the what-for?" Santorum's what-for was abortion. "Any child born prematurely, according to the president, in his own words, can be killed," Santorum alleged.

The group's chairman, Ralph Reed (formerly of the Christian Coalition), told the crowd that if the government violated the people's God-given rights, "it was our duty and moral obligation to replace that government, by force if necessary." Even aspiring candidates Newt Gingrich and Buddy Roemer, who between them have had six wives, spoke about moral values.

Pawlenty talked about prayer in Lyndon Johnson's White House, discussed Ronald Reagan's Bible, read a passage from Second Chronicles and addressed the piety of the Founders - all before any mention of the federal debt. He didn't tarry long on what should be the main focus of his candidacy - "theconservative governor of the state of McCarthy, Mondale, Humphrey, Wellstone and now United States Senator Al Franken" - before things went South.

"This ain't about easy; this is about rolling up our sleeves and plowing ahead and getting the job done," he said, pronouncing "getting" as "git-ing." "We, the people of the United States, will rise up again." "United" became "yew-nah-ted" and "again" became "a-gin." Perhaps he thought he was in South Carolina (Pawlenty pronounced it "care-lahna") as he spoke about the other "kinds (kahns) of things" he's done.

If they want to beat Obama, Republicans should hope Pawlenty finds his authentic voice.