WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Newt Gingrich was the keynote speaker at Monday night's fundraising dinner for the Senate and House Republican campaign committees, but it was Sarah Palin who stole the show. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves to the crowd at the Republican fundraising dinner Monday in Washington. The Alaska governor's last-minute appearance at the GOP's biggest fundraiser of the year ended 24 hours of speculation that the she might skip the event. A late attempt to have her speak at the dinner fell through when organizers feared she might upstage Gingrich, the onetime House speaker. Hours before the event was slated to begin, an aide to Palin would not confirm that she would be attending. But when Palin and her husband, Todd, sauntered across the stage with Gingrich and his wife, Callista, shortly before the program commenced, their appearance was met with cheers from the audience of 2,000 party loyalists.
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Speculation had been rampant about whether Gov. Sarah Palin would attend dinner
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Crowd cheers upon arrival of Palin and her husband, Todd
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Even though Palin doesn't speak, she is center of attention during  fundraiser
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$14.3 million raised for congressional Republicans; Obama roundly criticized
He acknowledged the intra-party squabbles that have roiled the @placeholder since last year's election, but he said such debates are to be expected and will never really disappear.