Republican hopefuls play the Reagan card

[T_i_B]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/04/wrep04.xml

Republican presidential hopefuls are turning their backs on President George W Bush for a political hero from an earlier age - the late Ronald Reagan.

Speaking to a packed gathering of the most conservative members of the Republican Party this weekend, Mr Giuliani instead repeatedly invoked the spirit of President Reagan in the hope of winning Right-wing support. In a speech lasting less than three-quarters of an hour, Mr Giuliani used the Reagan name 11 times. His speech, to the Conservative Political Action Conference, just a few minutes away from the White House, was two-thirds over before Mr Giuliani even spoke the Bush name - just twice in as many sentences.

The spirit of Ronald Reagan was also summoned up at the same conference by Mitt Romney the former governor of Massachusetts who is trailing third in the polls, behind Mr Giuliani and Senator John McCain.

Like Mr Giuliani, Mr Romney ignored Mr Bush in his speech, instead hitching his star to President Reagan, the darling of the Right, who spoke to the same conference a record 12 times. Sen McCain snubbed the conference.