WASHINGTON - In a high-test speech to the conservative coalition's largest annual gathering, Tea Party icon Michele Bachmann on Thursday called for social and fiscal conservatives to come together to defeat President Obama in 2012.
The Minnesota Republican, trying out her message for a potential White House bid, brought the crowd of 11,000 to its feet with an appeal to "win the Triple Crown of 2012, which is holding on to the House of Representatives, winning a conservative Senate and, oh yeah baby, winning the White House."
Bachmann's unity plea came as a handful of groups opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage decided to boycott the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) because of the participation of GOProud, a conservative organization that supports gay rights.
Many of the speakers at the three-day event, including former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, are expected to stress the need to reduce the federal deficit and shrink government. But Bachmann said fiscal issues are not enough.
"I strongly disagree that that that's all there is," she said. "And I believe most conservatives agree with that as well."
Bachmann, introduced by CPAC organizer David Keene as "part of the core" of modern conservatism, shaped her remarks to fit the movement's three largest strains.
"Your passion is about fiscal conservatism, and I am one of you," said Bachmann, now in her third term in Congress and emerging as a national conservative spokeswoman.
"For some of you, your passion is about defending the moral values that grounded this country, and I am one of you.