[img caption=”Matt Continetti, desert bandito.” float=”right” width=”400″ height=”300″ render=”<%photoRenderType%>”]8864[/img] Somewhere in the Pacific

THURSDAY BEGAN with a great presentation by Bill Kristol on the state of world affairs, touching on domestic politics, the challenge to a Republican party that controls both Congress and the White House, the danger posed by Iran, and the fluidity of the post-9/11 world (and also the state of the airline industry: five days after flying into San Diego, Fred Barnes still hasn’t gotten one of his bags). After that, Steve Hayes and Christian Lowe, both of whom have spent significant time in Iraq and Afghanistan, joined Kristol for a panel on Iraq, al Qaeda, and the war on terrorism.

The afternoon panel was a look ahead to the 2006 election with Kristol, Fred Barnes, and Matt Continetti–the general feeling seemed to be not entirely optimistic for Republican chances. Kristol and Barnes both noted that it is not uncommon for a party to have significant losses in the House but to hold fast in the Senate. There was lots of talk about what may be two of the bigger issues in 2006: the new prescription dug benefit and immigration.