Palin stars at conservative summit despite absence

By Ed Stoddard

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican vice presidential contender Sarah Palin was the star of a summit of self-styled "values voters" Friday -- even though she wasn't there.

Most of the religious conservative activists gathered at a Washington hotel were too fired up by the anti-abortion, pro-gun mother of five's addition to the Republican White House ticket to be bothered much by her absence.

Neither Palin nor the Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, were scheduled to appear at the two-day conference.

"They (liberals) find (Alaska) Gov. Palin quite horrifying ... Gov. Palin violates every norm they have," former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich told about 1,000 people who erupted almost every time Palin's name was mentioned.

Since McCain chose Palin as his running mate two weeks ago, the pair has reignited enthusiasm among the party's conservative Christian base in the race against Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Joe Biden ahead of the November 4 election.

"I'm very excited about Palin. We are starting to get more united as a movement," said 18-year-old Rebecca Craig, an intern with Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion group.

"Palin Power" badges and stickers were a common sight, while ones bearing McCain's name were far less common.

SHARED VALUES

McCain has had a stormy relationship with conservative Christians on a range of fronts, although he has won them over by picking Palin, a devout Christian and staunch abortion opponent.

"We wanted to make sure he (McCain) shared our values and he did that by picking Sarah over (former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt) Romney," said Teddy Hickox of the Georgia Christian Alliance.

"He's not a Christian," he said in reference to Romney's Mormon faith, which many evangelicals regard as a cult.

A few expressed disappointment that neither McCain nor Palin had attended.

"For McCain not to be here will be taken as a slight by some," said Bishop Harry Jackson, a leading figure in the African American religious conservative movement.

"It would have been the icing on the cake if one of them had come here. In that sense it is a missed opportunity," Jackson said.

The political action committee of the conservative Family Research Council, which organized the summit attended by about 2,000 people, released the names of more than 130 candidates it was endorsing in congressional, attorney general and judicial races in more than 30 states.