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From ‘Dictator Biden’ T-shirts to Samurai Futurologists: Merchandise and promo stalls are most eye-opening part of CPAC

Gustaf Kilander
·4-min read
(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)

The merchandise and promo stalls at the Conservative Political Action Committee gives you a look into the hearts and minds of conservative voters and some of former President Donald Trump's most ardent supporters.

Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel shared images of the merchandise being sold which include T-shirts with images of President Joe Biden with a Hitler-moustache and the words "not my dictator" alongside similarly designed T-shirts of the 45th President sans moustache and the words "undefeated impeachment champ".

Bumper stickers for $2 say "Biden not my president" and "Trump is my president," in addition to stickers with an image of a waving Donald Trump and the words: "Miss me yet?"

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One of the stalls is dedicated to Japanese political scientist and "Samurai Futurologist" Gemki Fujii. CPAC tweeted: "Visit booth 315 to find Japanese futurologist's view on threat of Chinese communism."

One of the stalls selling cowboy hats, baseball hats, and handbags among other things, has a banner that says "The best part of waking up is Donald Trump" with an image of Mr Trump drinking from a cup. This is a play on the Folgers advertising slogan for their coffee - "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup".

A flag at the same stall depicts Mr Trump in a Superman outfit with the word "Supertrump" emblazoned across the fabric.

Read more: Follow live updates on CPAC

Other stickers say "Trump 2024" and depicts the American flag using firearms.

Organisers of the conference were booed when they asked the crowd to wear masks, and were met with yells of "Freedom!".

Any doubt of who is in charge of the Republican party was probably quashed as a gold statue of Mr Trump was wheeled into the conference.

CPAC seemed to play into the lie perpetrated by Mr Trump that the election was stolen, playing a video called "'YOUR VOTES CANCELLED,' which lengthily suggests major fraud in the 2020 election”.

CNN’s Daniel Dale said the video continued with "clips of people saying it was 'impossible' and 'very strange' that Biden gained ground as votes were counted on election night, then a clip of Rush Limbaugh saying it must have been the 'vote fairy' arriving in swing states".

Weigel spoke to a man in charge of a stall selling "MAGA hammocks" who said the company had been "doing general hammocks for several years," but added that he decided to create a "special hammock" during Mr Trump's first impeachment because of the "unfair process" and all the "hate" directed at the then-President. He said the hammock was "a gift to President Trump".

The company also produces chairs that say "fake news," "deplorable," "free speech," "Trump 2024," "America first," and "Save America".

Mr Trump seems to holds an iron grip on his party, with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell telling Fox News that he would "absolutely" support Mr Trump were he to become the party's presidential nominee in 2024. This is despite Mr McConnell’s fiery speech after the impeachment trial in which he said that Mr Trump was responsible for the Capitol riot on 6 January. Even so, Mr McConnell voted not to convict.

Mr Trump will speak at CPAC on Sunday.

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