一年一度的保守党政治行动会议(CPAC)于周三下午正式开幕，这是一个为期四天的活动，聚集了共和党内的知名人士和特朗普的支持者。
每年，研讨会都会吸引来自全国各地的与会者，听取保守派人士将政策理念与行动呼吁相结合，同时抨击民主党人的“社会主义”议程。从白宫内阁秘书和共和党议员，到福克斯新闻撰稿人和网络红人戴蒙德和西尔克，该党没有一个角落被遗漏。
同样发言的还有唐纳德·特朗普总统、他的两个家庭成员——伊万卡和小唐纳德·特朗普——以及他的一些最忠实的粉丝，比如当星电视真人秀明星里克·哈里森，《新英格兰爱国者》的主演本杰明·沃森和《转折点美国》的主演查理·柯克。
尽管选举季节和顶级代理人全力以赴地努力再次选举特朗普，但今年在CPAC的演讲人名单中还是有一些明显的缺席。他们包括共和党参议员、多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔和特朗普的密友林赛·格雷厄姆。会议在马里兰州国家港国会山以南20英里处举行。
CPAC组织者已经明确表示，他们将把社会主义作为他们讨论的基石，类似于去年的大会。该议程列出了十几个将围绕这一主题的事件，为共和党人提供了激发其保守派基础的绝佳机会。
可以找到该活动的全部演讲者名单这里还有详细的议程这里。
以下是被排除在今年会议之外的一些最值得注意的人。
2019年3月2日，CPAC 2019，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普拥抱美国国旗。
林赛·格雷厄姆:作为特朗普的亲密盟友和共和党参议员，格雷厄姆不打算在今年的会议活动中扮演任何角色。参议院司法委员会主席确实在去年的会议上发表了讲话，他在会上取笑自己与总统一度不愉快的关系。
“所以，特朗普总统和我的开局并不好，”这位南卡罗来纳州议员去年表示。“我记得他当选那天晚上在那里，他说，‘嘿，林赛，我没有你的电话号码。’我说，‘这是有原因的。"
其他几位共和党参议员也将发言:得克萨斯州的特德·克鲁兹、爱荷华州的乔尼·恩斯特、田纳西州的玛莎·布莱克本和阿拉斯加州的丹·沙利文。
米奇·麦康奈尔:参议院多数党领袖也不会露面，这是过去几年出现的趋势。但他的缺席并不意味着他和总统没有良好的关系。在今年早些时候的总统弹劾审判中，麦康奈尔为保持他的政党基本一致进行了激烈的斗争，并取得了成功。他缩短了审判时间，阻止了民主党传唤证人的努力。
这位肯塔基州共和党人在CPAC的最后一次亮相是在2014年，当时他骄傲地举着枪走上舞台，伴随着邦·乔维的《祈祷中的生活》(Livin' on a祷文)成为头条新闻。麦康奈尔将这支步枪作为全国步枪协会的终身成就奖颁发给退休的前参议员汤姆·科伯恩。
格雷厄姆和麦康奈尔的办公室都没有回应新闻周刊关于他们不在CPAC的询问。
米特·罗姆尼:考虑到这位共和党参议员是唯一支持民主党并投票弹劾总统的共和党人滥用权力。
但是犹他州的立法者特别是从CPAC被取消邀请之后，他和缅因州参议员苏珊·科林斯一起，投票传唤证人在弹劾审判期间。在他投票给特朗普定罪后，他的参议院共和党同事团结起来支持他尽管罗姆尼投了票，一些共和党人，包括总统的一个儿子，也呼吁将他开除出党。
WHICH NOTABLE REPUBLICANS AREN'T GOING TO CPAC? WHO'S MISSING FROM THE ANNUAL CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE
The annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) officially kicks off Wednesday afternoon, a four-day event chock full of prominent figures within the Republican Party—and Trump supporters.
Each year, the symposium draws attendees from across the country to hear conservatives mix policy ideas with calls to action while railing against Democrats for their "socialist" agenda. No corners of the party are left out, from White House cabinet secretaries and Republican lawmakers to Fox News contributors and internet sensations Diamond and Silk.
Also speaking will be President Donald Trump, two of his family members—Ivanka and Donald Trump, Jr.—and some of his most loyal fans, like Pawn Stars reality TV star Rick Harrison, New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson and Turning Points USA leader Charlie Kirk.
Despite election season and efforts by top surrogates to re-elect Trump in full swing, there are a few notable absences from CPAC's speakers list this year. They include Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, and Lindsey Graham, a Trump confidant. The conference is taking place just 20 miles south of Capitol Hill in National Harbor, Maryland.
CPAC organizers have made it clear they'll make socialism a cornerstone of their discussions, similar to last year's convention. The agenda lists a dozen events that will focus on the subject, offering Republicans prime opportunity to energize their conservative base.
The event's full speakers list can be found here and the detailed agenda here.
Here are some of the most noteworthy people excluded from this year's conference.
President Donald Trump hugs the U.S. flag during CPAC 2019 on March 2, 2019 in National Harbor, Maryland.
Lindsey Graham: A close Trump ally and GOP senator, Graham is not slated to have a role in this year's conference events. The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman did speak at last year's conference, where he poked fun at his once sour relationship with the president.
"So, President Trump and I did not start off well," the South Carolina lawmaker said last year. "I remember being there the night he got elected, and he said, 'Hey, Lindsey, I don't have your phone number.' And I said, 'There's a reason for that.'"
Several other Republican senators will be speaking: Ted Cruz of Texas, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.
Mitch McConnell: The Senate majority leader will also not make an appearance, a trend that's occurred over the past several years. But his absence doesn't mean that he and the president don't have a good relationship. McConnell fought fiercely—and emerged successful—at keeping his party mostly in line during the president's impeachment trial earlier this year. He kept the trial short and staved off Democrats' efforts to subpoena witnesses.
The Kentucky Republican's last debut at CPAC was in 2014, when he made headlines for proudly brandishing a gun over his head as he walked onto the stage to the tunes of "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. McConnell presented the rifle to former Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who retired, as a lifetime achievement award from the National Rifle Association.
Neither Graham nor McConnell's offices responded to Newsweek's inquiry about their CPAC absences.
Mitt Romney: It's no surprise the Republican senator won't be attending, considering he was the lone Republican to side with Democrats and vote to impeach the president for abuse of power.
But the Utah lawmaker was notably disinvited from CPAC after he, along with Senator Susan Collins of Maine, voted to subpoena witnesses during the impeachment trial. Following his vote to convict Trump, his Senate GOP colleagues rallied to support him, despite Romney's vote and calls from some Republicans, including one of the president's sons, to be expelled from the party.
