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Conservative conference invites Romney, Palin, snubs Christie

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Top Talkers: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was not invited to the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference, while other big-name GOP figures were, including Sen. Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Jeb Bush and Paul Ryan. The Morning Joe panel – including economic analyst Steve Rattner, the BBC's Katty Kay and Mike Barnicle – discusses.

The Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, has a peculiar eye for the future of the Republican Party—one that includes a lot of past losers and low approval ratings.

Notably absent from CPAC’s keynote list? Chris Christie, New Jersey’s Republican Governor with 74% approval ratings.

“Are you serious?” Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski asked incredulously.

Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Sen. Ted Cruz will also speak at the conference.

“Apparently these days being a Republican is not about winning,” host Joe Scarborough remarked. “Maybe I should call myself a Republican In Name Only because do you know what I like to do? I like to win. I like to destroy my political opponents.”

Other speakers include the three biggest losers of the last two national elections: Former Sen. Rick Santorum, former Gov. Sarah Palin and, of course, former Gov. Mitt Romney.

Of that group, Mitt Romney actually happens to be the most successful politician. The 47% of the vote he earned in November is far larger than the other three’s approval ratings.