Illinois Republican Party Ronald Reagan Day Dinner

I'm live-blogging live from the ILGOP Ronald Reagan Day Dinner fundraiser at the magnificent Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton.

I'm here with John Ruberry of Marathon Pundit, Warner Todd Huston of Publius Forum and Kyle Maichle of North Shore Exponent, among other bloggers and reporters.

As I write this, this first of four speakers, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is just finishing up his remarks. I've a large number of photos to upload, but there's more to come.
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Now Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) is speaking: "As Henry VIII said to his fifth wife: 'I won't keep you long.'"

Pence repeats some of Reagan's best humor: When running for governor of California, Reagan was asked what sort of governor he would be, and Reagan answered, "I don't know, I've never been a governor."

When Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II were riding on horseback together, and Queen

Pence calls on the audience to finish Reagan's great unfinished work: federalism. Also called on the audience to fulfill Reeagan's dream to end abortion and return the sanctity of life to the center of American society. Most of the audience stands to applaud.

Pence concludes with Reagan quote: "Our best days are yet to come."
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Now Chairman Pat Brady is introducing Rick Santorum.

"He believed in American exceptionalism. Ronald Reagan never apologized for America."

Santorum explains his own recent remarks comparing abortion to slavery, and points out that Reagan made the same comparison five times.

On Islamic terrorism: "We cannot defeat an enemy unless we tell the American people and the world who that enemy is."

Unlike Gingrich and Pence before him, Santorum is speaking more about Obama and the contrasts with Reagan.  He quotes Reagan less, while applying Reagan's principles to current events.  This sounds more like the speech of a presidential candidate than the others.
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Chairman Brady thanks the Tea Party for their work this year, and expresses his gratitude for the presence of Tea Party people. He doesn't seem to realize that most Tea Party people really are Republicans.
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Ambassador John Bolton is speaking. "Reagan proved that a president could walk and chew gum at the same time."

"When it comes to health care, I do believe that both Mahmoud Achmadinajad and Kim Jong Il would support the public option."

"Barack Obama is our first post-American president."
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Treasurer Dan Rutherford is delivering closing remarks about the 1980 campaign.