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The National Tea Party Convention kicked off Thursday night.

Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) – The organizer of the Tea Party Convention says he agrees with Tom Tancredo's description of President Barack Obama as a socialist.

The former congressman from Colorado and 2008 Republican presidential candidate blasted President Obama, saying "people who could not even spell the word 'vote', or say it in English, put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House. His name is Barack Hussein Obama."

Tancredo made his comments Thursday night as he gave the kickoff speech for the convention, which is being held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.

Judson Phillips, a Tennessee lawyer who formed Tea Party Nation and who organized what's being billed as the first national Tea Party Convention, told reporters Friday that "Tom Tancredo gave a fantastic speech last night. I think he is an amazing politician."

Asked if he agrees with Tancredo's description of Obama, Phillips said "the word socialist is a word you don't want to be labeled with in the American Political system. It's got a lot of negative connotations, but it also has a very specific political meaning. It refers to a specific political ideology. I think it is very clear that that is the political ideology of Barack Obama."

Phillips added that he thinks "Tancredo doesn't feel like a lot of people who supported Barack Obama understand the basics of this country."

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Tom Tancredo opened what's being billed as the first Tea Party Convention with a bang.

Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) – Tom Tancredo opened what's being billed as the first Tea Party Convention with a bang.

The former congressman from Colorado and 2008 Republican presidential candidate blasted President Obama, saying "people who could not even spell the word 'vote', or say it in English, put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House. His name is Barack Hussein Obama."

Tancredo made his comments as he gave the kickoff speech for the convention, which is being held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.

Tancredo's speech received polite applause among the 600 attendees at the convention.

"So the race for America is on right now. The president and his left-wing allies in Congress are going to look at every opportunity to destroy the Constitution before we have a chance to save it. So put your running shoes on. Because I'll tell you, I've heard we need a revolution. My friends, we already had it. We lost. I mean, what happened to us in that last election was a revolution," said Tancredo, discussing the 2008 presidential contest.

Tancredo also slammed that election's Republican presidential nominee, saying "thank God John McCain lost the election."

The former congressman known for his strong opposition to illegal immigration also attacked "the cult of multiculturalism, aided by leftists, liberals all over who don't have the same idea about America as we do."

A spokesman for the Tea Party Nation, the group that organized the convention, said Tancredo's speech may provide some red meat but termed it problematic.

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A protester displays a version of the Betsy Ross American flag during a Tea Party movement rally in Washington last September. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

(CNN) - What's being billed as the first national Tea Party convention opens its doors Thursday night amid widespread interest and some controversy.

Organizers hope the three-day event will help strengthen the year-old anti-big-government movement. On its Web site, organizer Tea Party Nation says the event is "aimed at bringing the Tea Party Movement leaders together from around the nation for the purpose of networking and supporting the movement's multiple organizations' principal goals."

But there has been pushback against the convention and its organizers from both outsiders and some in the movement because of Tea Party Nation's for-profit status and because the price of entry attendees have paid for access to the workshops and seminars being held through Saturday.

Red State blogger Erick Erickson wrote that while he has good things to say about some groups within the Tea Party, "this national tea party convention smells scammy."

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President Obama is scheduled to attend two DNC events Thursday.

Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama plays the role of fundraiser-in-chief Thursday evening, as he delivers remarks at two events for the Democratic National Committee.

The president is scheduled to speak and take questions at a DNC fundraising reception at the Capitol Hilton in the nation's capitol in the early evening. A few hours later Obama is expected to speak at a DNC fundraising dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

A Democratic party source tells CNN that the two events could bring in around $2.5 million dollars.

The DNC had $13.2 million in the bank and carried a debt of $4.7 million as of the beginning of the year. The DNC's counterpart, the Republican National Committee, had $8.4 million in the bank and no debt as of January 1, putting both party committees on an equal financial footing as the 2010 midterm elections cycle heats up.

The president has another party event Saturday, when he will headline the DNC's winter meeting in Washington.

–CNN Political Editor Mark Preston contributed to this report

–Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Add Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to the growing roster of possible 2012 GOP presidential contenders attending this year's Southern Republican Leadership Conference in April.

Washington (CNN) - Add Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to the growing roster of possible 2012 GOP presidential contenders attending this year's Southern Republican Leadership Conference in April. Jindal won't have to travel far, as the conference is being held in New Orleans.

"SRLC will be a tremendous opportunity to highlight our state's incredible economic momentum," said Jindal in a statement released Thursday morning by the conference.

"Governor Jindal has been a tremendous leader for the state of Louisiana," said SRLC Director Charlie Davis. "His bold reforms and extraordinary vision have made him one of the GOP's rising stars."

SRLC is a major gathering of Republican officials and activists from 14 southern states. The event is held every two to four years and a presidential straw poll is usually conducted.

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Two well respected non-partisan political analysts have changed their ratings of this year's Senate race in Indiana following Coats decision.

Washington (CNN) – Two well respected non-partisan political analysts have changed their ratings of this year's Senate race in Indiana, now that former Republican Sen. Dan Coats is taking the first steps towards challenging the incumbent, Democrat Evan Bayh.

Coats, who held the seat from 1989 to 1999, opened an exploratory committee Wednesday . Following that announcement The Cook Political Report moved it's characterization of the race from solid Democrat to lean Democrat. A solid rating means the contest is not considered competitive and not likely to become closely contested. A lean rating means the race is considered competitive but one party has an advantage.

The Rothenberg Political report also moved its ranking of the contest from currently safe to narrow advantage for the incumbent.

"Former Sen. Dan Coats' likely entry into the Indiana Senate race puts another seat into play for Republicans. Coats last served in the Senate a decade ago and Democrats are already attacking him for living in Virginia since then, but the Republican should be a credible alternative for voters who are dissatisfied with the direction of the country and the party in power," writes Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report.

Political analysts point out that Coats will need to quickly build a campaign structure to compete with Bayh, who had $13 million in the bank at the beginning of the year.

Rep. Coats was appointed senator in 1989, to replace Dan Quayle, who stepped down after his election as vice president. Coats won a special election in 1990 and election to a full term in 1992. He did not seek re-election in 1998. Bayh, Indiana's governor from 1987 to 1997, won the election to the senate in 1998 and grabbed 62 percent of the vote in his 2004 re-election.

The other Republicans, former Rep. John Hostettler and State Senator Marlin Stutzman, are also seeking the GOP Senate nomination.

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(CNN) - Nine days after Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden announced he wouldn't make a bid for his father's old senate seat, the Democrats have landed a candidate.

New Castle County Executive Chris Coons officially announced Wednesday that he's challenging Republican Rep. Mike Castle for the open senate seat this November.

"People here in Delaware are hurting, and Congress has failed to deliver the change we voted for in 2008. I'm running to bring new energy and a new approach to Washington," Coons said in a news release.

Beau Biden announced on Jan. 26 that he would run for re-election as attorney general, ending months of speculation that he would make a bid for the seat held for 36 years by his father Vice President Joe Biden. The elder Biden stepped down from the Senate after his election in November 2008 as vice president. Former Biden aide Ted Kaufman was named as an interim replacement. After Beau Biden's announcement, Kaufman said that he would not seek a full term.

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Most New Yorkers don't think state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's possible challenge of Gov. David Paterson would be racially divisive, according to a new poll.

(CNN) - Most New Yorkers don't think state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's possible challenge of Gov. David Paterson would be racially divisive, according to a new poll.

A Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday morning indicates that 8 in ten voters, including three-quarters of black voters, say a Democratic primary challenge by Cuomo, who is white, of Paterson, who is black, would not be racially divisive.

According to the poll, 78 percent of New Yorkers are not impatient with Cuomo's delay of any announcement on his possible plans to challenge Paterson, with the high level of patience consistent among all political and racial groups and in every region of the state.

"Unlike the media, New Yorkers aren't impatient for Attorney General Cuomo to admit he's running for Governor," says Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

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President Obama travels to New Hampshire Tuesday.

Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama heads to New Hampshire Tuesday, to tout his plans to create new jobs by helping small businesses.

The White House says the president will tour a local business in Manchester, New Hampshire and then hold a town hall meeting at Nashua High School North, where he'll call for $30 billion in loans for small businesses as part of his push to create jobs.

"Jobs will be our number one focus in 2010. And we're going to start where most new jobs do – with small businesses," said Obama in excerpts from comments he'll make at the town hall that were released by the White House.

"That's why today, I'm announcing a proposal to take $30 billion of the money that was repaid by Wall Street banks, and use it to create a new Small Business Lending Fund that will provide capital for community banks on Main Street. These are the small, local banks that work most closely with our small businesses – that provide them their first loan, and watch them grow through good times and bad."

Tuesday's visit will be Obama's second to New Hampshire since taking over as president a year ago. Obama held a town hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in August.
New Hampshire is considered a battleground or swing state in presidential politics.

George W. Bush narrowly won it in 2000, with John Kerry edging Bush out in 2004. Obama won the Granite State by 9 points in the 2008 election. The state is also holding contests for an open senate seat, governor, and both house seats, this November.

Independent voters are an important force in New Hampshire. According to the N.H. secretary of state's office, registered independents make up 41.7 percent of the state's electorate.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

(CNN) – Harry Reid's re-election campaign says that the Senate majority leader raised over $2 million in the past three months.

Reid's re-election campaign reports Friday that they've brought in $2,019,548 in the fourth quarter of 2009 and just over $15 million since the start of this election cycle.

"Our campaign is fully operational and ready to ensure Sen. Reid will continue his work creating jobs and getting Nevada's economy back on track as leader of the Senate," said campaign manager Brandon Hall in a statement. "These resources allow the campaign to highlight the choice they have between candidates whose rhetoric doesn't match reality and Sen. Reid's record of delivering for all Nevada."

Polls over the past year suggest that the four-term senator faces a tough re-election. Only one-third of Nevada voters had a favorable opinion of Reid, according to a survey conducted early this month by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The poll also indicated that a majority of voters in the state, 52 percent, held an unfavorable opinion of Reid. According to the survey, Reid trailed three of his possible GOP challengers in hypothetical general election match-ups.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Minnesota governor and possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty's political action committee will report that it raised more than $1.2 million the past three months,

(CNN) – Minnesota governor and possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty's political action committee will report that it raised more than $1.2 million the past three months, a source close to Pawlenty tells CNN.

In papers to be filed with the Federal Election Commission this weekend, Pawlenty's Freedom First PAC will report that it raised $1,279,906.36 the last three months of last year, from over 2,750 donors. The committee spent $395,831.17 during that same period, including contributions to the campaign committees for Senator-elect Scott Brown, Ohio Senate candidate Rob Portman, New York conservative congressional candidate Doug Hoffman, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina and the Minnesota congressional delegation.

Pawlenty rolled out his political action committee in October, which allows him to travel the country and raise money in support of other Republican and conservative candidates.

"As more people learn about the Governor, they're really impressed by his record in Minnesota, and his natural ability to connect with people. He's an optimistic, authentic leader with a conservative record of balancing budgets and passing innovative reforms," says Phil Musser, senior adviser to the PAC. "The PAC is off to a solid start, and we look forward to playing a big role in the ideas debate, and in supporting the next generation of Republican leaders."

Pawlenty announced last summer he would not seek a third term as governor next year, fueling speculation he is setting his sights on a presidential bid instead. Following that announcement, he became a frequent speaker at major Republican and conservative conferences across the country. He also took on a high profile role as vice chairman of the Republican Governor's Association. And he also announced a group of new advisers, several of whom advised Pawlenty's possible 2012 rival - former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney - during his 2008 presidential bid.

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Rep. Michele Bachmann has dropped out of next week's Tea Party Convention.

Washington (CNN) - Two major speakers at next week's first Tea Party Convention are dropping out of the lineup.

Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann announced Thursday that they will not be attending the convention, which is scheduled to start late next week in Nashville, Tennessee.

Blackburn was scheduled to serve as a featured speaker and also introduce the keynote speaker, former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Bachman was scheduled to serve as one of the convention's kickoff speakers. Both congresswomen are strong supporters of the tea party movement.

Blackburn's congressional office says the House Committee on Standards advised her not to participate in the convention, which is being put together by the Tea Party Nation as a for-profit entity. Tea Party Nation is run by Judson Phillips, a lawyer in Tennessee.

"I spoke to Judson Phillips this morning and let him know that I could not participate in the convention. I told him frankly that Tea Party Nation's for-profit status has put many of his speakers in an awkward position," Blackburn said in a statement.

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According to a new CNN poll, 48 percent of Americans want Congress to start anew on health care legislation.

Washington (CNN) – Only three in ten Americans say they want Congress to pass legislation similar to the health care reform bills that have already been approved by the House and Senate, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey also indicates that nearly half the public, 48 percent, would like federal lawmakers to start work on an entirely new bill, and 21 percent feel Congress should stop working an any bills that would change the country's health care system.

Full results (pdf)

The survey's Tuesday release comes one week after Republican Scott Brown's victory in a special senate election in Massachusetts. The GOP win means once Brown is sworn in as a senator, the Democrats will lose their 60-seat supermajority in the chamber, making their chances of passing the current health care reform legislation extremely difficult.

"Opposition to health care legislation is highest among senior citizens," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Twenty-nine percent of people over 65 want Congress to stop working on health care completely, compared to 20 percent of people under the age of 50."

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Marco Rubio was narrowly outraised by Charlie Crist in the past three months.

Washington (CNN) – Florida Gov. Charlie Crist narrowly outraised rival Marco Rubio the past three months in their battle for the Republican senate nomination. But Crist maintains a wide lead over Rubio, the former Florida House Speaker, when it comes to campaign cash on hand.

The Crist Campaign announced Tuesday morning that they raised over $2 million in contributions for the fourth quarter of 2009, with just over $7.5 million cash on hand.

"We have received phenomenal and broad support from Florida voters," said Crist Campaign Manager Eric Eikenberg in a statement.

The Rubio campaign reported that it raised $1.75 million the past three months, with approximately $2 million in the bank.

"We're on pace in meeting our goals, and I am as confident as ever that we will have the resources to deliver our message and be successful," said Rubio in a statement.

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A new poll shows voter anger at current conditions in the country right now and at the Democrats' agenda in Washington helped fuel Browns victory. (Getty Images)

(CNN) - Voter anger at current conditions in the country right now and at the Democrats' agenda in Washington helped fuel the upset victory of Republican Scott Brown in Tuesday's special senate election in Massachusetts, according to a new poll.

The survey, conducted right after the Tuesday election by the Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University, was released Saturday morning.

Nearly two-thirds of Brown voters questioned in the poll say that their vote was partially to express opposition to the Democrats agenda in Washington. And three-quarters of people who cast ballots for Brown, a Massachusetts state senator, say they are dissatisfied or angry with the policies of President Barack Obama's administration.

Brown narrowly defeated state attorney general Martha Coakley in the special election to fill the last three years of the term of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. Brown became the first Massachusetts Republican to win a senate election since 1972. Brown's victory in a state where Democrats win most elections, preceded by GOP victories in gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia last November, appear to have put the Democrats on the defensive.

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A new poll indicates that Meg Whitman has a large lead over her remaining Republican opponent in the battle for California's GOP gubernatorial nomination.

(CNN) - A new poll indicates that Meg Whitman has a large lead over her remaining Republican opponent in the battle for California's GOP gubernatorial nomination.

According to a Field poll released Friday morning, Whitman holds a 45 percent to 17 percent lead over the state's insurance commissioner Steve Poizner in the Republican primary, with nearly 4 in 10 GOP primary voters undecided. Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, is a billionaire with national party connections. She served as an adviser and surrogate in 2008 for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.

The survey's release comes after former Republican Rep. Tom Campbell dropped his bid for governor and is now running for the Senate in California. A Field Poll released Thursday indicates that Campbell now leads the GOP field in the fight to oust Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. Before dropping out of the governor's race, Campbell was in second place, trailing Whitman but leading Poizner, according to the Field poll.

In a hypothetical general election matchup, the survey indicates that Democratic state attorney general Jerry Brown leads Whitman by 10 points, 46 percent to 36 percent, with nearly 1 in 5 voters undecided, and Brown leads Poizner by 17 points, 48 percent to 31 percent, with just over a fifth of voters undecided. Brown, the former two-term governor from 1975 to 1983, has yet to declare his candidacy for governor. California's current governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is term limited and prevented from running for re-election this year.

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Two days after his stunning victory in Massachusetts, Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown heads to the nation's capitol on Thursday.

Washington (CNN) - Two days after his stunning victory in Massachusetts, Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown heads to the nation's capitol on Thursday.

Brown is a state senator who defeated Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley Tuesday to became the first Massachusetts Republican to win a U.S. Senate election since 1972.

Brown's first meeting on Capitol Hill Thursday will be in the 10 a.m. ET hour with Sen. John McCain of Arizona. McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, endorsed Brown's bid to fill the last three years of the term of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. In the January 3 endorsement, McCain said of Brown that "as an officer on the Army National Guard, he understands the importance of a strong military and the necessity of protecting our interests around the world."

McCain is a retired naval aviator who was shot down and served as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.

McCain, through his Country First political action committee, is calling on Democrats to seat Brown immediately.

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Massachusetts Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley sounded confident as she voted Tuesday morning.

Boston (CNN) - Massachusetts Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley sounded confident as she voted Tuesday morning in a special election to fill the final three years of the term of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Speaking to reporters after she cast her ballot at an elementary school in Medford, Massachusetts, near her home, Coakley was optimistic that she would win, saying "we've been working every day."

Coakley, the state's attorney general, is battling Republican state Sen. Scott Brown. A new poll released Monday afternoon indicated that Brown had a 7-point edge over Coakley, with 2 percent backing Joseph Kennedy, a third party candidate who is not related to the late senator. Other recent partisan and non-partisan surveys suggested the race was a dead heat.

Brown votes later Tuesday morning at an elementary school in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

President Obama appears in a new ad for Martha Coakley released Monday.

(CNN) - President Barack Obama appears in a new campaign commercial for fellow Democrat Martha Coakley, the party's candidate in Tuesday's special election for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat.

The ad began running on television in Massachusetts Monday, one day after the president was the main attraction at a rally for Coakley Sunday in Boston.

The commercial uses portions of Obama's speech from the Sunday Coakley campaign event.
"Martha knows the struggles Massachusetts working families face because she's lived those struggles. She's fought for the people of Massachusetts every single day," says the president in the ad. "As attorney general she took on Wall Street and recovered millions for Massachusetts taxpayers. She went after big insurance companies, took on predatory lenders. That's what Martha Coakley's all about. Every vote matters. Every voice matters. We need you on Tuesday."

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