TweetActor Jon Voight, the master of ceremonies, opened the evening with a series of sharp attacks on Obama, something many Republican leaders have been hesitant to do in light of the president’s high approval ratings.
A USA Today/Gallup Poll taken May 29-31 gave him a 61 percent approval rating.
‘Weak Nation’
"We are becoming a weak nation," said Voight, calling Obama a "false prophet." Republicans need to find their way back to power to free the nation from "this Obama oppression," he said.
Both McConnell and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, who followed Voight, seemed pleasantly surprised.
"I’m still just reveling that someone from Hollywood made a speech like that. I hope you’re going to be able to find work after this," said McConnell. "I really enjoyed that."
Senator John Cornyn of Texas called the speech "refreshing."
The dinner, which included 150 members of Congress, raised $14.5 million for the Republican House and Senate campaign committees.
Alaska Governor and former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell were among the special guests.
Gingrich dialed back his criticism of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, only saying she is "wrong" on the issue of quotas, without citing any rulings she had made in favor of racial quotas.