NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland–The national Democratic Party is coming after the American Conservative Union (ACU) for hosting conservative leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which starts Thursday in National Harbor, MD, just outside Washington, D.C.
In a memo sent from the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee addressed to “Interested Parties” and provided to press on Thursday morning, the Democrats specifically targeted CPAC for being “an agenda setting moment for Republicans heading into the midterms.”
“Over the next few days, Republican Party leaders, prospective presidential candidates, Members of Congress, top activists and conspiracy theorists will gather to plan and discuss the future of the conservative moment,” the Democrats wrote.
After the 2012 election, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus pledged to stop the GOP’s “traveling circus” seeming to blame the conservative cattle calls for their failure. With CPAC starting today, the traveling circus is back in town and the gathering is more divisive than ever. The CPAC crowd along with the Koch brothers and their network of special interest groups are the leaders of today’s GOP.
Over the next few days, many of the potential Republican presidential candidates will speak including Chris Christie, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal.
The Democrats called this year’s CPAC speakers–former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who was almost the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, and businessman Donald Trump–“fringe” conservatives.
“Fringe GOP icons from Mike Huckabee to Sarah Palin and Donald Trump will share the stage with the party’s current and future leaders,” the Democrats wrote.
The Democrats also criticized Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus for agreeing to speak at CPAC, saying he is “taking the stage as a ring leader in the ‘traveling circus’ he once derided.”