Other 2012 prospects? You missed out
11:37 PM, Mar. 7, 2011
Written by KATHIE OBRADOVICH

Mitt Romney, you missed out Monday night. So did you, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Michele Bachmann and everybody else who may be thinking about running for president but who wasn't in Waukee.

The five potential presidential candidates who were here at the forum sponsored by the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition had an overflow audience of about 1,000 enthusiastic Republicans, according to organizers, and more than 150 media representatives.

Gov. Terry Branstad, who helped open the forum, noted: "I want you to know, these people of Faith & Freedom here tonight are people who show up at caucuses."

Each of five candidates had 10 minutes to make an impression on an eager audience.

Most of them did their potential candidacies more good than harm.

Atlanta businessman Herman Cain may have gotten the biggest audience response. That was only in part because people were so anxious to hear a candidate after about an hour of preliminary speeches.

What Cain had to say wasn't terribly original: He thinks the American dream is under attack. He thinks government should do the right thing. (And guess what, he thinks it wasn't right to sue Arizona over immigration enforcement or back off protecting the Defense of Marriage Act.) He wants to make this a better nation and world for his grandchildren.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who followed him, seemed almost subdued by comparison. He gave his standard stump remarks about the need to acknowledge American exceptionalism and held up his 2+2=4 slogan.

His biggest cheer came when he suggested the next president eliminate all White House czar positions on the first day in office. And Gingrich demonstrated his savvy by making sure every audience member got a handout of his proposed executive orders.

Former Louisiana Gov. Charles "Buddy" Roemer, colorful and charismatic, didn't get the entire audience on its feet when he took the podium. But a lot more were standing when he finished. Roemer says he won't take PAC money or individual donations over $100.

"I know all the other candidates are good people, and they've got PACs and they've got airplanes. All I've got is me and you," he said.

Roemer is also the only candidate to quote poet Robert Frost. Everybody else stuck to the Bible.

Pawlenty started slow, his second joke about prayer in LBJ's administration falling totally flat. He also ended on a gaffe, apologizing for referring to Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition President Steve Scheffler as "Chuck." But in the middle, he fired up the audience with an aggressive rendition of his budget-cutting efforts as governor, including withstanding a 44-day transit strike.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum had the misfortune of wrapping up a program that dragged on too long. But he was the only candidate to claim to have saved an unborn baby's life - with a Senate floor speech on abortion. He told of hearing afterward that a pregnant young woman who heard him speak had decided not to have an abortion after all. That had to count for something with this group.

One potential candidate who might not have done a fledgling candidacy some good at this event was Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

His call last month for a truce on social issues was roundly mocked by both Santorum and Ralph Reed, national chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition.

There's another beauty pageant later this month, sponsored by Congressman Steve King. After seeing what they missed on Monday, there likely will be more candidates in the running for Mr. or Miss Congeniality.

Political columnist Kathie Obradovich can be reached at (515) 284-8126 or kobradov@dmreg.com.

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