Former Speaker Newt Gingrich will decide by early March whether he'll run for president next year, he told Fox News.

He said that he and his wife will start discussions later this month.

“Callista and I will start discussing it the last part of February," Gingrich said Thursday evening on Hannity. "We'll talk with our family. We'll think this through.  And by very early March, you will know something pretty definitive.  But I think as we are coming down now to a period of three or four weeks.”

Gingrich addressed the Conservative Action Political Conference on Thursday and gave no hints to his 2012 plans.

Mitt Romney got in several jabs at President Obama and emphasized his business credentials in addressing the conservative gathering.

Mitt Romney said President Obama's foreign policy has made the world "more dangerous" but didn't cite the president's handling of Egypt.

The Egyptian government announced President Hosni Mubarak's resignation shortly after Romney addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday morning.

Several other possible presidential candidates in 2012 did address the president's handling of the diplomatic crisis. The situation in Egypt has been uncertain — Murbarak was expected to step down Thursday night and left Washington stunned when he stayed in power.

Speaking Thursday, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) said that Obama is afraid to "identify the enemy."

"President Obama has refused to look at the situation in Iran and Egypt and around the world and call evil, evil," said Santorum, who argued the president's approach has been inconsistent.

Newt Gingrich called the administration's handling of Egypt "amateurish."

"The Obama administration is wrong on terrorism, wrong on Iran, wrong on the Muslim Brotherhood, wrong on Hezbollah, and being wrong on that many national security items is an enormously dangerous thing," the former House Speaker said at CPAC Thursday.

—This post was last updated at 11:53 a.m.

The new president of the American Conservative Union, Al Cardenas, said Thursday that it will be difficult for CPAC to continue its relationship with GOProud, a conservative gay-rights group.

Cardenas made the comments in an interview with Frum Forum, saying he has been "disappointed with their website and their quotes in the media, taunting organizations that are respected in our movement."

"It's going to be difficult to continue the relationship because of their behavior and attitude," Cardenas said, citing a recent interview in which GOProud Chairman Chris Barron called ACU Foundation Chairman Cleta Mitchell a "bigot."

Barron has since apologized for the comment.

The ACU runs the Conservative Political Action Conference every year. GOProud's inclusion in this year's conference has led to a boycott from several leading conservative organizations and from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

On Thursday, the group had a sizable presence in the exhibit area at CPAC and helped promote real estate mogul Donald Trump's surprise appearance.

"The boycotters are actively looking to undermine CPAC," Barron told The Ballot Box Thursday. "We're looking to being new voices to the table."

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said he would stay neutral, paving the way for a conservative challenger to Hatch.

Republican John Dennis, who raised some $2.5 million in his 2010 challenge to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), is launching a political action committee.  

Despite coming up well short in his race against Pelosi, Dennis garnered national attention thanks to solid fundraising and catchy Web ads — one of which labeled Pelosi the "Wicked Witch of the West."  

The libertarian Republican has an ally in Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who endorsed his bid against Pelosi, and Dennis is promoting his new Freedom & Prosperity PAC at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, this week.  

Dennis said the PAC will support "liberty-oriented candidates," and that he has another issue-oriented organization in the works — either a 501(c) or 527.    

As far as winning his backing — it won't be easy. Dennis slammed the new House Republican leadership for not displaying a real backbone on spending cuts, calling the $32 billion initially proposed by House leaders "nonsense."  

Three icons of the conservative movement are uniting for a fundraiser in California.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher and former Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller are set to appear at a March 24 fundraiser billed as "an evening you won't forget."

Tickets range from $212 to $2,012. The money raised goes to the Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama, a group organized by the California-based Tea Party Express.

"All attendees to the fundraiser will receive complimentary refreshments and hors d'oeuvres," according to a release. "Also, all guests will be present for the unveiling of the debut television ad for the Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama, and a presentation outlining the strategy to win back the White House in 2012."

The event is being held at a private home in Montara, Calif.

The list of potential Republican candidates who could jump into the race for retiring Sen. Jon Kyl's (R-Ariz.) seat starts at close to 10 candidates, with GOP insiders pegging Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) the early front-runner. 

Flake is likely to jump into the race quickly, according to a GOP source — an early entry that could help thin the Republican field.  

Other possible contenders include Rep. Trent Franks (Ariz.) and former Reps. J.D. Hayworth (Ariz.) and John Shadegg (Ariz.). Hayworth told The Hill on Thursday that he's weighing a run; Shadegg wouldn't say whether he's likewise mulling a bid, but did urge Kyl to reconsider his decision to retire. 

Other potential candidates, according to Republicans: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, former state Treasurer Dean Martin and state Senate President Russell Pearce. 

Former Gov. Fife Symington also expressed interest Thursday. Symington even floated former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner as a potential candidate for the seat to Politico. 

One high-profile Republican who has already taken herself out of the running for the Senate seat is Gov. Jan Brewer, a star among conservative activists thanks to her championing of the state's tough anti-illegal immigration law. 

On the Democratic side, the field of potentials is led by former Arizona Gov. and current Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. 

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was seriously considering a run for Kyl's seat before last month's shooting in Arizona. Giffords had told staff that she intended to make a bid for the seat should Kyl opt for retirement. 

Giffords is recuperating from a gunshot wound to the head, and it won't be known for some time if she will fully recover from the injury. She is, however, widely considered the Democrats' ideal candidate for the seat. 

Other Democratic possibilities include Rep. Ed Pastor (Ariz.), U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke and former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.).

With Sen. Kyl's retirement, Democratic operatives wondered if Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) might be healthy enough to run.