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Sen. Miller to speak at GOP convention
AP | 6/25/04 | JEFFREY McMURRAY

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."



TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: bushdemocrats; democratsforbush; gwb2004; rncconvention; zellmiller
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To: Wyatt's Torch

Take that back... John Lewis is beholden to no one.. He is stubborn and stupid... You can depend on him being himself and is true to his beliefs. John is good to his word which makes him an honorable man. Like him or not.


41 posted on 06/25/2004 9:20:00 AM PDT by Broker (STAY ALERT STAY ALIVE)
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To: we_will_prevail; kattracks
"Democratic Rep. John Lewis, who called the senator's decision "a shame and a disgrace."

Yet - JumpinJimJeffords is hailed as a courageous man of convictions. John McCain gets described as a maverick and a bold politician yet Zell gets tagged as though something happened to him because he does not meet the RAT definition of independent.

You can bet the mortgage that the alphabet networks wont show this speech when covering the convention.

42 posted on 06/25/2004 9:23:43 AM PDT by capydick ("There's no question I'm an idealist, which is another way of saying I am an American.")
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To: Mr. Silverback
Well, I shouldn't be complaining about those Rino's when its such good news about Zell Miller.

I just heard both of them bad mouthing Bush and it offended me.
43 posted on 06/25/2004 9:41:03 AM PDT by Delphinium
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To: Delphinium

Why?


44 posted on 06/25/2004 9:55:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
Why?

I hate to see anyone who does not stand for Republican principles become a big star in the party.
45 posted on 06/25/2004 10:06:12 AM PDT by Delphinium
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To: Broker
How's this:

John Lewis is a consistently stupid, race-baiting, whore of a politician who remains true to his stubborn and racially divisive beliefs.

Better?

;-)

46 posted on 06/25/2004 10:45:42 AM PDT by Wyatt's Torch
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To: kattracks

Is this the kind of bipartisanship the Dems are searching desperately for with McCain?


47 posted on 06/25/2004 10:51:34 AM PDT by blanknoone
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To: capydick

"Yet - JumpinJimJeffords is hailed as a courageous man of convictions. John McCain gets described as a maverick and a bold politician yet Zell gets tagged as though something happened to him because he does not meet the RAT definition of independent."


THAT is the winning point of the day for me!! Kudos!


48 posted on 06/25/2004 11:44:18 AM PDT by SpinyNorman (Al Queda, Al Jazeera, Al Gore, Al Franken: the four horsemen of the Apocalypse)
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To: phil_will1
Sure wish we could convince him to switch parties. Goodness knows, Sean Hannity tries to get him to do it anytime he has him on the show! I would really love to see Miller as the vice presidential candidate (Republican)!
49 posted on 06/25/2004 12:29:15 PM PDT by jwpjr
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To: kattracks

Thank you, Zell...


50 posted on 06/25/2004 1:42:52 PM PDT by Tamzee (Noonan on Reagan, "...his leadership changed the world... As president, he was a giant.")
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To: kattracks

This has to be the most obviously slanted report I've ever seen, but oh well. It'll be great to have Zell at the convention.


51 posted on 06/25/2004 1:56:45 PM PDT by zbigreddogz
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To: kattracks
I cant tell you what a big kick I get out of that "Seal" Makes me laugh every time.
52 posted on 06/25/2004 1:57:07 PM PDT by Urbane_Guerilla
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To: Graybeard58

Lincoln Chaffe won't say if he supports Bush or not. So take that for what it's worth.


53 posted on 06/25/2004 1:59:19 PM PDT by zbigreddogz
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To: kattracks

Excellent. Any chance Ed Koch could also speak?


54 posted on 06/25/2004 2:09:17 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: kattracks

I'll be so tickled if Zell gets a standing ovation when he comes up to the podium to speak. He's quite a guy!


55 posted on 06/25/2004 2:38:32 PM PDT by ILuvW
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To: wideawake; All
Drop the regionalism, pal.
There are many Conservatives, who are intelligent enough to know pragmatism puts more candidates in office than principles. Principles aren't destination, they are moral guidelines.
There are many Conservatives who understand the status quo is determined by which party is in control. The only reason the media can portray conservatives as "out of the mainstream" sucessfully is if citizens recognize a laissez-faire atmosphere. When citizens realize they have a president with honor and character, his opponents are put into panic.
Before you open your mouth, check the facts. NJ is in in play for Bush this election season, last time around Gore took it 56 to 38, if I'm not mistaken. Just a little anecdotal for you, boy-o, here in NJ, seen a lot of Bush/Cheney on bumpers. Don't recall seeing a Kerry, although I've seen a Nader or two.
Next time, don't pass up your meds!
56 posted on 06/25/2004 2:44:43 PM PDT by olde north church (There is no honor in political correctness.)
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To: olde north church
(1) Spare me the ad hominem silliness. It's undignified.

(2) I live in New Jersey, genius.

(3) It's a pretty well known fact that the NJ Republican party, like the Republican parties of NY, CT, MA, RI, ME, etc. are RINO organizations that rarely support real conservatives.

Do I have to remind you, O New Jersey expert, that our state Republican organization did the best they could to destroy Bret Schundler's candidacy?

There are plenty of NJ RINOs elected officials who would prefer to see Kerry in the WH.

57 posted on 06/25/2004 3:00:59 PM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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To: wideawake
1. -
2. Excuse me for not checking your profile. I do apologize.
3. It's a pretty well known fact, union leaders rarely support the best candidate for the rank and file members. I think most of the politically astute differ from the leadership.
4. I really didn't care too much for Schundler, I did however believe the leadership of the NJ GOP and the candidate should have been stripped naked, put into dresses, wigs, and high-heels and prodded around the Trenton State compound then tossed into the Delaware.
On your final point, I think it's time for these people to be exposed. I also believe its time to consider starting a NJ FReeper Chapter. There have been many NJ related issues that could have been addressed. I may have only be here a short time but I've noticed NJ is playing a secondary role to NY. I understand national events are more focused and take place there but the NJ government is running roughshod here.
58 posted on 06/25/2004 3:29:33 PM PDT by olde north church (There is no honor in political correctness.)
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To: kattracks

Doggone it!! I FLEW across the internet to post this thing and you beat me.

Welp. All we can do is completely take over the Democratic party. It's obvious they can't run it. You can hear it implode like pine trees in a forest fire. Crack. Pop. Snap.


59 posted on 06/25/2004 3:31:55 PM PDT by Hi Heels
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To: Hi Heels

Check out the time when this was posted. :o)


60 posted on 06/25/2004 3:36:42 PM PDT by kattracks
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