Senator Joseph Lieberman, who eight years ago served as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said he decided to back Republican presidential candidate John McCain this year because ``country matters more than party.''
``John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead America forward,'' Lieberman told delegates last night at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. ``I have personally seen him over and over again bringing people together from both parties to tackle our toughest problems.''
Republicans are trying to re-focus attention on McCain after Hurricane Gustav forced them to curtail the opening-day events on Sept. 1 and news broke that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. Lieberman, President George W. Bush and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson also paid tribute to McCain.
Lieberman said Democratic nominee Barack Obama is ``a gifted and eloquent young man who I think can do great things for our country in the years ahead.''
``But eloquence is no substitute for a record -- not in these tough times,'' he said.
Bush Speaks
Bush, originally scheduled to speak in St. Paul on Sept. 1, addressed the convention by satellite, telling delegates that McCain, 72, is ready to lead the nation in a ``dangerous world'' and will protect the U.S. from terrorism.
``We need a president who understands the lessons of Sept. 11, 2001; that to protect America, we must stay on the offense, stop attacks before they happen, and not wait to be hit again,'' Bush said. ``The man we need is John McCain.''
Bush, 62, urged his fellow Republicans to do all they can to elect McCain, saying the Arizona senator ``is an independent man who thinks for himself.''
`Most Inexperienced'
Thompson, who competed with McCain for the Republican nomination, criticized Obama, calling him ``the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president.''
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment