Before the hopefuls for the Republican presidential nomination clashed in a debate Thursday night, seven spoke to the crowd at an event hosted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a social conservative organization led by Ralph Reed. The event kicked off the Republican Party of Floridas Presidency 5 event in Orlando by taking aim at President Barack Obama.
This weekend is the beginning of the end of the Obama presidency, Reed told a cheering crowd.
Reed attacked Obama on economics and foreign policy and pointed to a Quinnipiac University poll that found the president upside down in the Sunshine State -- and argued that this would haunt him in 2012.
As Florida has gone, so has the nation, Reed said, pointing to recent presidential and congressional elections in the Sunshine State. What we do in Florida will determine the direction of this country.
Reed said that his organization would contact 1.5 million Floridians between seven and 12 times to help defeat Obama in the Sunshine State in 2012.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota was the first of the contenders to speak. Despite winning the Iowa Republican Straw Poll in Ames last month, Bachmann is downplaying the straw poll for Presidency 5.
Bachmann drew cheers by noting that social and religious conservatives were determined to defeat Obama in 2012.
Its going to happen, she said. We are going to take the country back.
The Minnesota congresswoman praised the family and the importance of religion in the public square. Quoting Pilgrim leader John Witherspoon and conservative icon Ronald Reagan, Bachmann insisted, We will once again be that shining city on the hill.
Pointing to her history of winning elections as a conservative in generally liberal Minnesota, Bachmann told the crowd about her record at the state and national levels in fighting for traditional marriage and against abortion.
Next up was former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who has largely ignored the RPOF straw poll. Romney and his wife addressed the crowd.
Romney started off by taking aim at Obamas record on the economy.
The president took the reins of the nation and has failed miserably ... in getting Americans back to work, Romney said. I will rebuild Americas economy and make sure Americas future is brighter than its past.
The former governor pointed to his life in the private sector and contrasted that with plenty of politicians running for the presidency -- a shot at Gov. Rick Perry of Texas who, since entering the race on Aug. 13, has brushed Romney aside to lead national polls.
Romney touched on the decline of values and pointed to rising illegitimacy rates, international affairs and government spending as the problems -- inexcusable in some cases.
Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania then spoke on the role of faith in the public square. Insisting that the Founding Fathers incorporated God-granted rights as one of the cornerstones in creating America, Santorum, an opponent of abortion, reminded the crowd about the right to life.
Santorum pointed to his record winning elections in Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania despite his record on faith, freedom and life. He insisted that other Republican candidates have not been defending traditional social positions as he had during his two terms in the Senate.
This is the most important election of your lifetime, Santorum told the crowd, arguing that the nation could not afford four more years under Obama.
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas appeared next, insisting the rights of liberty were closely linked to the right to life.
You cannot be a strong defender of liberty if you do not defend all life, said Paul.
Paul said the nation was in a mess due to economics, morals, government spending and international affairs. He renewed his call for currency reform and called for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education. He also took aim at the Supreme Court of the U.S., arguing that it legislated from the bench on a number of cases, including Roe v. Wade.
The cause of liberty is at stake, Paul told a cheering crowd.
Businessman Herman Cain was next at the plate, attacking Obamas record on the economy and the principles that America was founded on. The pursuit of happiness is under attack, Cain said.
Cain slammed Obamas jobs plan and argued that the president was hurting the business community.
Id throw out the whole tax code, Cain said, calling for lower corporate and personal income taxes and the establishment of a national sales tax.
Coming out while the theme to the Rocky" movies played, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke with his wife, Callista, by his side. Gingrich promoted his wifes new childrens book as well as various movies the couple produced.
Gingrich promised his first act in the White House would be to issue executive orders pulling the plug on White House czars and ending taxpayer funding of international abortions. He also focused on the economy, contrasting Obamas record on job growth to Ronald Reagans.
Barack Obama is the best Food-Stamp president in American history, said Gingrich. I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history.
Gingrich also promised to launch an updated version of the Contract With America that he championed in 1994 when he led Republicans to win a majority in the U.S. House for the first time in four decades.
Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, introduced Perry, who was the last presidential candidate to address the crowd. Perry focused on the straw poll, noting that Reagan won it in 1979, and proclaiming, P5 matters.
Perry played up his humble roots -- and contrasted them with Romney whose father was governor of Michigan and CEO of American Motors. I wasnt born with four aces in my hand, said Perry, playing off an attack Romney made on him during a debate in Tampa earlier in the month.
Perry hammered Obamas economic record and the growth of the federal government under his watch.
Too many Americans cant find work today because of this administrations big-government policies, said Perry.
The Texas governor attacked federal policies, including the Race to the Top program in which states compete for federal education funds. Perry vowed to appoint strict constructionists to the Supreme Court.
Perry ended with a defense of religion in public life and asked for the prayers of the audience.
Reed closed the event with an organizational meeting for his group. Noting that there were already FFC chapters in 20 counties across Florida, Reed said he hoped that all 67 counties would have one by the end of the year.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
