When was cpac 2011

Pawlenty made a powerful case for "commonsense spending principles" and showed a strong belief in American exceptionalism. He's a strong candidate. I worry, however, about the energy policies he has implemented in Minnesota, which involve a lot of government intervention, and mandate the use of renewables - in my view climate change is a complete joke with no scientific backing. Katie Connolly: Pawlenty is a likable Christian with a record as Minnesota Governor that most conservatives would be proud of, but he hasn't yet made a splash.

He and Romney appeal to the same set of Republican voters, and so far, Romney is winning them over. Still, he's a top tier candidate, particularly if Republicans opt for electability over fiery dogma. Gingrich is always an impressive speaker, and here at CPAC, he demonstrated his command of a wide range of issues.

I particularly liked his aggressive challenge to Obama on energy - a winning issue for the party that other Republicans should embrace. I liked his proposals on energy, but he seemed to wholly ignore issues such as social security and healthcare reform. Also, I've heard him make an almost identical speech before. Katie Connolly: Gingrich is an idea machine and Republicans harbour nostalgia for his time as Speaker, but a fiery temper and messy divorces won't help his cause.

He's flirted with running for president before but never made it official. An outside chance. Mike: 4. Though he was scripted, like Romney, Daniels's speech had a more natural - dare I say Reaganesque - feel to it.

He incorporated sly humour and some clever analogies into what was primarily a speech on the nation's financial state. I was impressed with his pitch to grow the party and his command of facts and figures. Very presidential. If he can cultivate a bit more charisma, My Man Mitch can truly become a competitive candidate. His track record as a fiscal conservative - balancing budgets and turning the state of Indiana around - is a great starting point for a presidential campaign.

Katie Connolly: Daniels is fast becoming the darling of the Republican Party's fiscal conservatives but has yet to captivate social conservatives. He has trouble mustering passion for issues like abortion and gay marriage.

But if the economy is still the dominant concern come primary time, Daniels will be in an enviable position. It was primarily an autobiographical talk about how his family came over from Norway to the US and how he unseated Democratic Senate minority leader Tom Daschle in The latter was a clever hint that he is "giantslayer", the former really didn't resonate. Definitely has the most presidential looks of the potential Republican candidates, and he struck a chord challenging the Washington DC way of doing things.

Thune came across as an agreeable candidate. He gave careful attention to balanced budgets, the constitution, and international relations. His rhetoric at times seemed familiar, but he received a warm reception. Katie Connolly: The chiselled South Dakotan could be cast as president in a film, but in the real world he lacks a national profile - he's unknown. Republican bigwigs have high hopes for him, but his vote for President George W Bush's economic bailout package may prove toxic for Republican primary voters.

A serious contender - but with a long road to the top of the pack, he may have a better chance in Mike: 2. I liked Barbour's argument that fighting entitlement fraud is a means of saving money and that this could save billions at a national level. He spoke slowly, in his thick southern drawl, and seemed to be running out of steam towards the end of his speech. Ron Paul The libertarian congressman from Texas won the event's presidential straw poll for the second year running.

Michele Bachmann In the absence of Sarah Palin, the Minnesota congresswoman "embraced the role of tea-party cheerleader" in the conference's opening speech, says Joanne Bamberger at Politics Daily. And Bachmann very nearly stole the show, "whipping the conservative crowd into a frenzy" with a speech rich in "red meat buzzwords and phrases.

Rick Perry The Texas governor gave a devastating, if "familiar" speech on states' rights, filled with "anti-Washington rhetoric," says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post. In an informal straw poll, 62 percent of CPACers supported the group's attendance, and only 6 percent opposed it. And yet, with continued resistance within the conservative movement, GOProud still faces roadblocks.

His speech ignored the big elephant in the room — namely, the ObamaCare-style healthcare law he passed while governor of Massachussets. Unless he "does a mea culpa on RomneyCare," he hasn't a hope of winning the nomination. Donald Trump The real estate magnate and reality-TV star managed to get delegates' tongues wagging about a possible presidential bid — but that didn't translate into voter support.

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