Reports from CPAC

A few on-the-ground reports from CPAC 2023.

The Other McCain notes that CPAC doesn't seem to have been run with the professionalism of years gone by. CPAC 2023: ‘Media Logistics’ & a Strange Memo From the National Affairs Desk

But if they don’t understand how important Legal Insurrection, Gateway Pundit and Twitchy are . . . ? Well, even if I did endorse Mike’s anti-CPAC vendetta (which, I must repeat, I do not), the people who screwed Mike over on his credentials probably wouldn’t ever read my endorsement. Or, to quote Hillary Clinton: “What difference, at this point, does it make?”

Stacey Lennox at PJ Media misses the CPAC of yesteryear. CPAC 2023: the End of an Era

The conservative movement needs an enthusiastic, energized, and collegial base of activists capable of coalescing around an eventual nominee. Those people used to attend CPAC. They may have voted for diverse potential candidates in the straw poll. However, the feeling that permeated the conference was that of a group of happy warriors who were enthusiastic to debate ideas and come together when required. Now it seems CPAC is dominated by a distinct faction that can be described as “Only Trump,” even if he loses a contested primary.

The Other McCain notes that CPAC is singing one song. CPAC 2023: Trump Is Still the Big Dog. Maybe this is why some people stayed away.

Whatever his critics may say, the fact remains that Trump still has millions of loyal supporters who will show up to vote in Republican primaries, and unless something changes drastically in the next few month, it is unlikely that anyone — including Ron DeSantis — can stop Trump from being the GOP nominee in 2024.

The Other McCain there really are other choices besides Trump. CPAC 2023: Why Not This Guy?

Ramaswamy’s speech yesterday at CPAC was lit, as the kids say. He is an outspoken and articulate critic of the religion of “Wokeism,” but more than that, is an enthusiastic proponent of American exceptionalism.