(CNN) – Herman Cain, the former pizza executive who briefly led the pack of GOP 2012 presidential hopefuls, convened a gathering of conservatives Monday with the goal of devising a strategy to convince fellow African-Americans to join their movement.

Dr. Ben Carson, the Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon enjoying new popularity in the conservative movement, also met with Cain Sunday night, but was unable to attend Monday's meeting, held at the Willard Hotel in downtown Washington. A spokeswoman for Cain originally said Carson was attending Monday's gathering.
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