Posted on 06/16/2011 7:24:54 PM PDT by ejdrapes
Republican Leadership Conference kicks off Top Republicans will flock to New Orleans today for the Republican Leadership Conference, where presidential hopefuls and GOP leaders will try to woo the party faithful during the three-day event. The annual conference, formerly the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, has become a bellwether for the Republican Party, especially because of its audience straw polls. Presidential candidates speaking this year include Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman. (DNC chair looking forward to working with Republicans now, beating the crap out of them later) “We’re very excited to have so many conservative candidates, elected officials, and thinkers with us in New Orleans,” said Aaron Baer, spokesman for the Louisiana GOP. “The RLC should give our party an excellent opportunity to showcase both current and future stars of the conservative movement.” Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty will not attend, nor will possible candidate Sarah Palin. But there will be no lack of narratives driving the conference. Romney’s absence will give the other candidates the opportunity to take shots at him. Romney’s opponents avoided taking swipes at him during the New Hampshire debate on Monday, but they may not be as civil in front of the party faithful. Texas Governor Rick Perry will also give what will likely be a highly anticipated speech. Buzz around a possible White House bid by Perry has built steadily in the last two weeks after several of his former staffers jumped ship from Newt Gingrich’s campaign. Speaking of which, Gingrich will try to give his campaign a much-needed lift at the conference. Gingrich’s campaign has been beleaguered by low poll numbers, slipping donations and staff resignations, not to mention several less-than-favorable news reports. Today’s speakers include Gingrich, Johnson, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Erick Erickson, founder of the blog Redstate.
C.J. Ciaramella
Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Jon Huntsman, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Jim DeMint, Marsha Blackburn, Bobby Jindal, George P. Bush, Mary Matalin, David Vitter, Rodney Alexander, Bill Cassidy, Jeff Landry, Steve Scalise, Tony Perkins, Star Parker, Erick Erickson, Chris Widener, James Strock, David Bossie and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.
Cain is going to shine at this one.
He needs to in order to take his campaign to the next level.
Palin isn’t in the Republican leadership and she doesn’t claim to be. But Palin does what she does for her reasons and keeps everyone guessing.
Republican Leadership=(More of what we have right now.)RINOS
But Palin does what she does for her reasons and keeps everyone guessing.
My guess she is setting up a run at John Kyle’s senate seat in Arizona. I hope I’m wrong because we need her running for President of the United States against the present WH resident.
Same minds that created the problem..aren’t capable of its solution...
Romney thinks he’s already won.
It won’t help Pawlenty catch up.
And Palin is playing a completely different game.
RLC 2011 STRAW POLL BALLOT:
Michele Bachmann
Herman Cain
Newt Gingrich
Jon Huntsman
Gary Johnson
Thaddeus McCotter
Sarah Palin
Ron Paul
Tim Pawlenty
Buddy Roemer
Mitt Romney
Rick Santorum
I'll be working the event for a few hours and when I'm free, try to get a report back. But can't gurantee if I'll be connected at that time.
Agenda for the RLC HERE
No, I don’t think she would be satisfied at being a senator and be merely one voice among 100 when she can command a much broader audience and be THE voice that gets things done.
Supposedly Romney’s “sworn off straw polls forever”. He probably either thinks he’s above them, or knows only conservatives win them. Pawlenty - don’t know why. I did hear Baier or Cavuto say recently that straw polls are expensive to participate in. ?
- George P. Bush, Texas attorney/real estate developer &
son of Gov. Jeb Bush
- Mary Matalin, top Republican strategist
- Star Parker, Founder/President of CURE
I really like Matalin and Parker and have never (to my knowledge) seen or heard Jeb Bush’s son. All three will be interesting in addition to all the other good ones (Cain being my personal favorite). I also saw somewhere on the SLC site that Thaddeus McCotter would be there - I’ve only seen him on Red Eye and once speaking on the House floor, but was really impressed by his intellect and humor.
Is there an explanation as to why he, Cain, is specifically omitted in the article?
Are you a UAW member? Nobody else should support McCotter and the bailout he supported, defends and uses to attack conservatives.
I seriously doubt that she has ever considered a senate run. She’d be in the heart of and a part of the very cesspool that she has been fighting for the last three years.
“Are you a UAW member? Nobody else should support McCotter and the bailout he supported, defends and uses to attack conservatives.”
Hell no! LOL - my dad and uncle owned a truck line for years and the union (Teamster) thugs here were very nasty back in the 40’s and 50’s. I heard some scary stories about it.
Truthfully, I don’t know anything about McCotter’s voting record, just that he calls himself a conservative and I like what I’ve heard him say on Red Eye and that time on the House floor (he happened to be on the right side of that particular issue but I can’t recall it now).
I’ve had casual friends in the past who were big in the unions, and they’re really a different breed. But I, my family and good friends of many years are all business owners, so NO - I’m not fond of unions!
I’m sure they don’t like that he is gaining ground so rapidly.
“Is there an explanation as to why he, Cain, is specifically omitted in the article?”
If you click on the RLC agenda link at the bottom of post #10, you’ll see a VIP brunch for him (and Haley Barbour) on Friday morning and later the same day, him on the speaker list for - ANGA: Fueling Prosperity and Enhancing National Security.
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