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Religious Freedom

2012 Candidates Weekly Update 3/8/11

Michele Bachmann (link is external)

Health Care(link is external): Decries secret funding of reform law which wasn't actually a secret (Minnesota Post, 3/7).

Energy(link is external): As gas prices rise over Mideast crisis, Bachmann blames Obama (CNN, 3/7).

Religious Right(link is external): Invites Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel to her Tea Party Caucus (RWW, 3/4).

Haley Barbour (link is external)

Campaign(link is external): Adds staff to leadership PAC (The Fix, 3/7).

Iowa(link is external): Will join Bachmann, Santorum, Gingrich and others at conference hosted by Steve King (Des Moines Register, 3/7).

Background(link is external): Made millions as a lobbyist for the energy industry, now repeating their arguments (HuffPo, 3/3).

Mitch Daniels (link is external)

Indiana(link is external): Democrats in state legislature lead boycott to protest Daniels's anti-labor agenda (TPM, 3/4).

Religious Right(link is external): Richard Land attacks Daniels's truce proposal as "political suicide" (RWW, 3/4).

Newt Gingrich (link is external)

Campaign(link is external): Discusses "confusion" of exploratory committee announcement (Des Moines Register, 3/7).

Obama(link is external): Tells Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition that "secular, socialist" Obama administration "cannot represent America" (The Hill, 3/7).

Religious Right(link is external): Plans to address Religious Right conferences in Iowa and Liberty University(link is external), and meet with controversial pastor John Hagee (RWW, 3/4).

Mike Huckabee (link is external)

South Carolina(link is external): Tells South Carolina crowd on book tour that the state is a must-win primary (The State, 3/8).

Culture(link is external): Slams actress Natalie Portman for allegedly glorifying single motherhood (The Week, 3/4).

Obama(link is external): Agrees with Bryan Fischer that Obama is anti-American; falsely claims(link is external) that President Obama grew up in Kenya and then lied in his mea culpa (RWW, 3/2; County Fair, 3/7).

Religious Right(link is external): Joins Bachmann, Barbour, Gingrich and pseudo-historian David Barton for a webcast on religion in politics (RWW, 3/2).

Jon Huntsman(link is external)

Campaign(link is external): Top aides meet in New Orleans, set sights on New Hampshire voters (RCP, 3/7).

Obama(link is external): Praise from President may damage Huntsman's chances (Salt Lake Tribune, 3/6).

Donors(link is external): Supporters of Huntsman paid for video about his work as Ambassador (Politico, 3/3).

Sarah Palin(link is external)

2012(link is external): Says she would run for President if voters are ready for someone who is against "obsessive partisanship" (BBC News, 3/7).

Culture(link is external): Picks fight with comedian Kathy Griffin (LA Times, 3/7).

Foreign Affairs(link is external): Prepares for trip to India (Politico, 3/6).

Tim Pawlenty (link is external)

2012(link is external): May be GOP front runner due to the "process of elimination" (TNR, 3/8).

Religious Right(link is external): Calls on members of Ralph Reed's Iowa group to "take back our country" (CBS News, 3/7).

Minnesota(link is external): Keith Ellison says Pawlenty has "no connection" to his roots (Think Progress, 3/4).

Buddy Roemer (link is external)

Tea Party(link is external): Tells Religious Right group, "Thank God for the tea party" (Des Moines Register, 3/7).

Campaign(link is external): The former Louisiana governor announces exploratory committee (CBS News, 3/4).

Mitt Romney(link is external)

Health Care(link is external): Massachusetts AG uses Romney's health care policy to defend federal law (Politico, 3/7).

Social issues(link is external): After turning hard right on social issues, Romney now wants to downplay them (Salon, 3/7).

Campaign(link is external): Produces "restoring hope" video for leadership PAC (Politico, 3/7).

Rick Santorum(link is external)

Reproductive Rights(link is external): Plays-up his career in the anti-choice movement to Ralph Reed's Iowa group (Des Moines Register, 3/7).

Religious Right(link is external): Argues in Iowa op-ed that LGBT equality will "eviscerate" freedom (RWW, 3/7).