Tension Flares at CPAC When GOP Ex-Gov Calls Snowden a ‘Traitor’
The most dramatic moment of CPAC might not be in any of the speeches, but in a debate over Edward Snowden that just wrapped up and, according to eyewitness, was nothing short of contentious.
The debate, entitled “The Death of American Privacy: Does it Matter if the Government Records Every Phone Call, E-mail and Text You Send?”, was bound to be controversial, but the below tweets from reporters and attendees indicate that it was fraught with tension. Ex-governor Jim Gilmore (R-VA), arguing on behalf of the NSA, drew both cheers and boos from the deeply divided audience (along with one “You lie!”) when he called Snowden a “traitor” and a “coward.”
While the topic was obviously controversial, no one predicted how heated the debate between Gilmore, lawyer Bruce Fein, and activist Charlie Kirk would get, nor that the audience would respond in kind. “[It] might go to fisticuffs,” quipped an audience member.
Some of the tweets are below, and we’ll update with video once we get it.
Quite lively debate over Snowden onstage at #CPAC2014. Crowd seems divided bw “traitor” and “whistleblower” claims.
— Molly Ball (@mollyesque) March 7, 2014
Snowden debate pits fmr VA Gov Jim Gilmore calling him traitor vs civil libertarian Bruce Fein, who seems to be winning the crowd #CPAC2014
— Molly Ball (@mollyesque) March 7, 2014
Wow battle of conservatives!! Fein vs Gilmore #CPAC2014
— WVASPARTAN (@wvaspartan) March 7, 2014
This privacy panel is interesting. 2 of the 3 think #Snowden did a good thing. 1 thinks he is a traitor. Might go to fisticuffs. #CPAC2014
— Dagny Taggart (@Indepgirlism) March 7, 2014
Jim Gilmore calls Snowden "a traitor, he's also a coward." Illicits boos and some cheers from the crowd. #CPAC2014.
— Daniel Strauss (@DanielStrauss4) March 7, 2014
Gilmore is constantly getting heckled. The Paulites are out in force. #CPAC2014
— Ben Kusnetz (@MadCaliph) March 7, 2014
libertarians getting feisty. heckler just screamed "you lie" at ex-gov gilmore in nsa debate. somewhere obama is smirking. #CPAC2014
— Michelle Cottle (@mcottle) March 7, 2014
Gov. Gilmore looking like an establishment politician with way too much confidence in government — not a good look. #CPAC2014
— Rachel Stoltzfoos (@RachelStoltz) March 7, 2014
Jim Gilmore vs. Bruce Fein has been one of the more entertaining parts of #CPAC2014
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlakeWP) March 7, 2014
This #CPAC2014 panel verging on ugliness. Hecklers sound young & Charlie's their hero. Jim Gilmore says he's OK with NSA collecting his data
— Beth Ethier (@missdeutsch) March 7, 2014
Mixed reaction from conservatives on Snowden. Most of the audience thinks he is not a traitor.#CPAC2014 #TKCPAC
— TKC Republicans (@tkcrepublicans) March 7, 2014
Watch the full panel event below:
