Posted on 06/25/2004 8:35:14 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, the highest profile Democrat to endorse President Bush for re-election, will speak at the Republican National Convention later this summer, a congressional aide said Friday.Miller drew a sharp rebuke from the dean of Georgia's congressional delegation, Democratic Rep. John Lewis, who called the senator's decision "a shame and a disgrace."
According to the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Miller will give his address on Wednesday night of the four-day convention in New York that begins Aug. 30. The Bush-Cheney campaign was expected to make an official announcement later in the day.
The speech by Miller, a former two-term governor, comes 12 years after he delivered the keynote address for Bill Clinton at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, also held in New York.
Miller, who is retiring in January, has voted with Republicans more often than his own party and has been a key sponsor of many of Bush's top legislative priorities, including the Republican's tax cuts and education plan.
In May, Miller spoke at the Georgia Republican convention and criticized Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry as an "out-of-touch, ultraliberal from Taxachusetts" whose foreign and domestic policies would seriously weaken the country.
"I'm afraid that my old Democratic 'ties that bind' have become unraveled," Miller said.
In 2001, Miller had told a Georgia Democratic Party gathering that Kerry, the four-term Massachusetts senator and decorated Vietnam War veterans, was "an authentic" American hero who had worked to strengthen the military.
Miller's recent book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat," is now a national best-seller. In it, he assails members of his own party, including Clinton.
"I think he has sold his soul for a mess of pottage," Lewis said, a reference to a speech Miller gave 40 years ago in which he argued that President Johnson was abandoning his Southern roots by pushing some civil rights issues. Pottage is defined as a thick soup or stew of vegetables.
Bobby Kahn, the chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party, said he wasn't surprised.
"Maybe I'll switch to the Republican Party so I can speak at the Democratic Convention and bash Bush," Kahn said. "It makes about as much sense."
Kahn was a top aide to Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, who appointed Miller to the Senate following the death of Miller's predecessor, Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell.
"I advocated his appointment," Kahn said of Miller. "He said he would be independent and he was for a while, but he hasn't been lately. He's been in lockstep with the Republicans and I don't know what's happened to him. It's really kind of sad."
Any Democrat watching might begin to understand their party has been hijacked by the socialist party.
Excellent!
And the Democrats can't offer up a counter to this.
He he he....
Beautiful! I predict his will be one of the most eloquent and morally clear at the convention.
No doubt about that one, mom. Rep. Lewis is the shame and a disgrace.
Good point. I've been saying that moderate dem's will move toward Bush as November draws closer. Moderate dem's can't relate to the sort of pure HATE which liberals are exhibiting right now.
John Kerry misses his votes appx. 89% of the time. Kerry wants me to take time out of my day to vote for him this November, but 89% of the time he won't take time out of HIS own day, to do what is part of his job! Pathetic!
Conservative Democrat = "Scoop" Jackson Democrat = Warmonger
A Democrat -- or a Republican, for that matter -- opposed to United States being the world's policeman would not be welcome on the speakers' platform at a Republican convention.
Just ask Pat Buchanan.
McCain seems to be solidly behind Bush, and watching the last time they were together (When McCain "opened" for the Prez at an Army event) I can make one of two conclusions:
1, The Dubya-McCain conflict is over for now and McCain is annoyed at all the Kerry courting.
or...
2. McCain is a really good actor.
..And the democrats say that Miller isn't really a democrat but a dino. My whole point was that no other prominent Republican is supporting Kerry that I know about.
Joh Lewis is a disgusting, race-baiting, whore of a politician. That is the disgrace.
This is really good news. It will help the Republicans immensely in winning all these open Senate seats in the South this year. Zell will be telling Southern Democrats it is OK to vote Republican. This is going to drive the DNC batty. And how delicious to have the person who gave the keyonte at Bill Clinton's nominating convention speaking to the Republicans!!!!!!!!
A lot of voters have never even heard of John Kerry. The general public is that out of it. And those who have heard of Kerry have no enthusiasm for him -- not even his own party.
It's a shame they didn't ask Zell to introduce W for his acceptance speech. None of the networks will cover a second of Zell's speech.
This makes you want to smile, doesn't it?
And your alternate plan is...?
You are too kind with your words!
From ear to ear. :o)
John McCain maybe, if you think he has any stature.
And maybe the "star" Arnold?
John McCain just recently campaigned for President Bush in Arizona, and Arnold hopes to be a speaker at the convention in NYC
PING!
The Dims hypocrisy comes shining through.... again.
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