The Conservative Political Action Conference—the largest and most influential gathering of conservative activists every year—is typically portrayed as a freak show. This reputation isn’t always unfair. On the main stage in a given year, you might watch a video montage of cable news luminaries saying mean things about the National Rifle Association’s Wayne LaPierre, or you might see Sarah Palin waving a Big Gulp over her head, or you might hear Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson discuss how long it takes to contract genital herpes.