Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain has reportedly tried to circumvent the organizers of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference by reserving his own conference room to hold a separate reception at the Omni Shoreham Hotel where the conference is taking place. McCain is the only major competitor for the Republican 2008 nomination to decline an invitation to speak at the event.

When McCain's staff tried to book a room hotel officials told him the hotel was booked solid and advised him to go through the conference organizers, according to CPAC organizers.

McCain, who's struggled at times for support among the conservative core of the Republican Party, turned down CPAC organizers' invitation early on. His two most-mentioned competitors, Gov. Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, will be both address the crowd Friday afternoon. Giuliani surprised organizers when he agreed to speak last minute after being turned down the year before.

CPAC director Lisa De Pasquale told HUMAN EVENTS that all candidates vying for the GOP’s 2008 presidential nomination were invited to speak at CPAC this year, regardless of where they fall on the idealogical spectrum. Along with Romney and Giuliani, Sen. Sam Brownback, Representatives Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo, former Governors Jim Gilmore and Mike Huckabee will also be speaking at the event and even the unannounced-but-expected-to-run Newt Gingrich is on the schedule.

UPDATE -- 3/1/07 @ 8:29 a.m.: While the hotel refuses to comment on the situation, holding any information on the booking of rooms as confidential, Pat Hynes, a political advisor to the McCain campaign, has hinted that the whole thing may be related to a blogger happy hour he has coordinated to take place Friday afternoon across the street from the Omni Shoreham Hotel which will be hosted by an Internet and technology company.

I hope to have an another update soon.