The overall theme of the Republican convention is "Country First", to which yesterday in deference to the pending Hurricane, Gustav, that was approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast, Republican delegates and convention attendees took to the phones and collected over a million dollars in relief funds for the victims of Hurricane Gustav.
Gustav did far less damage that projected and tonight the Republican Convention is back on track and the schedule of speakers and events have been announced which was changed originally because of Hurricane Gustav as reported by Bellingham Herald..
Via the Republican Convention website, the featured speeches for tonight will come from Senator Joseph Lieberman in what is being described by sources as a "trans-Partisan" speech as The Politico describes it. Lieberman will speak of John McCain's record of leadership and service.
It will be, promised the source, "like no other that has been given at any convention."
Also featured tonight is a speech that will be given by Former presidential candidate and Senator, Fred Thompson.
Excerpts of Thompson's speech has been released to show that he will discuss a number of topics.
On John McCain's qualifications to be president:
"This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength. Courage. Humility. Wisdom. Duty. Honor. It's pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, 'Who is this man?' and 'Can we trust this man with the presidency?'"
On John McCain's dedication to doing what is right – not what is popular:
"He has been to Iraq eight times since 2003. He went seeking truth, not publicity. When he travels abroad, he prefers quietly speaking to the troops amidst the heat and hardship of their daily lives. And the same character that marked John McCain's military career has also marked his political career. This man, John McCain, is not intimidated by what the polls say or by what is politically safe or popular."
On John McCain's commitment to taking real action to reform Washington:
"But while others were talking reform, John McCain led the effort to make reform happen – always pressing, always moving for what he believed was right and necessary to restore the people's faith in their government. Confronting when necessary, reaching across the aisle when possible, John personified why we came to Washington in the first place."
On John McCain's ability to restore integrity to our government:
"My role is to help remind you of the man behind the vision. Because tonight our country is calling to all of us to step up, stand up, and put 'Country First' with John McCain. Tonight we are being called upon to do what is right for our country."
The Weekly Standard has been given tips as to other subjects that Fred Thompson will address, one of which being Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarh Palin:
"What a breath of fresh air Governor Sarah Palin is. She is from a small town, with small town values, but that's not good enough for those folks who are attacking her and her family. Let's be clear, the selection of Governor Palin has the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic. She is a courageous, successful, reformer, who is not afraid to take on the establishment."
Thompson will also address Barack Obama answers at the Saddleback Church from last month regarding abortion, where he will say, "We need a President, and Vice President, who will take the federal bureaucracy by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shaking. And we need a President who doesn't think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade."
The full list of schedule speakers as of now will be :
* President George W. Bush (via satellite)
* First Lady Laura Bush
* U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.)
* Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.)
* U.S. House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio)
* U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.)
* U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.)
* Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee
* Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention Committee on Arrangements
It is expected that further speakers will be appear as well, due to the conflict of some members of delegations having returned to their home states to deal with the hurricane yesterday the schedule was altered.
[Update] Excerpt from Joseph Lieberman's speech:
"And that brings me directly to why I am here tonight. What, after all, is a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention like this? The answer is simple. I'm here to support John McCain because country matters more than party. I'm here tonight because John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead our country forward. I'm here because John McCain's whole life testifies to a great truth: being a Democrat or a Republican is important. But it is not more important than being an American."
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