LONGWOOD, Fla. Michelle Obama: Getting work done before campaign

Gearing up for a tough political season ahead, Michelle Obama said Saturday she's trying to get as much done as possible before the general election campaign starts to drown out everything else.

"It's sort of like working before vacation - only it's not a vacation," she said in an interview with a handful of reporters. "It's that same notion of 'How much time do we have? What do I have to do?'"

The first lady said she's also reminding herself not to take things personally once the rough-and-tumble of the campaign starts.

"Things are different in a campaign environment," she said. "It's a competition. Things are said. You just take it one day at a time."

The first lady said she'll devote three days a week to politics once the campaign is in full swing, but she wants to continue working on her signature issues of fighting childhood obesity and supporting military families.

Gingrich fans remain confident

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's supporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington expressed confidence he'll be the Republican nominee despite his recent setbacks, including Saturday's third-place showing in the conference straw poll.

"I believe he tells it like it is," said Connie Patterson, a retired florist from Sherman, Ill. "He has the ideas that can take us back to where we belong." McClatchy Newspapers

Palin speaks to cheers at CPAC

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, received a roaring welcome to the Conservative Political Action Conference convention Saturday. Her rip-roaring anti-Barack Obama speech closed the conference.

Palin said the hard-fought race for the GOP nomination this year will help produce a better candidate for the general election.

"In America, we believe that competition strengthens us," Palin said. "Competition relates to victory in 2012." McClatchy Newspapers