The AFP “Defending the American Dream Summit” is over and all I can say is “Wow.” I know a lot of people might be discouraged about what’s coming out of Washington these days, but you shouldn’t be. More than 2,000 activists from 25 states attended the summit. That’s a record number, despite a down economy.

You couldn’t help but be energized by them. And if you needed an additional lift, a series of featured speakers certainly helped. The general session on Saturday featured about a dozen speakers. I think it’s worth sharing the thoughts of some of them, starting with the biggest name.

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the U.S. House: On the health care legislation that Democrats and the president continue to tinker with, he said, they are trying to “pass legislation so far to the left you could not afford to let the American people read it.” Later he added, “The socialist wing of their party is going to lead the Democratic Party to a massive defeat …”

Stephen Moore, Wall Street Journal reporter and columnist: He quoted Vice President Joseph Biden saying that the stimulus package “is working beyond my wildest dream.” Then Moore said: “This man must be on hallucinogenic drugs.” Moore later said the cap-and-trade energy policy “may be even more dangerous than the health care bill.”

David Koch, chairman of Americans For Prosperity: “We need a strong, principled freedom movement to hold both parties accountable. And it is exactly what the Americans For Prosperity is doing.”

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who was given AFP’s Washington Award: “When the people over in Washington are more afraid of the voters then the special interests, we’re going to win. … I encourage you to look at every race at every level.”

Herman Cain, radio host and Fox News contributor: “We must save the savable. … We’re not going to save them all.” Later he said. “We are crazy. We’re crazy about liberty and freedom. … Never, never, never give up on us taking back this country.”

Dallas Woodhouse, state director of AFP-North Carolina: “Without you (activists in the audience) we are nothing, zero, zilch, nada. We’d be like people on the left sitting in our garage in our underwear sending faxes to the news media. The only difference is that we would have bathed.”

Hugh Hewitt, lawyer, radio host and best-selling author: “We need to educate people on our broken legal system. … It is just a medieval system.” Later he said: “We need to credential our young people. Our young people need to learn from you how to do politics.”

Ed Morrissey, Hotair.com: “We need to have a tax code overhaul that is decades overdue. … The tax code allows Congress to push social engineering.”

John Fund, Wall Street Journal columnist: On charges there is a small conspiracy to sink health care initiatives: “I’m here to tell you that this conspiracy is so vast, it includes 65 percent of the American people (according to a recent poll) who say this costs too much.” Later, he said to the audience, “You are the new American patriots.”

So there you have it. Hope and truth. Those are good starts to recapturing the American dream.