CPAC gathering in Orlando captivates the press

NEWS AND OPINION:

The Conservative Political Action Conference is now underway in Orlando, Florida. This is the 48th CPAC — the first event was staged by the American Conservative Union in 1974 and counted Ronald Reagan as its keynote speaker that year.

This one — like those in the past — will open with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and a playing of the national anthem on Thursday morning — to be followed by three days of intensely focused but cheerful public speakers.

They include former President Donald Trump and a host of lawmakers, keen-minded political analysts, broadcasters, activists — the list goes on. This is, after all, the largest gathering of conservatives in the world, according to the American Conservative Union, the host organization.

The news media, however, has offered its own interpretation of CPAC, for better or worse.

“The Woodstock of conservative politics is back in Orlando this week,” noted the Orlando Sentinel, which also suggested that Mr. Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would be in search of “more political drama.”

The New Republic declared that the pair are “on the brink of war.”

“Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii congresswoman who sought the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, is completing her metamorphosis from iconoclast progressive to hardcore conservative by appearing as a featured guest at the Trumpy love-in known as the Conservative Political Action Conference,” declared Rolling Stone.

The Hill, meanwhile, points out that anti-Trump conservatives will flock to their on counter-summit in the nation’s capital on Saturday and Sunday in event hosted by Principles First, an organization that describes itself as “a grassroots effort to rediscover and champion principles in the 21st century.”

It is no small event. There will be 50 speakers at the two-day gathering, including Rep. Liz Cheney, Wyoming Republican.

The summit, according to the group, will focus on “conservatism’s meaning & the path to a more principled future for our country” through panels, speeches, networking and discussions concerning “the meaning of conservatism today and the future of our movement.”

A TRUCKER VOTING BLOC

The truck convoy, which paid a call on the Washington area Wednesday, provided a cultural moment for the media — and it could become a potential political moment as well.

“America’s trucker convoy could become the next Tea Party — in time for the midterms,” predicts Carrie Sheffield — a senior policy analyst at Independent Women’s Forum — in an opinion column for The New York Post.

“The potent Tea Party made its mark in America’s 2010 midterm elections fighting bloated taxation. Could truckers fighting COVID mandates and restrictions spark a movement as powerful in November’s midterms? Polling is on their side, with heavy-handed rules steadily losing support,” Ms. Sheffield said.

“Think of it this way: Tea Party = no taxation without representation. Truckers = no vaccination without self-authorization,” she continued, later noting that there are 3.5 million people working as truckers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

That would make quite a voting bloc.

SOME TIMELY ADVICE

Presidential and World War II historian Craig Shirley is author of “April 1945: The Hinge of History,” a new book published Tuesday. He now notes the similarities between the current situation between Russia and Ukraine and the rise of Russia following World War II.

“Even though the War was ending, as was America’s alliance with Russia, President Harry Truman knew Russia was a force to be reckoned with and that Communism needed to be contained,” Mr. Shirley said in a statement shared with “Inside the Beltway.”

“President Biden needs to work from a position of strength and marshal enough allies to hold Vladimir Putin in check,” he said.

NEW ARRIVALS

The nation is now undergoing a “historic growth” in population, according to a new analysis.

The Center for Immigration Studies, which has analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly household survey for January to reveal the total immigrant population (both legal and illegal), grew by 1.6 million in the last year.

That population hit 46.6 million in January 2022 — described as “the highest number ever in American history,” according to the organization’s analysis.

“The enormous number of people now settling in the country reflects both our permissive legal immigration system and the decision not to control illegal immigration. Unfortunately, our national leaders seldom, if ever, ask the most important question: is this historic growth in the interest of the American people?” said Steven Camarota, the center’s director of research and co-author of the report, in a statement.

The analysis also said that immigrants now make up 14.2% of the total population — the highest percentage in 112 years.
“If present trends continue, the immigrant share is likely to surpass the all-time highs reached in 1890 (14.8%) and 1910 (14.7%) in the next few years,” the analysis said.

FOXIFIED

During the week of Feb. 14-20, Fox News aired 95 of the top 100 cable news telecasts, drawing 2.5 million average prime-time viewers compared to MSNBC, which drew 1 million viewers, and CNN, which drew 571,000 during that time period.

The standouts for the week were “The Five,” which had an audience of 3.6 million, and “Tucker Carlson Tonight, with 3.5 million viewers.

POLL DU JOUR

• 85% of U.S. adults say that books that teach political ideas that they disagree with “should never be banned” in schools.

• 88% of whites, 86% of Blacks and 74% of Hispanics agree.

• 86% of Republicans, 84% of independents and 87% of Democrats also agree.

• 15% of U.S. adults overall say that books that teach political ideas that they disagree with “should be banned” in schools.

• 12% of whites, 14% of Blacks and 26% of Hispanics agree.

• 14% of Republicans, 16% of independents and 13% of Democrats also agree.

SOURCE: A CBS News poll of 2,494 U.S. adults conducted Feb. 14-15.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.