Obama's Republican challengers meet in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS: US President Barack Obama's Republican foes swarm this party city Thursday, including many of his would-be rivals for the White House hunting for crucial support 17 months before the 2012 election.

Some marquee names will be missing -- notably frontrunner Mitt Romney and one of those chasing him, Tim Pawlenty -- as thousands of conservatives converge on New Orleans for the annual Republican Leadership Conference.

And one of the most talked-about guests, Texas Governor Rick Perry, has only thus far flirted -- albeit heavily -- with the possibility of running, and his book-signing here on Saturday has some observers betting he'll jump in.

Perry told Fox News Channel in an interview Tuesday that he was giving the idea of jumping into the race "an appropriate thought process" at the urging of supporters including his wife.

"It was a number of conversations that were had with people I trust, including my wife that basically said, 'listen, our country is in trouble, and you need to give this a second thought,'" he said.

Other likely or declared 2012 Republican White House hopefuls due to attend the gathering include former House speaker Newt Gingrich, Representative Ron Paul, "Tea Party" favourite Representative Michele Bachmann, former pizza chain executive Herman Cain, and former US ambassador to Beijing Jon Huntsman.

Huntsman was due to formally launch his quest for the Republican nod to oust his former boss on Tuesday against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline scarred by the September 11th terrorist strikes.

In an email to supporters, his wife Mary Kaye Huntsman promised "an incredible journey with someone completely different."

"In less than a week, a new generation of conservative leadership will emerge. No loud voices or drama, instead a vision for America that reverses the course we're on," she said in the message.

Republican former senator Rick Santorum, another presidential contender, was also due at the conference, the web site for which proclaims "Laissez les REPUBLICAN bon temps rouler!" (Let the REPUBLICAN good times roll).

The Thursday-Saturday conference, perhaps the largest gathering of Republican activists outside the presidential nominating convention, was also due to hear from other conservative superstars ahead of holding a White House straw poll.

Republican Senator Jim DeMint, arguably the archconservative "Tea Party" movement's lead patron in the US Senate, was expected to speak Saturday.

While historically high unemployment and deep war-weariness in the US public have left Obama relatively weak, Republicans have been grousing that they lack the kind of energizing standard-bearer needed to retake the White House.

A new public opinion poll by NBC television and the Wall Street Journal found Romney has surged to a clear lead in the nominating fight and that attacks on Obama's handling of the economy have not dented his lead over Republican rivals.

The survey found that 45 percent of respondents would probably vote to give Obama a second term, while 40 percent said they would back a Republican -- while the president's lead widened against specific challengers.

Against Romney, for example, Obama led 49 percent to 43 percent.?AFP

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011