CPAC Mental Health Check-In: Ben Carson's Campaign Swag Reminds Us of Our Own Mortality 

By Anna Merlan  |  March 3, 2016 | 8:45pm
Politics

We’re here at the Conservative Political Action Conference 2016. Here are some regular updates about how we’re feeling about that, emotionally.

Ben Carson’s campaign volunteers are giving away branded swag for free: an enormous refrigerator magnet, a pamphlet on his views, a slightly larger book on his views (Ben Carson: RX For America, also available for one cent on Amazon), a cheery red button that reads, simply, “Ben!”.

The volunteers look a little sad.

“It’s just the start of a movement,” an older blonde lady says, with a melancholy little smile. She hands us a fridge magnet. “He’ll run again if we get there.” She is, it seems, talking about if the world doesn’t end first: “All we can do is pray.”

Carson’s campaign swag, once precious, is now remaindered, heaped on a table as a crowd of attendees stream by with barely a second look: a bittersweet reminder of our own fleeting days.

Maybe it’s time for a nap or something.

This has been a CPAC mental health check-in.

Contact the author at [email protected].
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