Romney, Brownback makes pitches in Mich.

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Republicans Mitt Romney and Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) promoted their presidential campaigns before nearly 3,000 party activists at the Michigan GOP convention Saturday.

Romney son of a Michigan governor, reminded the crowd that he grew up sharing the Automotive News each morning with his father, George, who headed American Motors Corp. before serving as Michigan's governor from 1963 to 1969.

The younger Romney, himself a former Massachusetts governor, said his father brought many of the lessons he learned from business to the governorship.

"He got Michigan moving again," Romney said, before running through his stands in opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage and in favor of tight controls on illegal immigration. "It's time for Republican principles to come back to Michigan again."

Brownback, of Kansas, running as the conservative heart of the party, earned a warm reception with his pledges to protect life and the traditional family.

He also called for wiping out cancer in 10 years and for putting more resources into alternative energy.

"Michigan is going to be a key state in getting that done," he said, noting its efforts to encourage the production of ethanol and biodiesel.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani received a warm welcome Saturday from California GOP activists.

Being mayor, he said at the California Republican Party convention, "prepares you as best you can be prepared to be the president of the United States."

Giuliani spoke for nearly 45 minutes, touching on health care, crime, terrorism and Iraq. He mocked inaction in Washington, saying he would be a decisive leader.

"Presidents make decisions and move things forward," he said. "That's the kind of president I would like to be."

On a day when a leading Democrat, Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois, announced his presidential bid by invoking Abraham Lincoln, Giuliani said Lincoln's legacy, holding the nation together through the Civil War, really belonged to Republicans.

"As Republicans, we're the party of freedom," he said. "We're the party of Abraham Lincoln."

Giuliani met for about an hour Friday night with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, also a Republican. Schwarzenegger urged him to help bring about a national debate on health care reform and the country's dependence on fossil fuel.

Giuliani's California visit continues with an address Monday in Silicon Valley and an appearance Tuesday at an agricultural fair in the Central Valley.

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Associated Press writer Laura Kurtzman in Sacramento contributed to this report.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070210/ap_on_el_pr/on_the2008_trail [link]