CPAC always gets mainstream media coverage...

They’ll give a speaker a few minutes if he says something controversial. Nothing else gets covered.

or any other progressive/liberal gatherings

Nor do they pack the speakers schedule with liberal celebrities.

It seems they usually highlight the most ridiculous statements, so it's probably not doing them any favors.

that get mentioned as much as they do?

There really isn't anything comparable on the left (that I can think of) that the president, VP, top Congressional leaders, etc., attend.

It's basically a yearly Republican National Convention. We don't have anything like that in part because we aren't starved for attention.

I remember on 2016, the DNC Platform meeting was covered wire to wire by CSPAN and got frequent coverage from the networks and cable channels.

so they can witness the R-W goon counter-protesters with guns start violence....

They apparently need them for thinking up new bullshit and getting their rage on.

And it doesn't get shit for mainstream coverage.

Russian flags to all the attendees and had them waiving them. Or was that the year before?