Ron Paul to be honored at GOP convention with tribute video
(CBS News) To illustrate its partnership with Ron Paul and his supporters, the Romney campaign on the second night of the Republican National Convention will show a short tribute film about the libertarian-leaning congressman and former presidential candidate.
"While they certainly disagree on many issues, they always have had... a mutual respect," Romney campaign strategist Russ Schriefer said of Mitt Romney and Paul, who ran against each other in the Republican primary.
As Romney prepares to formally accept the Republican presidential nomination at the convention, there have been concerns that Paul's ardent supporters could complicate the process. After a relatively strong showing in the Republican primary, Paul still controls several hundred delegates who will participate in next week's convention. Romney campaign, however, is committed to showing its alliance with the congressman.
"Congressman Paul's people came to us and said they'd like to do a short tribute to him and we said absolutely," Schriefer told reporters on a conference call Friday. The video, he said, will feature his colleagues giving "testimony to his principles and dedication to America."
Schriefer also pointed out that Paul's son Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is slated to speak at the Tampa, Fla., convention on Monday night.
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"We feel that we're in a good place," he said. "We know that not everybody is going to agree with us all the time, but we know as a Republican party we're going to unite and beat Barack Obama in November."
The Republican delegates will start the roll call vote to nominate Romney on Monday, the first day of the convention. There were reports that the vote was starting early in part because of concerns about Paul's delegates, but the Romney campaign maintains the roll call vote was always slated to start Monday. Romney is still slated to formally accept the nomination on Thursday.
The overall convention theme is "A better future," Schriefer said, while the last night, Thursday night, will focus more specifically on telling Romney's story "in a very complete way."
Part of Thursday night's program will include several people who worked with Romney in the Mormon church, including a church leader who succeeded Romney and will talk about what it was like "to fill Romney's shoes."
The campaign has also rounded up about 15 Olympians to appear at the convention, highlighting Romney's stewardship of the 2002 Salt Lake City games. At least three of them will speak at the convention, including skeet shooter Kim Rhode, speed skater Derek Parra, and Michael Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" hockey team.
