The right has found yet another reason to hate CPAC: The decision to invite potential 2012 presidential candidate Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN).
Daniels infuriated many social conservatives when he told the Weekly Standard in June that he thinks the country should have a “truce” on social issues until economic and national security problems are solved.
CPAC has already seen some pushback from the right over its decision to include the gay conservative group GOProud in the February conference. Several prominent social conservative groups like the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage have announced a boycott of the conference in response.
One group, the American Principles Project, released a statement saying: “Governor Daniels’ selection is an affront to the millions of conservatives who believe that social issues such as abortion and traditional marriage are non-negotiable.”
“He has flown his white flag and he has surrendered,” director Andy Blom told CNN. “The foot soldiers in the conservative movement have for so long been pro-lifers. You can’t win a national election by throwing these people away. We aren’t going to stand for it.”
[TPM SLIDESHOWS: ‘The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy’: CPAC 2010]
CPAC has also been accused by the right of being infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
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