David Brody

Michele Bachmann

Iowa: Slams marriage equality in speech to The Family Leader (Politico, 4/11).

Religious Right: Wins straw poll at Liberty University's The Awakening 2011 (Freedom Federation, 4/11). 

Budget: Refuses to endorse budget compromise (NPR, 4/11). 

Haley Barbour

Background: Experience as a lobbyist may make problems for campaign (AP, 4/12).

New Hampshire: Traveling to Republican events in New Hampshire this week (Boston Globe, 4/11).

Herman Cain

South Carolina: Talks about the "ultimate destruction of the IRS" at Furman University (CSBT, 4/9). 

Background: Discusses the role faith plays in his presidential ambitions (Christian Post, 4/8). 

Newt Gingrich

Georgia: Slated to address Georgia GOP convention (The State Column, 4/11).

Religious Right: Speaks to conservative leaders at Liberty University (Lynchburg News & Advance, 4/8). 

Minnesota: To deliver keynote address to anti-gay Minnesota group along with Bachmann (RWW, 4/11). 

Mike Huckabee

Reproductive Rights: Endorses Janet Porter's "Hearbeat Bill" (RWW, 4/11). 

Religious Right: Faces increasing scrutiny over ties to pseudo-historian David Barton (RWW, 4/7).

Jon Huntsman

Utah: Receives support of just fourteen percent of Republicans in home state of Utah (AP, 4/10). 

South Carolina: Selected to deliver commencement address to University of South Carolina (The Hill, 4/8). 

Sarah Palin

Birther: Lauds Donald Trump's "investigation" of Obama's birth certificate (Mediaite, 4/9). 

Poll: Popularity continues to plunge, even among Republicans (WaPo, 4/8). 

Tim Pawlenty

Campaign: Picks former head of the Republican Governors Association as campaign manager (Star Tribune, 4/11). 

Iowa: Campaign aide arrested for breaking into home while drunk (Des Moines Register, 4/8). 

Mitt Romney

Health Care: Marks fifth anniversary of Massachusetts health care reform law (RCP, 4/12). 

2012: Makes video announcement of exploratory committee (LA Times, 4/11). 

Rick Santorum

New Hampshire: Commits to June 7 presidential debate in New Hampshire (The Hill, 4/11). 

South Carolina: Wins straw poll in GOP-heavy Greenville County (Greenville Online, 4/10). 

Health Care: Says health care reform makes one "less than what God created you to be" (RWW, 4/8). 

Donald Trump

Religious Right: Speaks about faith to David Brody of CBN News (CBN News, 4/11). 

Media: Lashes out at Vanity Fair and the New York Times (Vanity Fair, 4/11).

Just when you start to think that your faith in the judgment of people like Ralph Reed and Tony Perkins could not possibly diminish any further, CBN's David Brody reports that both of them are taking Donald Trump's presidential campaign seriously enough to suggest he might actually garner some support from the Religious Right:

Ralph Reed, one of the top GOP strategists in the country and Chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition tells The Brody File, “There is a nascent and growing curiosity in the faith community about Trump. Evangelicals will like his pro-life and pro-marriage stances, combined with his business record and high-wattage celebrity all but guarantee he will get a close look from social conservatives as well as other Republican primary voters."

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council is curious to hear more as well. “Given Donald Trump's background in the gambling industry and his flamboyancy one would not think he would be a fit with Evangelical voters. However, given the wide open field of candidates, strong statements that Trump has recently made on core social issues combined with an overarching desire to see a new occupant in the White House, he may find support among social conservatives.

• Just because Donald Trump claims to be serious about running for president doesn't mean the rest of us have to take is seriously.
• David Brody is not happy with the way the Associated Press reported his interview with Newt Gingrich.
• The Duggars are coming to Focus on the Family.
• Speaking of Focus on the Family, they want to know how local candidates feel about pornography, gays and abortion.
• Finally, the quote of the day from FRC's latest prayer update: "Pray that the bill to legalize same-sex 'marriage' will be defeated in the Maryland House. May Maryland be the Gettysburg in the war to overthrown marriage, and be followed by judicial decisions, legislative and citizen action that uphold DOMA, California's Marriage Amendment (Proposition 8) and protect traditional, Biblical marriage in every state."

• John Thune tells CBN's David Brody he won't apologize for having a Christian worldview.
• Color me unsurprised: Rick Santorum will speak at the ultra-Catholic Ave Maria University.
• Peter LaBarbera wants to know why Republicans are so motivated to repeal "Obama" care but not reinstate DADT.
• Frankly, I'm pretty sure that Bill Keller doesn't actually have $100,000.
• Ben Shapiro says Shirley Sherrod's lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart is "unconstitutional."
• Finally, FRC releases is latest list of prayer targets: "May we and our leaders repent for our improper use of wealth and position entrusted to us. May God help the House to end our national borrowing spree and cut the deficit, to purge every evil from our spending agenda, and to set American families free from the tyranny of an over taxing, over-spending federal government."

After Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) said he would decide on his election plans by the end of January, the movement to recruit him into the presidential race has moved into high gear. The recently-formed American President Committee launched a “Draft Pence” campaign and a group of Republican legislators from the critical primary state of South Carolina have organized a similar effort to lure the Indiana Congressman into a presidential run. Pence, who won the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit straw poll, has recently been spearheading anti-choice legislation and trashing President Obama. David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network believes that Pence’s energetic support from both the Religious Right and pro-corporate conservatives may turn him “into the ‘Madonna’ of 2012” and predicts that “Evangelicals who don’t know about him may soon fall in love.”

Mike Pence could become the “Madonna” of 2012. Remember the 1980s movie “Desperately Seeking Susan?” starring the pop icon? (Oy, I may be dating myself.) Well, there is a political movement out there that we might want to start calling, “Desperately Seeking Pence”

…

[W]e should know in the next couple of weeks what Pence plans to do. If he runs, he becomes a legitimate dark horse with a huge upside to surprise a lot of people. He may be the Mike Huckabee of 2012. Evangelicals who know Pence love him. Evangelicals who don't know about him may soon fall in love.

One South Carolina legislator claimed that Pence could “lead this nation back from the precipice of socialism where we find ourselves today.”

• With the repeal of DADT, Linda Harvey says Christians have lost "their rights to disgust."
• Mike Huckabee defends Michelle Obama from Sarah Palin.
• The Susan B. Anthony List is mobilizing activists to lobby for a pro-life RNC Chair, which seems rather unnecessary to me. 
• David Brody is now CBN's "Chief Political Correspondent."
• NOM is calling "on responsible LGBT organizations to return any donations raised as a result of this shock video, in which adults put profanities in the mouths of children and encourage what can only be called open hatred of their friends, neighbors and fellow citizens who believe marriage is the union of husband and wife."
• Finally, FRC continues to push-back against the SPLC, promising to release "a more detailed response to [Richard] Cohen’s charge that FRC spreads 'falsehoods' in our well-documented research, which does show that certain harms are associated with homosexual conduct."

• Here is the text [PDF] of the remarks Newt Gingrich delivered at Liberty University today. It is pretty much what we have come to expect from him.
• Speaking of ridiculous nonsense, Dinesh D'Souza was on "Wallbuilders Live" today discussing "The Roots of Obama's Rage."
• Ken Cuccinelli will be joining Brent Bozell, Grover Norquist, Tony Perkins and others for an election night celebration hosted by Richard Viguerie and Morton Blackwell.
• Day Gardner and the National Pro-Life Union endorse Randall Terry acolyte Missy Smith.
• Also, support for reproductive choice is proof that the "communist philosophy is still alive today."
• Oklahoma needs to pass the anti-Sharia initiative because there is a "huge pocket of terrorist organizations operating out of Oklahoma" right now! 
• Finally, CBN's David Brody has a message for Christians: "Start marching to a tea party near you. There's a seat waiting."  Just keep that in mind next time CNN let's him pose as a "journalist."

• In an entirely predictable move, Sen. Jim DeMint announced plans to introduce legislation stripping federal funding from National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service because Juan William was fired.
• Speaking of which, since when did getting fired for saying something inappropriate count as censorship and a violation free speech?
• I am guessing that Gini Thomas wishes she had just left this issue alone.
• David Brody will interview Christine O'Donnell next week, so we have that to look forward to.
• Finally, Elaine Donnelly says that if DADT is not stopped, judges will start telling the military "whether or not we should fight a certain war, whether or not certain equipment should be used, [or] whether or not people are so inconvenienced as to have to wear uniforms."

• FRC rejoices over the defeat of the effort to repeal Don't ask Don't Tell.
• Over the weekend, Sharron Angle spoke at Utah’s Freedom Conference, an event co-sponsored by the John Birch Society.
• Tim Scott tells CBN's David Brody that there is no racism in the Tea Party movement.
• Gov. Bob McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will all speak at Virginia's first annual Tea Party Convention next month.
• You can now add Rep. Paul Ryan to the list of conservatives saying there might be a need to call a "truce" in the culture wars.
• Jerry Falwell, Jr. supports efforts by VA Gov. Bob McDonnell's plan to privatize the state's liquor monopoly.
• Finally, I find it hilarious that FRC is outraged that Republicans would speak to the Log Cabin Republicans just days after FRC gave a prime speaking slot to notorious bigot Bryan Fischer.