The 2012 Southern Republican Leadership Conference is being held through Saturday, January 21, at the College of Charleston’s TD Arena and other locations around Charleston. The conference coincides with Saturday’s South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The four remaining candidates as well as Republican leaders from across the nation are in attendance.
On Thursday, January 19, College of Charleston President George Benson welcomed the conference attendees and members of the national media to campus. Benson also introduced former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, whom he has known since 1977.
In recent years, the College has become a key campaign stop for presidential candidates.
“The College of Charleston has borne witness to every presidential election in U.S. history, beginning with the election of George Washington in 1789,” Benson said in his remarks at the conference. “And we’re pleased to be playing a role in this year’s South Carolina Primary.”
To see a video clip of Benson’s remarks, visit http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SouthernRepublic/start/8724/stop/9168
Other conference speakers on Thursday included former U.S. Senator of Pennsylvania and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum; Joe Scarborough, host of “Morning Joe” on MSNBC; U.S. Representative Tim Scott of South Carolina; U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; U.S. Representative Julius Watts of Oklahoma; and Reince Priebus, Chair of the Republican National Committee.
The conference also co-hosted with CNN a televised debate between the Republican presidential candidates at the North Charleston Coliseum on Thursday evening.
