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| − | '''CPAC''', which stands for the Conservative Political Action Conference, is the largest annual gathering of [[conservatives]]. Meeting in February, in 2008 it had a record attendance of 6800 persons, including as speakers President [[George W. Bush]] and all the [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidates for president. | + | '''CPAC''', Conservative Political Action Conference, has traditionally been the largest annual gathering of [[conservatives]], but overwhelmingly male college students. It meets in Washington, D.C., in February or March, with roughly 10,000 in attendance. In 2013, it meets in March 14-16. CPAC does remain a good counterweight to the [[neocons]] who dominate the [[Fox News Channel]]. |
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| − | In February 2010, it had record-breaking attendance of about 10,000 people.
| + | But conferences cost money, and it has become increasingly difficult to hear a socially conservative message. Students for Life, in contrast, sells out with its annual conference of 2000 students in January in D.C., without the libertarian and big money dominance that increasingly plagues CPAC. But CPAC does remain a good counterweight to the [[neocons]] who dominate the [[Fox News Channel]]. |
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| − | Its audience tends to be mostly young male and, perhaps simply as a result of the demographic, more libertarian than the conservative movement. For example, in 2010 the audience ranked the importance of issues as follows:
| + | In 2010, the CPAC audience demonstrates its lack of social conservatism by ranking issues in the following importance: |
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| | :85%: reducing government and government spending | | :85%: reducing government and government spending |
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| | :1%: stopping [[same-sex marriage]] | | :1%: stopping [[same-sex marriage]] |
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| − | There was virtually unanimous opposition among attendees to the policies of the [[Obama Administration]]. | + | There was, however, virtually unanimous opposition among attendees to the policies of the [[Obama Administration]]. |
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| | [[Ron Paul]] won the straw poll among attendees for president in 2012, but [[Mitt Romney]] came in a close second, and Romney is more favored by the Republican voters overall. | | [[Ron Paul]] won the straw poll among attendees for president in 2012, but [[Mitt Romney]] came in a close second, and Romney is more favored by the Republican voters overall. |
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| | == Ronald Reagan Award == | | == Ronald Reagan Award == |
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| − | Each year the special [[Ronald Reagan]] Award is given to a rising star in the conservative movement. In 2010, this award went to the [[Tea Parties]]. | + | Each year the special [[Ronald Reagan]] Award is given to a rising star in the conservative movement, and there have been some tremendous recipients in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2010, this award went to the [[Tea Parties]]. |
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| | == No-Shows == | | == No-Shows == |