CPAC Is Completely Empty This Year
The Conservative Political Action Conference -- also known as CPAC -- purports to be a yearly gathering of the greatest conservative minds in American politics. As recently as a few years ago, CPAC drew overflowing, standing room only crowds for some of its biggest speakers. This year, in it's 50th edition, things are a bit different. There is no one there.
This year's conference started on Thursday and political journalists from across the spectrum are marveling at how empty it is. Sparse crowds are dotting the various panels to start the weekend.
Here are some of the crowd shots:
"This was the largest audience to ever witness a CPAC, period, both in person and around the globe.” pic.twitter.com/mZHzTPCbwW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 22, 2024
I remember when they had overflow rooms. pic.twitter.com/VrB9aN1umc
— amanda 🐢 (@noturtlesoup17) February 22, 2024
CPAC is very sleepy this year.
— Ben Goggin (@BenjaminGoggin) February 22, 2024
As I was preparing I reached out to people I met here previously, 95 percent of them said they weren’t coming this year. pic.twitter.com/riMSsyytPf
The fact that the crowd isn't popping in an election year is probably not a great sign for the organization. Maybe things will fill out over the weekend. Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at some point, along with Pablo Torre's nemesis Vivek Ramaswamy.
The lack of attendance might have something to do with CPAC chair Matt Schlapp being accused of sexual assault by three men. That may have put a damper on the weekend. Who knows.