March 6, 2014

JOINT MEMO: CPAC: AN AGENDA SETTING MOMENT FOR THE GOP

To: Interested Parties
From: DNC, DSCC, DCCC and DGA Communications 
Re: CPAC: An Agenda Setting Moment for the GOP
 
This year, CPAC isn’t just a meeting of conservatives, it’s an agenda setting moment for Republicans heading into the midterms.
 
Over the next few days, Republican Party leaders, prospective presidential candidates, Members of Congress, top activists and conspiracy theorists will gather to plan and discuss the future of the conservative moment.
 
After the 2012 election, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus pledged to stop the GOP’s ‘traveling circus’ seeming to blame the conservative cattle calls for their failure. With CPAC starting today, the traveling circus is back in town and the gathering is more divisive than ever. TheCPAC crowd along with the Koch brothers and their network of special interest groups are the leaders of today’s GOP.
 
Over the next few days, many of the potential Republican presidential candidates will speak including Chris Christie, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal.
 
Fringe GOP icons form Mike Huckabee to Sarah Palin and Donald Trump will share the stage with the party’s current and future leaders.
 
On Saturday, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus will speak at the gathering – taking the stage as a ring leader in the ‘traveling circus’  he once derided.
 
Last week the DNC held its Winter Meeting in Washington, DC where Democrats heard from President Obama on ways to expand opportunity for all Americans. Meanwhile, here are a few things that participants will hear at CPAC:
 
  • Healthcare After ObamaCare: A Practical Guide for Living When No One Has Insurance and America Runs Out of Doctors (Part 1)  with Senator Barasso and Representative Price
  • Why Conservatism is Right for Women: How Conservatives Should Talk About Life, Prosperity & National Security
  • Social Media 3.0: The Next Revolution Will Start on Your Phone (Let's Hope Conservatives Don't Miss It)
 
This is how Republicans are talking about the issues facing America. Meanwhile, Democrats will continue focusing on increasing opportunity for everyone not just for a few.
 
The choice voters will face in November couldn’t be clearer, between Democrats who are fighting for opportunity for everyone not just opportunity for a few, and Republicans who put courtship of the far-right above all.

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Including the above memo, the DNC issued at least a dozen communications over the three days:

Ted Cruz should follow his own advice
What Chris Christie Didn't discuss
"takes a lot of brass" [Christie]
Jindal doubles down on women's health care restrictions
Look in the mirror [Rubio]
the definition of insanity [Trump video]
the only thing worse than Trump’s speech
Rick Perry's Economy - Not a Pretty Picture
Priebus' Traveling Circus
Top GOP Pollster's Cynical CPAC Presentation
Full, Unedited Video: Sarah Palin's CPAC Speech