2021 Conservative Political Action Conference Explained

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Website:cpac.conservative.org
Venue:Hyatt Regency Orlando
Location:Orlando, Florida, United States
Patrons:-->
Organizers:-->

The 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference was the annual event of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), hosted by the American Conservative Union. It was held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando, Florida, from February 25 to February 28, 2021. The event was headlined by former President Donald Trump, with many speakers and panels throughout the conference.[1]

President Trump's address

Trump addressed the conference one month after departing office, when on January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was inaugurated as president. He claimed that he had won the 2020 presidential election and suggested he may run for president in 2024.[2]

Entire speakers list

The entire lineup of speakers by day listed below:[3] [4]

Friday:Ron DeSantis,Mike Lee,Scott Walker,James Lankford,Pam Bondi,Ted Cruz,Mo Brooks,Madison Cawthorn,Tom Cotton,Marsha Blackburn,Matt Gaetz,Rick Scott,Josh Hawley, andDonald Trump Jr

Saturday:Ken Paxton,Ric Grenell,Mike Pompeo,Bill Hagerty,Robert Lighthizer,Devin Nunes,Cynthia Lummis,Burgess Owens,Darrell Issa,Andy Biggs,Lauren Boebert,Kevin McCarthy, andKristi Noem

SundaySarah Huckabee Sanders,Mike Huckabee,Larry Kudlow, andPresident Donald Trump

Stage design controversy

Social media observers noticed and raised concerns over similarities between the CPAC main stage layout and a winged othala rune, which had been used as insignia by two units of the Nazi SS, and more recently by Neo-Nazi organizations.[5] CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp said comparisons were "outrageous and slanderous".[6] Hyatt issued a statement that it took concerns over the design seriously, but allowed the event to continue after organizers assured them "that any resemblance to a symbol of hate [was] unintentional." Design firm Design Foundry later took responsibility for the design of the stage, saying that it "intended to provide the best use of space, given the constraints of the ballroom and social distancing requirements." Ian Walters, director of communications for the ACU and CPAC, said they would stop using Design Foundry.[7] [8]

Notes and References

  1. News: Plott. Elaina. Goldmacher. Shane. 2021-02-28. Trump Wins CPAC Straw Poll, but Only 68 Percent Want Him to Run Again. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-02-28. 0362-4331.
  2. Web site: Coleman. Justine. 2021-02-28. Trump teases another White House bid in CPAC speech. 2021-02-28. The Hill. en.
  3. News: Elaina Plott. What to Watch For at CPAC: Trump, Cruz, Pompeo and More. The New York Times . February 25, 2021 .
  4. News: Morgan Phillips. CPAC 2021 schedule: Who is speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida.
  5. News: Peiser. Jaclyn. As CPAC dismisses claims that its stage resembled a Nazi insignia, Hyatt calls hate symbols 'abhorrent'. 2021-03-01. The Washington Post. 2023-03-16.
  6. News: Walters . Joanna . CPAC: Hyatt Hotels says stage design resembling Nazi rune is 'abhorrent' . 1 March 2021 . The Guardian . 1 March 2021.
  7. News: Kornbluh. Jacob. Design firm takes responsibility for CPAC stage controversy. 2021-03-03. The Forward. 2023-03-16.
  8. Web site: Nur Nasreen . Ibrahim . 2021-03-03 . Was the CPAC Stage Intentionally Shaped Like a Nazi Symbol? . . 2023-04-13 . Verdict: "Mixture". The resemblance was clear, the intention undetermined by documentation but denied..