As more Republicans begin to emerge as candidates in the 2012 presidential campaign, C-SPAN’s “Road to the White House” continues to capture events leading up to the election.
The second annual Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference continued today with a speech by likely 2012 presidential contender Rick Santorum, who is expected to announce his candidacy on Monday.
Additional speakers this morning included, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The group, which was founded and chaired by Christian Coalition founder Ralph Reed, is holding the two-day meeting in Washington with the theme of “Restoring America’s Greatness and Founding Principles.”
Friday, the conference hosted House Speaker John Boehner (OH), Senator Rand Paul (KY), Gov. Jon Huntsman (UT), Rep Ron Paul (TX), Rep. Michelle Bachmann (MN), former gov. Mitt Romney (MA), former gov. Tim Pawlenty (MN) and real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump.
The Republican presidential field became a little bigger this week when former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney formally announced his candidacy during a cookout in Stratham, New Hampshire on Thursday.
"A few years ago, Americans did something that was, actually, very much the sort of thing Americans like to do: We gave someone new a chance to lead, someone we hadn't known for very long, who didn't have much of a record but promised to lead us to a better place," Romney said, describing the man he hopes to meet head-to-head in November 2012.
"At the time, we didn't know what sort of a president he would make. ... Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by. Barack Obama has failed America."
Romney joins the field of announced candidates that includes former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Ron Paul, former governor Tim Pawlenty (NM) and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain.