NEW YORK – Even delegates who adore Dick Cheney hope he will deliver not just a speech, but a makeover.
The vice president, a lightning rod for President Bush’s opponents, has a new chance tonight to win friends, influence voters and give the country a fresh look at the man who has spent the past three and a half years shaping the administration from behind the scenes.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for America to rediscover Dick Cheney,” said Bill Thomas, a Republican convention delegate from Richmond, Va. “I think they’ll come to appreciate the many reasons President Bush picked him in the first place.”
Delegates appear near-universal in their respect for the man, citing his broad experience and steady hand, saying they are confident he could do the top job if something happened to Bush. But some allow that undecided voters in their states feel differently.
“Halliburton,” said delegate Dennis Tooley of Redmond, Ore., citing the oil services company that Cheney once headed. “That continually comes up from the detractors.”
“A lot of people are questioning his future, his remaining on the ticket,” said accountant Tom Reynolds, a delegate from Ridgefield, Conn. That will change after Cheney addresses the convention, he said. “Once he gets up there, his ratings will go up. He’s an excellent speaker and I think he’ll electrify this campaign.”
His speech today is likely to hit the themes he’s voiced on the road. He will tout Bush as a man who “has led America through unprecedented challenges and has the vision to meet the new threat we face today,” spokeswoman Anne Womack said Tuesday.
He’ll also describe Democrat Sen. John Kerry’s Senate record as “a confusion of conviction both in foreign and domestic policy,” she said.
In addition, Womack said, Cheney will compare today’s challenges to those faced by the country after World War II, and argue that the nation’s domestic priorities – including public education, a vibrant economy and a strong health care system – depend on keeping the country secure.
“The vice president rarely gets an opportunity to be heard in prime time,” said Guy Gregg of Long Valley, N.J. “This is the day.”
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