-G.O.P CONVENTION
Cheney accepts veep role, attacks Clinton
By Brian Carlson
Staff writer
PHILADELPHIA —
Republican vice presidential
nominee and Lincoln native Dick
Cheney launched broadsides at
the Clinton administration on
Wednesday night, urging voters
to send Gebrge W. Bufeh to the
White House to restore “decency
and integrity" to the presidency.
Again and again in his
acceptance speech, Cheney criti
cized President Bill Clinton and
Vice President A1 Gore, Bush’s
rival for the presidency, for fail
ing to provide principled leader
ship during die last eight years.
“When I look at the adminis
tration now in Washington, I am
dismayed by opportunities
squandered,” he said. “Saddened
by what might have been, but
never was.
“These have been years of
prosperity in our land, but little
purpose in the White House.”
Bush, by contrast, is the man
who can change the tone, Cheney
said.
“The wheel has turned, and it
is time, it is time for them to go,”
he said.
“Georg? W. Bush upll repair
what has been damaged. On the
first hour of the first day, he will
restore decency and integrity to
the Oval Office.”
Cheney’s speech contrasted
with the tone of the convention
thus far, in which the
Republicans have sought to pro
mote a positive campaign mes
sage.
The Gore campaign quickly
found fault with Cheney’s
speech, issuing a statement criti
cizing it.
“Because he could not defend
his record on the Bush agenda,
Dick Cheney tonight delivered
one of the most negative
Republican convention speeches
since Pat Buchanan,” the state
ment read. “The mask is off the
GOP masquerade ball.”
Cheney was bom in Lincoln
and lived there for the first 12
years of his life. He represented
Wyoming in Congress for 10
years and served as defense sec
retary under Bush’s father, for
mer President George H.W.
Bush.
In the days since Bush select
ed him, Cheney has been praised
by supporters as a wise elder
statesman but derided by critics
as too conservative.
Cheney praised Gov. Bush
for improving educational test
W When I look at the administration
now in Washington, / aw dismayed
by opportunities squandered,
saddened by what might have been,
but never was.”
Dick Cheney
Republican vice-presidential candidate
scores, reducing taxes and pass
ing tort reforms in Texas. He also
praised Bush’s ability to work in
a bipartisan fashion.
But mostly, Cheney criticized
his opponents’ character and tac
tics.
“In this election, they will
speak endlessly of risk. We will
speak of progress,” he said.
“They will make accusations. We
will make proposals. They will
need fear. We will appeal to
hope.”
Cheney also pledged to help
rebuild the military and restore
its morale.
“Soon, our men and women
in uniform will once again have a
commander-in-chief they can
respect, one who understands
their mission and restores their
morale,” he said.
Several members of the
Nebraska delegation said
Cheney added depth to the Bush
ticket and would reassure voters
that a Bush administration would
be competent to handle military
and foreign policy issues.
Gen. Colin Powell has been
mentioned as a possible secretary
of state, a possibility bolstered by
Bush’s statement Monday night
that he hoped Powell’s “best serv
ice to his country is still ahead.”
Condoleezza Rice, who
served in President Bush’s
administration and addressed
this year’s convention, may be
tapped as national security advis
er.
“George W. Bush will put
together one of the best national
security teams that we’ve seen in
modern history,” Sen. Chuck
Hagel said in an interview.
Hagel himself has been men
tioned as a possible secretary of
defense, although he downplayed
such talk in an interview.
“After the election, if there
are subsequent conversations, we
will deal with it at that time,” he
said.
He said his friend, Sen. John
McCain, R-Ariz., also would be a
strong candidate for secretary of
defense.
Hagel also received close
consideration to be Bush’s run
ning mate, but he said he was
“relieved” he was not selected.
“I never believed I could give
George W. Bush what he need
ed,” he said. “What he needed
was Dick Cheney.”
Gov. Mike Johanns agreed.
He criticized Gore and the
Democrats for seeking to “demo
nize” Cheney, who he said had a
“gold-plated resume.”
“This is going to be an ugly
campaign on A1 Gore’s part,” he
said. “It will be brutal. He’s an
attack dog. A pit bull is what he
is.”
Hagel says Kerrey would add
luster to Democratic platform
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By Brian Carlson
Staff writer
PHILADELPHIA — With
Sen. Bob Kerrey’s name
being circulated as a possible
running mate for Democratic
presidential candidate A1
Gore, his Senate colleague
said Kerrey would be a “great
addition” to the ticket.
Sen. Chuck Hagel said
Kerrey, who is not seeking
re-electiyn to the Senate,
could be a strong running
mate for Gore if the two
could manage their differ
ences on particular issues.
“I am a great admirer of
Bob Kerrey,” Hagel said in an
interview at the Republican
National Convention.
“Whether that would be a fit
or not, I don’t know.
“He would bring to any
ticket a great deal of excite
ment, and he would be a great
addition to the ticket.”
U He would bring to any ticket a
great deal of excitement, and he
would be a great addition to the
ticket
Sen. Chuck Hagel
Kerrey’s name has been
mentioned more frequently
by analysts and pundits in
recent days. Karl Rove, cam
paign strategist for
Republican presidential can
didate George W. Bush, told
CNN recently that Kerrey
would add strength to the
Democratic ticket. Some
CNN analysts, such as Jeff
Greenfield and Tucker
Carlson, have said the same
recently.
Kerrey has often feuded
with President Clinton, and
he supported former Sen.
Bill Bradley’s unsuccessful
primary challenge to Gore.
The two disagree on
issues such as Social
Security. Kerrey supports
allowing workers to invest a
portion of their Social
Security payroll taxes in pri
vate accounts. Gore does not.
“Whether Gore and
Kerrey can bridge their dif
ferences on issues such as
Social Security, where the
gap is fairly wide, I don’t
know,” Hagel said.
“That’s why it’s not my
decision to make.”