Condoleezza Rice Stars At Mitt Romney Fundraiser

Who Created VP Buzz at Romney Event?

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stole the show at a high-powered fundraiser for Mitt Romney this weekend in Utah, outshining an all-star lineup of vice presidential wannabes also in attendance.

"She rocked it," Kent Lucken, an international banker from Boston, told ABC News of Rice's Saturday luncheon speech for top donors at a posh retreat in Park City.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Charles Cobb called Rice's speech "spectacular." Husband-and-wife donors from Los Angeles told ABC that Rice made an "impassioned plea" for the country to "stand up and take charge."

Billed as the “First National Romney Victory Leadership Retreat," the three-day gathering featured receptions and panels on issues like health care and Israel, as well as major-league networking. It also offered a stage for potential running mates vying to curry favor with Romney. Among those on hand were South Dakota Sen. John Thune, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

None came close to attracting the attention that Rice did, even though she has made clear she has no electoral ambitions. “Not going to happen,” she recently said in reaction to speculation she would be Romney's choice for vice president. “I love policy, I don’t really love politics."

Even so, Rice isn't staying entirely away from the political fray -- tonight she will host her first Washington fundraiser. The event will benefit ShePAC, a super PAC that supports Republican women candidates. It was launched in February and made headlines with an online video attacking "Bill Maher: Obama's Million Dollar Man."

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