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Republicans Hail McCain, Rip Obama

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By DAN MORAIN and MICHAEL MUSKAL

Los Angeles Times

Published: September 3, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who ran for vice president as a Democrat eight years ago, Tuesday night ignited the Republican convention by praising his good friend, Sen. John McCain, as a person whose willingness to put the country above party earned him the right to be the next president of the United States.

Lieberman, who caucuses with the Democrats to control the Senate, criticized Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama as too inexperienced to lead the country.

"Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record - not in these tough times," Lieberman said.

Lieberman was the last major speaker as Republicans finished the second day of their national convention. Earlier, delegates heard from President Bush and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee.

Speaking via satellite, Bush praised McCain. The long-distance appearance solved a political problem for the presumed GOP presidential nominee, who has sparred with Bush in the past.

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

Bush was part of a parade of speakers at the convention, shortened because of Hurricane Gustav's lashing of the Gulf Coast. He was introduced by his wife, first lady Laura Bush, who brought the crowd to its feet with a rousing speech that defended her husband's policies.

Also in the hall were Bush's father, the former President Bush and his mother, Barbara. Both remain popular figures, and were cheered before and after a video tribute.

Tuesday night's theme was service.

"John McCain's life is a story of service above self," Bush said. Citing McCain's time as a prisoner who was tortured during the Vietnam War, Bush said, "His arms were broken but not his honor.

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

Bush congratulated McCain for supporting the White House plan to send additional troops to Iraq. McCain has claimed credit for pushing the surge, and has argued repeatedly that it shows he is more experienced in foreign and security issues than Obama, who opposed the war.

"Many in Congress said it (the surge) had no chance of working," Bush said. "Yet one senator above all had faith in our troops and the importance of their mission - and that was John McCain.

"Some told him that his early and consistent call for more troops would put his presidential campaign at risk. He told them he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war. That is the kind of courage and vision we need in our next commander in chief," Bush said.

In one of the sharpest attacks so far at this slimmed-down Republican national convention, Thompson lashed out at Democrats for offering a presidential candidate who, he said, failed to measure up to McCain.

Thompson, the actor whose own presidential campaign failed to ignite, never mentioned Obama by name, but there was no doubt to whom he referred.

"The Democrats present a history-making nominee for president," Thompson said. "History-making in that he is the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president."

Thompson also gave a ringing endorsement of McCain and his choice to be vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has been under the political microscope in recent days.

"There has been no time in our nation's history, since we first pledged allegiance to the American flag, when the character, judgment and leadership of our president was more important," Thompson said.

Palin, 44, gave birth in April to a son with Down syndrome. She also announced on Monday that her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, was pregnant and would marry the father, who is scheduled to appear at the convention with the Palin family.

The Palin women's example of continuing their pregnancies instead of resorting to abortion has helped galvanize conservatives.

Thompson strongly supported Palin, calling her a breath of fresh air.

"She is a courageous, successful reformer who is not afraid to take on the establishment.

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