The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page A10

10 THE BALTIMORE NEWS NATION WORLD BARTLETT, N.H.— A rare sight materialized in New Hampshire over the weekend: Romney for signs stuck into snowbanks along the road to a remote White Mountain resort hotel. know where they came Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who has not declared his candidacy, told 250 activists at a Republican Party fundraising dinner Saturday night in the hotel ballroom. The leadoff presidential primary state, where politics never go out of season, normally would be cluttered with campaign posters by now. Not this year. As winter turns to spring, the Republican presidential contest has been slow to warm up.

But recent days have offered signs of a thaw. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich dipped his toe into the 2012 race, moving toward a formal declaration. public appearance in New Hampshire was his first in the state since before last election. On Monday, potential Republican candidates addressed a presidential forum for evangelical Christians in Iowa. have picked up dramatically in the last couple of Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawntold reporters in Washington recently.

But none of the major contenders has announced afull-fledged candidacy yet, preventing them from raising the tens of millions of dollarsneeded for a national campaign. And the guest list for the Iowa forum Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorumwere there, but the most prominent so- cial conservatives, former Govs. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, were points to another unusual dimension of the Republican race: On the right, the absence of aprominent declared contender is creating an unexpected void. field at the moment have a single strong candidate around which the more ideological base has said Tom veteran party strategist and Romney adviser in New Hampshire.

Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee, has said prospective candidates need to start campaigning soonso voters can take their measure, but her most prominent event this month could be in India, where she is to address a New Delhi business conference. Her presidential plans remain a mystery. Huckabee, the most successful social conservative in the 2008 primaries, leads in some early polling but is seen by some as a questionable starter. Cliff Hurst, the co-chairman of last New Hampshire campaign, said Huckabee did nothing to discourage him when Hurst announced he was planning to support former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlentythis time.

Another anomaly this year: None of the likely GOP contenders can claim strong national security credentials even though that has typically been a Republican hallmark. The closest thing to a national Republican voice on foreign policy belongs to Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 presidential nominee, who running again. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsmanmay attempt to fill that space after he returns next monthfrom his post as ambassador in Beijing, but first he may have to convince Republican activists that his service in the Obama administration a disqualifier.

There also are hints that the mix of candidates could be smaller and have less heft than seemed likely a few months ago. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, a favorite of tea partyactivists, appears increasingly likely to become a contender. She could be particularly strong in her native social and religious conservatives dominate. Mississippi Gov.

Haley Barbour, once a prominent Washington lobbyist and Republican National Com- mitteechairman, retains deep ties to GOP fundrais- ers across the country. He seems increasingly likely to run and could be a significant factor in the South. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, whose tough talk about federal spending attracted considerable attention over the past month, is not a lock to enter the race. In a sign that some GOP voters are dissatisfied with the choices at hand, there has been considerable interest in popular governors such as Chris Christieof New Jersey and Rick Perry of Texas.

But they have said they running, as have several other potential candidates, including Sen. Marco Rubioand former Gov. Jeb Bush, who appeared last week in Miami with President Barack Obama. Republican strategists had expected new contenders to emerge after the party scored major gains in the 2010 midterm election. Instead, the news has mostly been about those who toyed with running and took a pass, including Sen.

John Thuneof South Da- kotaand Rep. Mike Penceof Indiana. The rigors of presidential campaigning and the high personal cost involved are often cited as reasons many political figures decline to run. A more pragmatic explanation may be rebound in the polls and continuing signs of economic recovery. That has made seeking the 2012 GOP nomination seem less alluring than it did last fall.

is going to be a formidable candidate, and people are starting to wonder just how vulnerable likely to said Bob Bestani, a party activist in New Hampshire, whose view is shared privately by some leading Republicans, including several members of Congress. Obama is expected to form a re-election committee soon and has already started raising money for his effort in next campaign. Pawlenty is expected to make his campaign official sometime next month. Romney may delay until late April or May, raising doubts about his participation in early debates. The first is scheduled for May 2 at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, with another in South Carolina three days later.

Some who greeted Romney at the New Hampshire dinner were disappointed that he announce his entry into the 2012 contest, but there was little doubt he would, eventually. Romney described himself as a specialist who would focus on putting economy back on track. Obama will be aone-term he said. paul.west@tribune.com LARRY PHOTO Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has not declared his candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, but he has been portraying himself as a turnaround expert who would focus on putting the economy back on track.

By Paul West TRIBUNE WASHINGTON BUREAU GOP race gets off to crawling start But activity starts to pick up among possible hopefuls For the latest political news, go to trib.in/ politicsnow NATION Expansion approved for U.S.-Cuba air travel The U.S. government has given permission to eight more airports to offer direct charter flights to and from Cuba in the latest opening in the 49-year-old U.S. trade embargo against the island. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday that Cuba flights would be allowed from airports in Atlanta, Baltimore, Worth, New Orleans, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Tampa and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Previously, Cuba flights could be flown only from Miami, New York and Los Angeles. It was not yet known when flights would begin from the new cities. The embargo prevents most Americans from going to Cuba. Only charter flights, not regular air service, are allowed to operate on U.S.-Cuba routes. Marshal, suspect die in shootout; 2 officers hurt ST.

LOUIS A deputy U.S. marshal died, and another marshal and a city police officer were wounded in a shootout Tuesday at a home in St. Louis, officials said. The marshal, identified as 48-year-old John Perry, died from gunshot wounds, along with the suspect in his shooting. The suspect was identified as Carlos Boles, 35, who was wanted in an assault on a law enforcement officer and for drug possession.

Officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant, police said, when the suspect apparently opened fire. A SWAT team that entered the house later found the man dead. 21 priests put on leave amid sex-abuse claims PHILADELPHIA Slammed by a grand jury report and two civil lawsuits detailing alleged sexual abuse of minors by clergy, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Tuesday placed 21priests on administrative leave and apologized for great The move was announced by Cardinal Justin Rigali, who said an independent investigation will follow. In February, a Philadelphia grand jury harshly criticized the handling of complaints by alleged victims of pedophile priests, and singled out a lack of action by Rigali and retired Archbishop Anthony Bevilacqua. In a statement expressing sorrow for the victims, Rigali said the decision to suspend the 21priests came after at both the substance of allegations, and the process by which those allegations were WORLD Colombia troops rescue kidnapped oil workers BOGOTA, Colombia Colombian officials said Tuesday that government troops rescued 21of 23 oil field workers who were kidnapped the day before by rebels in the remote Vichadastate.

Defense Minister Rodrigo Riverasaid the overnight military operationwas greatly helped by an escaped hostage. Officials said the unidentified hostage, still in rebel custody, works for Talisman Energy, which was exploring for oil in the area. Search-and-rescue operations continued. Man wants lesser sentence in killing LIMA, Peru Joran van der Sloot, the Dutch man who has confessed to killing a young woman in Peru and been linked to the disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Hollowayin Aruba, hopes to win a reduced sentence, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Maximo Altez Navarrosays he has filed a motion in court arguing his client was overcome with and did not plan to kill Stephany Flores, 21, in a Lima hotel room on May 30. That tactic could reduce his sentence to three to five years, against the 25 years prosecutors could seek. According to Altez, vander Sloot became enraged after Flores found reports on his computer that showed he was a suspect in the disappearance of Holloway. Newspapers and news services THE NEWSMAKER Ally of Iranian opposition loses post The Iranian most powerful sympathizer Tuesday lost his post as chief of an important clerical council that oversees the supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was defeated in his bid to continue as head of the Assembly of Experts.

Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani, described as a more conservative cleric, won with 63 of 86 votes. Big Easy sets Katrina, oil spill aside for Mardi Gras NEW ORLEANS Members of the Krewe of Zulu march down St. Charles Avenue during Mardi Gras festivities on Tuesday. Judging by the flamboyant costumes, the dancing and drinking, the Big Easy was doing its best to forget Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. Hotels were near capacity again, the planes were full and the French Quarter was buzzing.

SEAN PHOTO Walker e-mails softer in tone MADISON, Wis. While sparring in public, Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walkerand Democrats have quietly talked about making some changes to the proposal to curtail public sector union power, according to e-mails released Tuesday. What is not clear from the e-mails is whether those talks are continuing since Walker and state senators blasted each other in public Monday. The Wisconsin Assembly has approved proposals that curtail collective bargaining for many workers and require yearly votes for unions to continue to represent workers.

The proposal has been stalled in the state Senate since Feb. 17 when all 14 Democrats left for Illinois rather than lose a vote on the bill. The proposals have touched off weeks of pro-union rallies at the Capitol in Madison and nationwide to protest changes Walker said are needed to fix a state budget deficit. The e-mails, released following a Free- dom of Information request from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, show that Senate Democrats and a senior aide to Walker discussed flexibility on some issues. For example, as proposed the bill requires an annual vote by a majority of union membersto recertify or keep the union in existence.

The proposals and counterproposals point to votes every two or three years with a potential for recertifi- cation by a majority of votes cast. There also were several changes proposed to the section of the bill governing collective bargaining, which would limit bargaining to wages, and only up to the rate of inflation. The governor also wants public unions to make increased payments for health care and pension benefits. Also Tuesday, Democratic representatives and senators said they had drafted a new bill that accepted some of demands to increase pension and health care contributions. Walker has said Democrats should return and vote on his plan as is.

Wisconsin leader hinted at union concessions.