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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2008

Bush Gives Brief RNC Speech From Afar

Addressing Republican Convention Via Satellite, President Says McCain Is "Ready To Lead"

  • Play CBS Video Video Bush Says McCain's Ready

    President Bush addressed the RNC to show his support of John McCain's nomination, saying that the U.S. needs a president who understands the world after 9/11.

  • President Bush addressed the Republican National Convention via satellite from the White House on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008.

    President Bush addressed the Republican National Convention via satellite from the White House on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008.  (AP)

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    Latest news and video from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

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(CBS/ AP)  It was supposed to be President Bush's glory moment in his party's spotlight, full of tributes to his eight years of leadership and cheers from grateful partisans, as he passed the mantle to his would-be successor.

Instead, Mr. Bush's brief appearance Tuesday at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota was essentially a footnote. He got eight minutes via satellite hookup from a lonely White House podium 1,100 miles away. A Democrat-turned-independent, Sen. Joe Lieberman, got the showcase final speaking slot.

"I know the hard choices that fall solely to a president," Mr. Bush told delegates, his image beamed before delegates on giant video screens in the Xcel Energy Center. "John McCain's life has prepared him to make those choices. He is ready to lead this nation."
(Read the text and watch the video of Mr. Bush's speech)

Mr. Bush was well received, but it was not a rousing send-off for the man who, despite his unpopularity, somehow managed to keep Democrats confounded with his veto power and more often than not got his way.

Hurricane Gustav's landfall early Monday forced Mr. Bush to cancel plans for a splashy convention appearance on the opening night of the GOP convention. Despite dismal approval ratings that made a Bush appearance something of a distraction or even potential problem for McCain, all this was deemed Mr. Bush's due.

When McCain's team scaled back the convention lineup because of Gustav, they had a chance to scale back the president's role, too. And they took it.

Time to move forward.

Mr. Bush chose instead to reach back - to the campaign theme of national security that worked for his campaigns and those of other Republicans over the years.

"We live in a dangerous world," Mr. Bush said. "The man we need is John McCain."

Mr. Bush didn't mention his own record. Nor did he explicitly speak of McCain's Democratic opponent, Barack Obama.

Instead, the president put McCain's full-throated support of the Iraq war front and center in his pitch for the GOP senator to succeed him, and said that only McCain understands the lessons of the Sept. 11 attacks in a way that makes him qualified to be commander in chief.

The president referred to McCain as the "one senator above all" who backed the U.S. campaign in the Iraq war - and Bush's decision to send more U.S. troops into the fight - even as violence spiraled out of control.

Though a welcome message to partisan delegates, this only served to remind a skeptical broader public watching on TV about the war, and McCain's link to it.

Mr. Bush offered McCain's constancy in the face of doubts and criticism as a reason to support him. "That is the kind of courage and vision we need in our next commander in chief," the president said.

The president also emphasized McCain's impressive life story, as a former Vietnam prisoner of war and a politician with a maverick streak. Recounting McCain's tortuous time as a prisoner of war led Mr. Bush to the most partisan barb of his short speech.

"Fellow citizens," Mr. Bush said, "if the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain's resolve to do what is best for our country, you be sure the angry left never will."

Mr. Bush's remarks were bracketed by his decidedly more popular wife, Laura. She took the podium in the hall to introduce the president's address, and spoke afterward as well. She played defense for her husband's Oval Office record in the Oval Office, tossing out statistics on everything from education gains to fighting AIDS across the globe.

"You might call that change you can really believe in," the first lady said, a clear poke at Obama's campaign slogan.

Bush aides acknowledged the president would have preferred to take his turn in the convention limelight, while insisting he was pleased to do whatever he could. The execution of his appearance from afar was a bit awkward at times.

The crowd rose to its feet to applaud Laura Bush's introductory remarks just as the president - apparently unaware of the clamor in the hall - had started speaking on the screen. As a result, his opening words were drowned out. On several other occasions, as well, his words were lost when he continued talking over cheers in the hall.

"I wish he came here in person," said Colorado delegate Alan Duff. "You lose so much over the TV."

Still, Duff gave Mr. Bush high marks: "He knows what it takes to be president and he told us why John McCain's up to the job. You can't get a better recommendation than that."


©MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Add a Comment
by kansas1946 September 3, 2008 9:20 PM EDT
Bush Gives Brief RNC Speech From Afar
********************************************

I don''t think the moon would have been "afar" enough for John McSame. He wants us to all forget that he voted with Bush about 95pct of the time.
Reply to this comment
by vetforobama September 3, 2008 8:55 PM EDT
McSame is going to wish he vetted her.

In a February interview with MTV, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin lavished praise on maverick Republican presidential contender Ron Paul.

She had a few nice things to say about another GOP candidate, Mitt Romney. But Palin made no mention of John McCain.

By the way she showed better judgement than McCain did supporting her. Ron Paul is 10 times the man McShame ever will be.
Reply to this comment
by warmonger247 September 3, 2008 5:51 PM EDT
If Your A Pregnant Teen Vote For The GOP.... Ha Ha Ha






















Reply to this comment
by warmonger247 September 3, 2008 3:02 PM EDT
commander guy is still in office?
Reply to this comment
by realpatriot1 September 3, 2008 2:10 PM EDT
Look at Bush''s face. He''s laughing at those 80% of delegates who still think he''s doing a fine job!
Reply to this comment
by realpatriot1 September 3, 2008 2:08 PM EDT
boatdocster,

I see an Obama ad coming with Bush saying over and over, "The man we need is John McCain...".

I hope it plays on Youtube as much as Rev. Wright.
Reply to this comment
by realpatriot1 September 3, 2008 2:07 PM EDT
Raflin,

Excuse is right! They had him on last night via satellite from the White House(not the Gulf Coast) 5 minutes before the broadcast channels began their coverage.

Clearly, the intent was to have him appear for the delegates but not for the voters.
Reply to this comment
by jsl45 September 3, 2008 12:02 PM EDT
They were wise to keep the "toxic" Bush away from the convention... hopefully there will never be another president who is such a looser.
Reply to this comment
by avembe September 3, 2008 5:46 AM EDT
Last election Bush smeared a war hero, now he praises one.
Reply to this comment
by boatdocster September 3, 2008 4:19 AM EDT
"We live in a dangerous world," Mr. Bush said. "The man we need is John McCain."

Keep playing that fear card George, its the only one you have left!
Reply to this comment
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