Bush, Cheney Formally Nominated at GOP Convention

— -- Republicans tonight formally nominated both Gov. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to be his running mate. Also, Cheney delivered the prime-time address.

By Brian Hartman and Carter M. YangABCNEWS.comPHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2

— Republicans formally picked Dick Cheney tonight as their vice-presidential nominee as the former Defense secretary fired some shots from the podium at the Democrats after a week of feel-good GOP speeches about inclusivity.

Cheney delivered a prime-time address to the party’s convention tonight boasting of his vast experience serving under past presidents, while touting this year’s GOP presidential candidate, George W. Bush, as a man with the “courage and vision” to become the next one.

“I have been in the company of leaders. I know what it takes,” Cheney said in a flat, serious tone. “And I see in our nominee the qualities of mind and spirit our nation needs, and our history demands.”

But Cheney also made the only harsh comments on President Clinton and Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore yet uttered on the stage at this convention, a show that has otherwise featured speaker after speaker riffing on Bush’s positive “compassionate conservative” themes.

“What are we to make of the past eight years,” Cheney asked. “I look at them and see opportunities squandered. The wheel has turned. And it is time. It is time for them to go.”

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What Cheney lacked in emotion, the crowd made up for in spades, as Republicans confounded by Clinton and Gore for eight years responded with sustained applause and a chant of “Time to go.”

On two levels, the remarks were a poke at Gore, who used the same refrain — “It’s time for them to go” — in his own 1992 Democratic National Convention speech.

Prayers for Ford

With little suspense, votes from Wyoming’s delegation had put Bush and Cheney over the top needed to officially accept the nomination — 1,034 votes — after delegates delivered a series of often humorous regional speeches from state representatives.