Dem. Sen. Zell Miller to be GOP Keynote Speaker
 

Pro-Bush Democrat Keynote Speaker for Republicans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retiring Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, who has backed President Bush for re-election, will deliver the keynote address at the Republican National Convention, Republican officials said on Thursday.

Miller, who supported Bush's tax cuts and has consistently voted with the Republican Senate majority against his own party, will speak on Wednesday Sept. 1, the third night of the New York convention, said Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

The keynote address at the national political convention is usually given by a major party figure or a rising political star.

The Democrats at their convention in Boston last month gave the job to Barack Obama, a young, black state legislator who is expected to win back the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois from the Republicans.

Miller himself was a Democratic keynote speaker at the 1992 convention that nominated Bill Clinton for the presidency.

The 72-year-old senator is retiring from the Senate at the end of his term in January. He served as Georgia governor from 1990 to 1998 and was appointed to the Senate in 2000 following the death of Republican Paul Coverdell and later won the election to fill out the term.

I don't know why this guy doesn't just go ahead and switch his affiliation. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) switched in '95.

Richard Shelby (R-AL) switched 11/9/94.

Strom Thurmond also quit the Dems to become a Repub.

Is there a lack of room in the Democratic Party for dissent and calls for change?

Are they driving conservative/moderate people out?

TR

Reading Reagan's Letters right now, and it seems like they have been driving conservatives and moderates out for a long time.

Wonder how long Joe Lieberman will stick with the Democratic Party?

That would beg the question of how the Dems attract so many Jewish constituents, when the Dems are generally more pro-Palestinian than the Repubs?

Could it be that the Jewish electorate in the U.S. put domestic issues over concerns for a Jewish state when they enter the voting booth?

Frankly, Joe Lieberman is a Dem I respect and could appreciate as President.

TR

Even in spite of his F rating from the NRA and the GOA? I know there is more to voting for a candidate than any one single issue but you can get the same policy stances from a Pro-Gun Democrat like John Breaux of La.

Respect isn't about policies or positions, it's about recognizing that the person does the things they believe are right, not what the polls tell them for day to day. I may not agree with Joe Lieberman on much politically, but I do respect him. And he is a conservative in a party that keeps leaning farther and farther left.

Yes to both questions.

I quit that party in 99. Granted, I was registered in Hawaii, where the "Radical Extreme Far Right's" most absurd idea was that citizens should be allowed to own guns. Far contrary to mainstream democratic thinking in those parts. Other parts of the country the party might be a bit more liberal in that regard.

As for why Jews tend to vote Democrat:

I grew up in the holy land (AKA Northern NJ) and the vote is split 50/50. Conservative Jews tend to vote for Conservative Candidates, "reformed" (like Christians who belive but don't feel the need to practice all tenants of faith) Jews tend to vote Democrat. I don't know why this is the case.

Not at all, but the guy has made his views on the Democratic Party more than clear. What isn't clear to me is why he would want to be a member of the party when he has such of low opinion of it.

He answered that question a few months ago. Basically he said "I've been wearing this suit too long" and since he's retiring, it's not a substative step for him to change.