DENVER—Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Duck Dynasty Star Phil Robertson spoke to a crowd of roughly 1,200 people Saturday night in Denver during the second day of the Western Conservative Summit.
The summit, a three-day conference held each year by the Centennial Institute and sponsored by Colorado Christian University, hosted Donald Trump and Sarah Palin the day before, which led to protests in Denver.
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Carly Fiorina attacks Hillary, avoids Trump
Saturday night had almost no security for the former presidential hopeful, who suspended her campaign in February.
Fiorina’s 30-minute speech focused on her Christian faith, a major theme of the conference, condemning Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and uniting Republicans based on the common belief of small governance.
She opened her speech by directing attention on Hilary Clinton and feminism. Fiorina offered her personal definition of feminists: “Any woman who chooses to use every one of her God-given gifts, and chooses her own life and her own path.”
“And Hillary Clinton, as a feminist, I’m choosing to not vote for you,” Firoina said.
Fiorina continued her speech by stating the need to prevent the concentration of power in Washington and to keep the party united.
However, Fiorina failed to utter the name of her party’s probable choice for president, and instead focused the “importance” for Republicans to “remember who we are.”
“I worry most about conservatives forgetting who we are,” Fiorina said. “Our faith and common sense tells us that a victory at all cost is no victory at all. The ends do not justify every means.”
Fiorina encouraged the GOP to focus on destroying bureaucracy, and said that the Republican Party needs to be the “party of reform.”
“It is not enough to not want Hilary Clinton,” Fiorina said. “We must know why we are conservatives. We must be a movement and a party that works hard every day to restore a citizen government.”
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Phil Robertson on America becoming “Godless”
Phil Robertson followed Fiorina’s speech, but only after a trailer for his upcoming movie, “Torchbearer” was shown.
Phil Robertson’s speech was mostly comprised of him reading scripture, though he clarified first that he was, “not a pastor.”
“Have you ever seen a pastor who looks like me?” Robertson asked the crowd while making a duck call.
I wonder what hair products Phil Robertson uses #WCS16
— Kody Combes (@kody_combes) July 3, 2016
Robertson did make some political commentary, when he said, “we legislate laziness,” referring to welfare programs, and when he criticized the Supreme court for its recent abortion clinic decision, as well as it’s decision on same-sex marriage last June.
“We forgot God, and we’re going to have hell to pay, America,” Robertson said.
Phil Robertson says he is "no different" than George Washington and other founding fathers because they were "Godly" #WCS16
— Erin Douglas 📝🌎🕵🏻♀️ (@erinmdouglas23) July 3, 2016
Robertson made a few jokes with the crowd in reference to his lack of a cell phone and how he spends “a lot of time” in the woods.
“God brought us here…and guns,” Robertson said, a statement that was met with laughter from the crowd.
https://twitter.com/voicesforreason/status/749431939958996992
After Robertson’s speech, he was available for interview where he spoke about Donald Trump and college students.
“We need to convert Trump for sure,” Robertson said.
Robertson went on to say that the “other side,” the Democratic Party, has completely removed God from their platform, which is why he will still vote Republican this year, even though he was originally supporting Ted Cruz.
When asked what he felt was the biggest issue facing college students today, Robertson answered that most higher education was ungodly.
@DuckDynastyAE star Phil Robertson spoke on the biggest issue he believes is facing college #students today. #WCS16 pic.twitter.com/EHxpIcE2Ic
— Erin Douglas 📝🌎🕵🏻♀️ (@erinmdouglas23) July 3, 2016
“I’m sorry to say that (universities) are one of the most ungodly (places),” Robertson said. “The institutions of higher learning, for the most part, are ungodly to the core of their being, and it’ll cost you your soul.”
Collegian News Editor Erin Douglas can be reached at news@collegian.com or on twitter @erinmdouglas23.
