Transcript of Lynne Cheney's Convention Speech

Aug. 2 -- Lynn Cheney introduced her husband Dick, the vice-presidential candidate, to the Republican National Convention. Read a full transcript of her remarks here.

Lynn Cheney:

It is such an amazing thing to stand here before you.

It was only eight days ago that I embarked on this campaign with Dick, and the enormity of the honor you have bestowed upon him is still sinking in.

It is such a proud moment for our family.

My task tonight is to introduce Dick, and I could start with his resume — it is a pretty spiffy resume — White House chief of staff, Congressman, Defense Secretary, distinguished business leader.

But since I have a unique perspective on Dick’s life, I want to spend most of my time telling you things you may not know.

For example, when he was growing up, one of the most important adults in his life was his grandfather, who was a cook on the Union Pacific railroad.

I have heard Dick talk about visiting his grandparents, staying with them in the railroad car in which they lived, and traveling up and down the line as his grandad cooked for the section gangs.

This was not only an enormous adventure for a boy of nine or ten … Dick learned from his time with his grandfather that cooking is an honorable male occupation, and that is a lesson for which our two daughters and I have been extremely grateful.

Dick and I have been married almost thirty-six years, and I’ll tell you it has never been boring.

And not just because of the many shifts and turns in our lives, but because the man I am married to has a very interesting mind.

Conversations with him have a way of taking unexpected turns. Problems get redefined, and you find yourself thinking about things in a new way. I cannot imagine the discussion that would not benefit from his presence.

He will be a very, very good vice president.

Let me also just say that he is a fabulous father.

Although he has always been pretty busy, he has always made time for family.When we lived in Washington and our daughters were young, he would take them on weekends to visit battlefields, or sometimes to watch a battle reenactment.Liz and Mary loved spending time with him, but on occasion they were heard to beg for relief — a trip to the zoo, maybe. But he kept up the history lessons, to wonderful result.