuss the budget on “Fox News Sunda! y.”  Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, and Steven C. LaTourette, former congressman and president of the Republican Main Street Partnership, will also weigh in on where the G.O.P. is headed.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the war in Iraq, CNN’s “GPS” features a conversation with Paul Wolfowitz, former deputy defense secretary and one of the architects of the war.

With a packed roster, CNN’s “State of the Union” looks at national security with the chairman and ranking Democrat of the House Intelligence Committee, Representatives Mike Rogers of Michigan and C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, respectively. Then, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, and Representative Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, offer their perspective as veterans on the war in Iraq.

The panel on CNN’s “State of the Union” will weigh how Republicans can bounc back from their November defeats, featuring Alberto Cárdenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union; Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona; Kiki McLean, Democratic strategist; and Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, who attracted attention for criticizing Democratic policy in February and spoke at CPAC.

On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, who is the former president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, talks about the new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis. Later, the panel will include Frank Keating, former Oklahoma governor and former chairman of the Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Review Board, and Kathleen Kennedy Town! send, former lieutenant governor of Maryland and author of “Failing America’s Faithful.”

Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee, and Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, House Majority Whip, will also talk to NBC about the budget debates. Mr. McCarthy also appeared on Bloomberg’s “Political Capital,” which airs Fridays with repeats over the weekend.

Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, will appear on Bloomberg’s “Capitol Gains.” The program is on Sundays at noon E.S.T.

C-Span’s “Newsmakers” has Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the new chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

On TV One’s “Washington Watch” Sunday at 11 a.m. E.S.T., Pope Francis and CPAC will be the focus of the conversation.

Univision’s “Al Punto,” which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. E.S.T., and Telemundo’s “Enfoque,” which airs at non E.S.T., will also feature coverage of the new pope, the first from Latin America. Univision will talk to Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez of Mexico and Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston.

At Conservative Retreat, Support for Insurgent Candidates

OXON HILL, Md. â€" Sarah Palin’s appearances no longer inspire speculation about her presidential aspirations, but her reception at a large gathering of conservatives on Saturday underscored her enduring popularity with the right. In a speech here, she offered zingers for the Republican base but also a strenuous defense of her Tea Party-inspired friends who are challenging the Republican establishment.

In a sweeping pep talk at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Ms. Palin, a former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, attacked the president from the opposing party and the Beltway Republican groups that are promoting traditional candidates over insurgents in Republican primaries.

“More background checks” she said, railing against new gun control proposals offered by Democrats in Congress. “Dandy idea, Mr. President. Should’ve started with yours.” Lines like that frequently brought the crowd to its feet.

Despite her exit from electoral politics after the loss of her presidential ticket in 2008, Ms. Palin has secured an enduring type of influence within the conservative movement. Many of its upstart office holders credit her with their success. They include Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who came o! ut to introduce Ms. Palin hours before he was scheduled to deliver the keynote address.

“She can pick winners,” said Mr. Cruz, who beat the state’s lieutenant governor in a primary last year. “I would not be in the U.S. Senate today if it were not for Gov. Sarah Palin.”

Acknowledging that “we can’t just ignore that we lost a big election,” Ms. Palin said that “the last thing we need is Washington, D.C., vetting more candidates.”

In an apparent reference to Karl Rove, who established the Conservative Victory Fund to oppose insurgent primary candidates, she added, “The architects can head on bak to …” Jeers from the crowd drowned out her proposed destination.

Ms. Palin’s name is one of nearly two dozen appearing on a presidential straw poll that serves as an early measure of enthusiasm in the Republican contest.

Speaking before Ms. Palin was a Republican, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who had offered one of the party’s success stories from 2012. Mr. Walker, who remains the governor after beating back a union-driven recall campaign, spoke about political lessons from his state that could be applied nationally. Yet his suggestions were more modest in scope than those offered by other potential 2016 candidates, focusing more on how to reframe union fights than on how to fundamentally change the perception of the party.

Entitlement reform, Mr. Walker said, should be cast as “moving people! from gov! ernment dependence to true independence.”

He added, to raucous applause, “It’s why we take off work on the 4th of July, not the 15th of April.”

Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, and Representative Michele Bachmann, both of whom vied for the Republican nomination in 2012, also had their 15 minutes. Mr. Gingrich said the Republican-controlled House “could be having a hearing every week on the future.” Using props â€" a candle and an incandescent light bulb â€" Mr. Gingrich imagined that if Thomas Edison’s technology emerged today, liberals would try to block the electric bulb, while subsidizing candles for the poor.

He was followed by Mrs. Bachmann, who has championed the incandescent bulb, introducing a bill to block a planned phaseout of that technology in favor of compact fluorescent lights. On Saturday, she characterized conservatives as a “growing movement of people who care about all Americans.” She cited as evidence their support for $2-a-gallon gasoline and for preserving Second Amendment rights for women.

At Conservative Retreat, Support for Insurgent Candidates

OXON HILL, Md. â€" Sarah Palin’s appearances no longer inspire speculation about her presidential aspirations, but her reception at a large gathering of conservatives on Saturday underscored her enduring popularity with the right. In a speech here, she offered zingers for the Republican base but also a strenuous defense of her Tea Party-inspired friends who are challenging the Republican establishment.

In a sweeping pep talk at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Ms. Palin, a former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, attacked the president from the opposing party and the Beltway Republican groups that are promoting traditional candidates over insurgents in Republican primaries.

“More background checks” she said, railing against new gun control proposals offered by Democrats in Congress. “Dandy idea, Mr. President. Should’ve started with yours.” Lines like that frequently brought the crowd to its feet.

Despite her exit from electoral politics after the loss of her presidential ticket in 2008, Ms. Palin has secured an enduring type of influence within the conservative movement. Many of its upstart office holders credit her with their success. They include Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who came o! ut to introduce Ms. Palin hours before he was scheduled to deliver the keynote address.

“She can pick winners,” said Mr. Cruz, who beat the state’s lieutenant governor in a primary last year. “I would not be in the U.S. Senate today if it were not for Gov. Sarah Palin.”

Acknowledging that “we can’t just ignore that we lost a big election,” Ms. Palin said that “the last thing we need is Washington, D.C., vetting more candidates.”

In an apparent reference to Karl Rove, who established the Conservative Victory Fund to oppose insurgent primary candidates, she added, “The architects can head on bak to …” Jeers from the crowd drowned out her proposed destination.

Ms. Palin’s name is one of nearly two dozen appearing on a presidential straw poll that serves as an early measure of enthusiasm in the Republican contest.

Speaking before Ms. Palin was a Republican, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who had offered one of the party’s success stories from 2012. Mr. Walker, who remains the governor after beating back a union-driven recall campaign, spoke about political lessons from his state that could be applied nationally. Yet his suggestions were more modest in scope than those offered by other potential 2016 candidates, focusing more on how to reframe union fights than on how to fundamentally change the perception of the party.

Entitlement reform, Mr. Walker said, should be cast as “moving people! from gov! ernment dependence to true independence.”

He added, to raucous applause, “It’s why we take off work on the 4th of July, not the 15th of April.”

Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, and Representative Michele Bachmann, both of whom vied for the Republican nomination in 2012, also had their 15 minutes. Mr. Gingrich said the Republican-controlled House “could be having a hearing every week on the future.” Using props â€" a candle and an incandescent light bulb â€" Mr. Gingrich imagined that if Thomas Edison’s technology emerged today, liberals would try to block the electric bulb, while subsidizing candles for the poor.

He was followed by Mrs. Bachmann, who has championed the incandescent bulb, introducing a bill to block a planned phaseout of that technology in favor of compact fluorescent lights. On Saturday, she characterized conservatives as a “growing movement of people who care about all Americans.” She cited as evidence their support for $2-a-gallon gasoline and for preserving Second Amendment rights for women.

The Weekend Word: Backlash

Today’s Times

• Though he is the latest in a growing number of Republicans to publicly oppose their party on the issue of same-sex marriage, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio was still harangued by his fellow conservatives after he announced that he could no longer justify his opposition to the issue, Jeremy W. Peters writes. One religious group released a statement mocking Mr. Portman by equating homosexuality with drunken driving, writing, “My child is a drunk driver and I love him.”

• President Obama called his plan to divert $2 billion in revenue from federal oil and gas royalties for research into advanced vehicles a matter of “national security” that would “break this cycle of spiking gas prices,” John M Broder reports.  The idea is likely to encounter strong resistance from Congressional Republicans, who might need some convincing on nontraditional vehicle technologies.

• While some attendees at this year’s gathering of the Conservative Political Action Committee were hoping to learn from the lessons of the 2012 presidential election, few could actually agree on what those lessons were, and what should be done about them, Jim Rutenberg and Richard W. Stevenson report.

 Weekly Addresses

• President Obama used his weekly address to discuss a virtual tax hike that many Americans receive every year in the form of high gas prices. “It’s a serious blow to your budget,” he said. “But the only way we’re going to break this cycle of spiking gas prices for good is to! shift our cars and trucks off of oil for good.” He proposed setting up an Energy Security Trust to finance research into alternative fuel technologies, using some of the federal government’s oil and gas revenues. “And in the meantime, let’s keep moving forward on an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” he said. “A strategy where we produce more oil and gas here at home, but also more biofuels and fuel-efficient vehicles; more solar power and wind power.”

• Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin delivered his party’s address this week, focusing his message on the budget plan that the House is expected to vote on next week.  If only the federal government would stop spending “money we don’t have,” then the budget could be balanced in 10 years, he said. “But the crucial question isn’t how we balance the budget. It’s why. The budget is a mean to an end,” he told listeners and viewers. “We’re not balancing the budget as an accounting exercise. We’re not trying to simply make numbers add up. We’re trying to improve people’s lives.”

 Happenings in Washington

• Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will depart Washington, D.C., for Rome to attend the Mass of Inauguration celebrated by Pope Francis.