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| Would-be Republican leaders pitch their visions for the GOP at CPAC | Would-be Republican leaders pitch their visions for the GOP at CPAC |
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| America's conservative movement, licking its wounds following last year's defeat of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, gathered this week in an effort to find new leaders and search for a road back to power. | America's conservative movement, licking its wounds following last year's defeat of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, gathered this week in an effort to find new leaders and search for a road back to power. |
| At an annual conclave of grassroots activists known as CPAC, hosted by the American Conservative Union, the Republicans' core base engaged itself in a three-day mix of recrimination about Romney's loss and a debate about the party's future. | At an annual conclave of grassroots activists known as CPAC, hosted by the American Conservative Union, the Republicans' core base engaged itself in a three-day mix of recrimination about Romney's loss and a debate about the party's future. |
| The gathering, by far the biggest conservative event of the Republican political year, always attracts a beauty parade of future White House hopefuls and this year has been no different. Young party hotshots like Florida senator Marco Rubio, Kentucky senator and Tea Party favourite Rand Paul, Texas senator Ted Cruz and Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan all made the pilgrimage to a giant convention centre on the suburban outskirts of Washington to make their pitches. | The gathering, by far the biggest conservative event of the Republican political year, always attracts a beauty parade of future White House hopefuls and this year has been no different. Young party hotshots like Florida senator Marco Rubio, Kentucky senator and Tea Party favourite Rand Paul, Texas senator Ted Cruz and Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan all made the pilgrimage to a giant convention centre on the suburban outskirts of Washington to make their pitches. |
| Ryan, a hardcore fiscal conservative who was Romney's running mate last year, gave a speech on Friday that demanded smaller government and less spending as a way of tacking America's deficit. "Our debt is a threat," he said. "We have to tackle this problem before it tackles us." He ended his speech urging the crowd: "Go get 'em!". | Ryan, a hardcore fiscal conservative who was Romney's running mate last year, gave a speech on Friday that demanded smaller government and less spending as a way of tacking America's deficit. "Our debt is a threat," he said. "We have to tackle this problem before it tackles us." He ended his speech urging the crowd: "Go get 'em!". |
| The self-styled new generation of leaders was joined by party stalwarts of the rightwing like Texas governor Rick Perry and John McCain's former running mate Sarah Palin, whose political power has waned even as she remains a major media force. | The self-styled new generation of leaders was joined by party stalwarts of the rightwing like Texas governor Rick Perry and John McCain's former running mate Sarah Palin, whose political power has waned even as she remains a major media force. |
| In the landscape of US politics, CPAC has long exerted a strong grip on Republican ideology. But this year has been different. Many experts within and outside the party believe it desperately needs to broaden its appeal to young voters and minorities, especially Hispanics, and lessen its social conservatism on issues like gay marriage. | In the landscape of US politics, CPAC has long exerted a strong grip on Republican ideology. But this year has been different. Many experts within and outside the party believe it desperately needs to broaden its appeal to young voters and minorities, especially Hispanics, and lessen its social conservatism on issues like gay marriage. |
| As a result some of the CPAC panels and speeches have seen some honest truth-telling. "Well, we lost," said Dick Morris, a former Bill Clinton adviser turned conservative pundit. Morris, who urged the party to embrace immigration reform as way of attracting Hispanics, was joined by other senior members of the Washington political class. "Our losses in 2012 were devastating," said Matt Schlapp, a consultant with Cove Strategies. | As a result some of the CPAC panels and speeches have seen some honest truth-telling. "Well, we lost," said Dick Morris, a former Bill Clinton adviser turned conservative pundit. Morris, who urged the party to embrace immigration reform as way of attracting Hispanics, was joined by other senior members of the Washington political class. "Our losses in 2012 were devastating," said Matt Schlapp, a consultant with Cove Strategies. |
| Attracting Hispanics has figured in several debates in the main convention hall and at dozens of fringe meetings held in conference rooms and local restaurants. Republican pollster Whit Ayres predicted that immigration reform and winning over Hispanics could win the 2016 election. "We can do much, much better in the Hispanic community than we did in 2008 and 2012 and if we do we stand a very good chance of winning the 2016 election," he said. | Attracting Hispanics has figured in several debates in the main convention hall and at dozens of fringe meetings held in conference rooms and local restaurants. Republican pollster Whit Ayres predicted that immigration reform and winning over Hispanics could win the 2016 election. "We can do much, much better in the Hispanic community than we did in 2008 and 2012 and if we do we stand a very good chance of winning the 2016 election," he said. |
| Much of the hope around breathing new life into the movement has rested on the relatively youthful shoulders of figures such as Rubio, whose Cuban parentage is seen as allowing the party to move away from its image as dominated by old, white men. Rubio gave a barnstorming speech where he kept close to conservative values but packaged them as the voice of a squeezed middle class. "Every week Washington is creating some sort of manmade political crisis for them to worry about," he said. "They wonder who is fighting for them? Who is fighting for the hardworking every day people of this country?" | Much of the hope around breathing new life into the movement has rested on the relatively youthful shoulders of figures such as Rubio, whose Cuban parentage is seen as allowing the party to move away from its image as dominated by old, white men. Rubio gave a barnstorming speech where he kept close to conservative values but packaged them as the voice of a squeezed middle class. "Every week Washington is creating some sort of manmade political crisis for them to worry about," he said. "They wonder who is fighting for them? Who is fighting for the hardworking every day people of this country?" |
| But Rand Paul was also a hit, especially after his high profile criticisms of Barack Obama's drones programme. | But Rand Paul was also a hit, especially after his high profile criticisms of Barack Obama's drones programme. |
| Paul, who is trying to capture the same libertarian-leaning wing of the party that his father Ron Paul inspired, thundered against the Republican establishment. "The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered," he said. | Paul, who is trying to capture the same libertarian-leaning wing of the party that his father Ron Paul inspired, thundered against the Republican establishment. "The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered," he said. |
| Such sentiments were popular among CPAC attendees. "You're seeing a changing of the guard to both Rand and Marco," said William Temple, 62, from Georgia. | Such sentiments were popular among CPAC attendees. "You're seeing a changing of the guard to both Rand and Marco," said William Temple, 62, from Georgia. |
| This wider identity crisis in conservative circles has hit CPAC, which faced a mini-scandal after it failed to invite any gay Republican groups or the popular but more moderate New Jersey governor Chris Christie, and yet gave a prime speaking slot to reality TV star Donald Trump, who has frequently questioned whether Obama was born in America. | This wider identity crisis in conservative circles has hit CPAC, which faced a mini-scandal after it failed to invite any gay Republican groups or the popular but more moderate New Jersey governor Chris Christie, and yet gave a prime speaking slot to reality TV star Donald Trump, who has frequently questioned whether Obama was born in America. |
| Trump did little to dispel his eccentric reputation, delivering a rambling and boastful speech. "I am continually criticised by the lightweights. It's unbelievable," he complained. | Trump did little to dispel his eccentric reputation, delivering a rambling and boastful speech. "I am continually criticised by the lightweights. It's unbelievable," he complained. |
| Despite the lack of an official invite, one prominent gay Republican was asked by a sponsoring group to speak at a panel. Jimmy DaSilvia, director of GOProud, rousingly condemned the idea of anti-gay bigotry in the party. "There are a few in our movement who just don't like gay people and in 2013 that is just not OK anymore," he told a packed gathering held away from CPAC's main speaking hall. | Despite the lack of an official invite, one prominent gay Republican was asked by a sponsoring group to speak at a panel. Jimmy DaSilvia, director of GOProud, rousingly condemned the idea of anti-gay bigotry in the party. "There are a few in our movement who just don't like gay people and in 2013 that is just not OK anymore," he told a packed gathering held away from CPAC's main speaking hall. |
| But Rubio, whom is emerging as the leading light of the conservative right, showed no signs of backing away from his opposition to same sex marriage equality. "Just because I believe states have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said. | But Rubio, whom is emerging as the leading light of the conservative right, showed no signs of backing away from his opposition to same sex marriage equality. "Just because I believe states have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said. |
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