CPAC: It's Not a Schism; Social Cons Still Attending

I hate to do another CPAC post for the second day in a row, but instead of doing another "Year in Review" post last night, I played Civ5 and watched the OK State game. So you're getting this instead.

One thing overlooked by some, but not everyone, is that while the groups boycotting CPAC this year are socially conservative, not all socially conservative groups are boycotting CPAC. A glance at the list of participating organizations reveals many are involved, including:

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property
Americans United for Life
Conservative Party USA
Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute
Christians United for Israel
David Horowitz Freedom Center
Let Freedom Ring
Prison Fellowship

In short, social conservatives are still welcomed at CPAC. Though the Left is gleefully snickering about a conservative crack-up (when are they not?), as usual, reality looks nothing like their claims.

The other thing I want to repeat from yesterday (because I keep seeing this places): Family Research Council did not "pull out" or "quit" CPAC over GOProud, notwithstanding its protestations to WND that it has been involved "for a decade." It hasn't been involved in CPAC for a few years and, in fact, now operates a rival conference, the Values Voters Summit. Though I'm certain FRC genuinely opposes GOProud's participation at CPAC or any other conservative event, FRC wasn't going to participate this year anyway. FRC's role in the boycott appears simply to be to draw groups away from its major competitor.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 08:05 AM

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