McCain expresses support and pride for Bush's candidacy

Sen. John McCain of Arizona focused on a vision for America's role in the world during his speech Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

By Ian Christopher McCaleb and Mike Ferullo/CNN

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- Arizona Sen. John McCain told attendees at the second evening of the 2000 Republican Convention on Tuesday that he believes Texas Gov. George W. Bush possesses the combination of ideals and abilities needed to lead the nation forward toward opportunity, coupled with dignity.

"I say to all Americans, Republican, Democrat or independent, if you believe America deserves leaders with a purpose more ennobling than expediency and opportunism, then vote for Governor Bush," McCain said as he delivered Tuesday night's central address.

The Republican Party steered the second night of its 2000 convention further away from the bellicose partisan displays that have characterized conventions past, to focus on national strength, gratitude to the nation's war veterans, and honor for the party's living former chief executives.

McCain's spot on the night's program reflected his strong showing against Bush early in the year, and belied the months-long enmity that arose between the two as Bush battled to finish off McCain's candidacy on the night of the March 7 Super Tuesday national primary.

VIDEO Senator John McCain speaks to the Republican National Convention (August 01) Play video - Part 1 Play video - Part 2 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Condoleeza Rice speaks to the Republican National Convention (August 01) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Bob Dole speaks to the Republican National Convention (August 01) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

And in a fitting tribute to the activist, grass roots tone of his campaign, McCain ascended the stage to the strains of the theme from "Star Wars." McCain had often described himself as "Luke Skywalker trying to escape from the Death Star," as he defied his party's establishment.

McCain, whose "insurgent campaign" for the White House struck fear into the heart of the GOP, is now firmly in the Bush camp.

"My friends, Governor Bush, believes in an America that is so much more than the sum of its divided parts," he said Tuesday in a steady, evenly paced tone. "He wants to give you back a government that serves all the people no matter the circumstances of their birth. And he wants to lead a Republican Party that is as big as the country we serve."

"He wants nothing to divide us into separate nations," McCain said. "Not our color. Not our race. Not our wealth. He wants us to live for America, as one nation, and together profess the American creed of self-evident truths."

Arizona delegate Bettina Nava, who worked for McCain during the primaries, said she had mixed emotions about his speech.

"Certainly, we'd like to see John up there (as the party nominee). But he didn't win, so you have to move on. This isn't the time or place to be second guessing, it's the time to support Bush," Nava said.

As the third session of the Republican convention moved forward in Philadelphia's Comcast First Union Center, the proceedings' second-day theme of domestic safety and national defense was emphasized in much the same way as Monday's theme of expanded opportunity: with appearances by party luminaries, activists and private citizens.

Noticeably absent were direct, sharp attacks against the Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Vice President Al Gore -- but some spontaneous politicking opened a division within the Texas delegation early Tuesday night, forcing much of the attention on the floor to the delegation's seating area, just in front of the convention podium.

That trouble -- prompted by objections voiced over the appearance of an openly gay congressman -- fizzled quickly, and the night's celebrations continued without interruption.

A renewed military and solid foreign policy

Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf -- who led coalition forces on the ground during Desert Storm operations that launched the 1991 Gulf War -- appeared live via satellite from the deck of the retired battleship USS New Jersey to discuss military readiness. The vessel is anchored across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, in Camden, New Jersey.

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf appeared live via satellite from the deck of the retired battleship USS New Jersey to discuss military readiness.

"Exactly 10 years ago tomorrow, Iraq invaded Kuwait," Swarzkopf said. The retired general lauded former President Bush for his leadership and strong support of the military, and in one of the night's rare attacks on the opposition, blasted the Clinton administration for what he said was a current state of military unreadiness.

"As of 1999, the number of fighting army divisions ready for war had shrunk to less than half of what they were before Desert Storm," the retired general said. "The Navy's battle force in the last eight years has been cut by one third. And, the Air Force reports that it is now called on to mount four times as many operations with a force that has been cut by forty percent."

"Wouldn't it be great for our armed forces and for America if we could have another commander in chief named George Bush with Dick Cheney on his team?" he said.

One of the rising stars of the Republican Party, Condoleezza Rice, who acted as a foreign policy aide in the administration of former President George Bush, then presented a crisp vision of the type of foreign policy that might be conducted by a new Bush administration, one that does not see "victory as a dirty word."

The 45-year-old Rice, who is African American, has acted as Bush's foreign policy advisor through most of his presidential campaign, and many observers inside and outside the party believe she will be rewarded for her counsel should Bush win the White House.

"The George W. Bush I know is a man of uncommonly good judgment," Rice said. He is focused and consistent. He believes that we Americans are at our best when we exercise power without fanfare or arrogance. He speaks plainly and with a positive spirit."

And, Rice added, Bush "will never use foreign policy for narrow partisan purposes."

The reference, though somewhat vague, was significant. Throughout his tenure, President Clinton has been accused by rival Republicans of using military force to deflect attention from his personal problems -- most specifically when he authorized airstrikes against Iraq in late 1998, as the House of Representatives cast votes on articles of impeachment stemming from the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Oregon delegate Linda Flores, said was particulalry impressed by Rice's speech.

"Bush's campaign should continue this convention's theme on extending the Republican Party and reaching out to make its members more diverse," Flores said.

Rice explained off the floor that though she believed Clinton's "has been the most partisan" of administrations, she was rather referring to how Bush would conduct himself in dealings with allies and foes alike.

Veterans, former GOP presidents honored

Retired Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, the 1996 GOP nominee for the presidency and a decorated World War II veteran, led an emotional salute to American veterans, and called on Republicans to fall in behind Bush and vice presidential designee Dick Cheney, the former defense secretary, as they sought to change the nation's political discourse.

Retired Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, the 1996 GOP nominee for the presidency, led a salute to American veterans Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention.

"Tonight I am honored to speak for these voiceless heroes and for their comrades who survived the deadliest war ever inflicted on the human family," a teary-eyed Dole said of his World War II military compatriots. "Whatever we may be today as a nation, it is because many generations of Americans were willing to make the greatest of sacrifices."

"Now we meet in the birthplace of American liberty to renew our social contract. We look to Governor Bush and Secretary Cheney to raise our sights, and to restore honor and civility to our public life."

Talking near the floor after his speech, Dole said his comments were meant to urge changes to "mean" politicking. "It's time to restore dignity to public life. There is too much criticism, too much negative this and negative that," he said. "You don't go out and hurt somebody's feelings. We have opponents and not enemies in this business."

The Kansas delegation looked to Dole's address with great anticipation. Gov. Bill Graves said, "He continues to be and probably always will be an enormously popular figure in our state."

Dole's wife, Elizabeth, who ran a short campaign for the 2000 GOP presidential nomination, later discussed the "principle of strength through compassion," saying: "Let us be clear, the success of freedom can never be measured in material terms alone. For one day, each of us will be held to account not for the money we made, but for the difference we made."

Urging a spirit of charity and volunteerism, Dole said, "I have ... been uplifted by the extraordinary power of the American heart -- by those armies of compassion, who are willing to cross town or cross the globe to minister to those they've never met and will never see again."

Former presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford appeared briefly in the spotlight at the tightly-scripted GOP gathering, seated just off the left end of the convention floor, while Nancy Reagan acknowledged an outpouring of support for her husband, former President Ronald Reagan, who has Alzheimer's Disease, remained home in California.

Roll call rolls forward

Delegates moved quickly Tuesday into the second night of their rolling roll call, with states from Kansas to North Carolina given the opportunity to cast their votes for Texas Gov. George W. Bush as the party's nominee for president.

Sen. Pete Domenici cast 21 votes from the New Mexico delegation for George W. Bush as the Republican nominee for president.

Kansas Gov. Graves kicked off the process by delivering his state's 35 delegate votes for Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who should gain the full 1,034 votes needed for nomination on Wednesday night. Graves was forced to start his brief speech over several times before his microphone worked properly. "Stay tuned," an amused Graves said, tapping the microphone after the first failed try.

Among the votes cast for Bush were the 31 from Maryland's delegation, which is led by the candidate's sister, Dorothy "Doro" Bush Koch.

"On behalf of the Maryland delegation, I'm honored to cast all 31 votes for my brother, the next president of the United States, George W. Bush," she said.

The procedure brought Bush another 366 votes, bringing his total to 659 -- better than half of the 1,034 needed for the nomination. Two of his challengers from the primaries also received votes -- one McCain from a Massachusetts delegate who described his as "a protest vote," and one from Minnesota for conservative activist Alan Keyes.

The roll call's first night yielded 293 votes for the Bush and five for Keyes.

Bush will not enter the convention hall until Thursday night, following the end of the rolling roll call, when the Texas delegation will weigh in as the last state to cast its votes. Bush will then deliver his acceptance speech.

Gay congressman's speech received with mild protest

The GOP's newly devised message of inclusion, formulated by Bush along the campaign trail and brought to the fore at this year's convention, was tested sorely by reactions inside the Texas delegation to the delivery of a speech on international trade by an openly gay congressman, Arizona Rep. Jim Kolbe.

Though Kolbe stuck to economic issues in his speech, convention organizers had expressed concern Tuesday about rumors that some conservative Texas delegates might walk out or stage some other form of protest during his speech.

Some gay activists within the GOP had interpreted Kolbe's scheduled appearance as a show of tolerance and inclusiveness within their party, but members of the Texas delegation took issue with that view, and rumors circulated throughout the day that some of the more conservative of their assemblage would seek to get up and walk out.

"What this is about, I think the homosexual agenda and the Log Cabin Republicans, they're the ones at the center of this," said Chuck Anderson, a member of the Texas delegation and Executive Director of the Texas branch of the Christian Coalition.

"I don't think this is anything against Congressman Kolbe," Anderson added, adding that he believed Kolbe was eminently qualified to speak on the trade issue. "They, (the gay Republicans -- including members of the Log Cabin group), are trumpeting an agenda that they want the certain rights."

A few Texas delegates chose to bow their heads and remove their hats in protest to remarks by Arizona Rep. Jim Kolbe.

Many in the delegation, Anderson added, disagreed vehemently, though he insisted he knew "of nothing organized."

While a few of the Texas delegates chose to bow their heads and remove their hats -- and one held a sign up reading: "There is a way out, we love you" for Kolbe to see -- that appeared to be the extent of the protest. Still, the delegates who might have staged a walkout were reined in by several "whips" working for the Bush campaign who surrounded the delegation, and Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison sat in their midst in an effort to maintain order, one delegate said.

In the incident's only outburst, one Texan rose up and waved his 10-gallon hat toward Kolbe as he departed the podium, as if to rush him from the stage.