The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) for 37 years has entertained, buoyed, booed and endorsed Republican presidential aspirants. But one thing that conservative presidential hopefuls know: it’s usually a good idea to drop by and increase your profile with a good speech and a decent placement in the event’s popular straw poll.<\/p>\n
Though there will be two more CPACs before the 2012\u00a0 presidential race, that hasn’t stopped a number of Republican bright lights from trying to outshine each other with their speeches this year.<\/p>\n
“You can’t tell me that wasn’t a campaign speech,” one veteran journalist offered to another after Mitt Romney took to the stage at CPAC on Thursday. He waxed nostalgic about the Bush Administration, he railed at the Obama fiscal polices, he seethed about the administration’s attempt to try 9\/11 terror suspects in federal court — in other words, he pushed all the right buttons. “Bush kept us safe,” he said to thunderous applause. The Politico newspaper noted how Romney, who lost the GOP primary to John McCain in 2008, had been embraced as CPAC’s “favorite son” this year. (Though, judging from the buzz Sarah Palin still managed to create– even though she pointedly turned down an invitation to speak at the confab — Romney is probably lucky he didn’t have her as direct competition.)<\/p>\n
Romney’s big splash made it more difficult for the others. Since the substance of the speeches were very much the same, it quickly became about style.<\/p>\n
On Friday morning, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has been mentioned for years as a possible GOP presidential contender, tried his hand. Reviews weren’t exactly hot. “Romney (was) better at the big speech. Pawlenty (was) better at working the small room. The latter may be better in early primary states,” the National Journal’s Hotline suggested.<\/p>\n
Though they may not be running for president, Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-MN, sure sounded like it on Friday. At the very least, they are jockeying for the role of GOP leader at a time when conservatives are seeking champions in congress. Bachmann sounded close to tears as she recalled patriots from American history who died for their cause. Pence brought audience members to their feet — one young conservative said she wanted to cry — with his call for a new conservative majority in Washington.<\/p>\n
And while he might not be running for president, Pence struck the right note with the rightwing blogosphere — his base.<\/p>\n
“This may be my most favorite speech yet,” said the blog The Right Scoop. “Mike Pence is my pick in 2012 should he run. He has been on of the most consistent conservatives and he gets it.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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