Conservative Spring Break (Conservative Political Action Conference or CPAC nickname)
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) began in the 1970s and is usually held annually in March. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said in February 2009:
“Some people call this the conservative spring break.”
The “conservative spring break” nickname for CPAC has been frequently used. McConnell’s “some people call this” remark indicates that he didn’t coin the nickname, but his remark helped to popularize it.
Wikipedia: Conservative Political Action Conference
The i>Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC; pron.: /ˈsiːpæk/ see-pak) is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States. In 2011, ACU took CPAC on the road with its first Regional CPAC.
CPAC is hosted by the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), a 501(c)3 charity. More than 100 other organizations contribute in various ways. Human Events, the Young America’s Foundation, and the National Rifle Association have been three of the most prominent cosponsors in recent years.
History
The conference was founded in 1973 by the American Conservative Union and Young Americans for Freedom as a small gathering of dedicated conservatives. Over the years it has grown to thousands of attendees annually. Roughly half of those in attendance in the past few years have been college-aged.
The Daily Beast
Among the Young Conservatives
Feb 27, 2009 7:00 PM EST
Notes from CPAC, the national conservative conference, where this week youth has been served.
It’s 9:15 a.m. on Friday morning. Most college students across America are still hitting the snooze button. But here, in the ballroom of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., thousands of young people are standing and cheering for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Some people call this the conservative spring break,” said the 67-year-old senator from Kentucky.
Accuracy in Media
Epic Fail?
Tilla Bradley — January 29, 2010
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The surge of youth attendance at CPAC has earned the annual event the title of “the Conservative spring break” while there are definitely great things in store for “tea party babies” whose parents brought them to tea party protests across the country. Lisa De Pasquale encouraged the audience, “The stakes are high. . . it’s up to us to continue fighting.”
The Right Hook
FRIENDLY FIRE: Who isn’t banned from CPAC at this point, and why you should go anyway…
Posted on March 4, 2013 by LYNN KROGH AND VINCE CASALE
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Advice for someone going for the first time?
LK: Use your time wisely, keep a decent schedule and party like a rockstar! Some call CPAC the Conservative Spring Break…
Yahoo! News
March 14, 2013
Possible 2016 rivals offer contrasting visions for U.S. Republicans
By Samuel P. Jacobs | Reuters
OXON HILL, Maryland (Reuters) - The Republican Party heard contrasting messages on Thursday about how to recover from last year’s election defeats as two possible contenders for the next presidential campaign in 2016 brandished their conservative credentials.
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Judging by the popularity of bright red T-shirts and stickers bearing his name, Paul won the affection of young activists who turn the three-day event into a conservative spring break.