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Bush hails McCain's leadership as GOP backs Palin

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-03 10:37

ST. PAUL - President Bush hailed John McCain Tuesday night as a man "ready to lead this nation," a courageous candidate who risked his White House ambitions to support an unpopular Iraq war. Republicans defended vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin the face of fresh convention-week controversy.

Delegates watch a video segment on the podium during the second session at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 2, 2008. [Agencies]

Barack Obama drew criticism from the convention podium for the first time when Sen. Joseph Lieberman said the Democratic presidential candidate voted to cut off funding "for our troops on the ground" in Iraq last year. By contrast, Lieberman, who was the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2000, said McCain had the courage "to stand against the tide of public opinion."

McCain was in Pennsylvania and Ohio during the day, campaigning his way into the convention city where he will deliver his formal acceptance speech on Thursday night.

Related readings:  McCain fought money for teen pregnancy programs  Sarah Palin is McCain's surprise choice  Bush seizing spotlight briefly to support McCain  Could McCain VP pick draw evangelical vote?

Bush reprised the national security themes that propelled him to a second term as he spoke - briefly - from the White House. "We need a president who understands the lessons of Sept. 11, 2001," he said in prepared remarks. "That to protect America, we must stay on offense, stop attacks before they happen and not wait to be hit again. The man we need is John McCain."

Inside the convention hall, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson delivered a strong defense of Palin. He said the Alaska governor, was "from a small town, with small town values, but that's not good enough for those folks who are attacking her and her family."

He said McCain's decision to place her on the ticket "has the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic."

Other Republicans - delegates and luminaries alike - defended Palin, who disclosed on Monday that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is pregnant. In addition, a lawyer has been hired to represent the governor in an ethics-related controversy back home in Alaska.

"I haven't seen anything that comes out about her that in any way troubles me or shakes my confidence in her," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the party's presidential nomination this year.

"All it has done for me is say she is a human person with a real family."

And Ron Nehring, chairman of the California state party, said video footage of Palin on a firing range was helping her cause.

"The reports I'm getting back is that every time they show that footage we get 1,000 precinct walkers from the NRA," he told members of his state's delegation, to laughter. "She cuts taxes and shoots moose. That's Gov. Palin," Nehring said.

Thompson jabbed at Obama on abortion, as well.

"We need a president who doesn't think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade," he said in prepared remarks, referring to a recent episode in which McCain's White House rival said it was "above my pay grade" to decide the point at which an unborn child is entitled to rights.