"I'm here to support John McCain because country matters more than party," Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a political independent and former Democratic vice presidential candidate, told the cheering crowd at the Xcel Energy Center, explaining his presence. "I am here tonight for a simple reason: John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead our country forward."
The senator from Connecticut described Obama as a man of eloquence but no record of substance and one who, unlike McCain, "has not reached across party lines to accomplish anything significant."
It was left to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson to use stronger language, calling Obama "the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee ever to run for president."
The evening's events, which included brief remarks from President Bush via satellite from the White House, served as a prelude to Palin's vice presidential acceptance speech, scheduled for tonight.
Palin's background, both political and personal, has become a subject of intense interest in the five days since McCain named her as his running mate.
Conversation has swirled about the pregnancy of her unmarried, 17-year-old daughter and a legislative investigation into whether her firing of the state public safety commissioner constituted an abuse of power.
In a very real sense, the little-known, first-term governor of Alaska has emerged as the main character at this convention.
Thompson brought the delegates to their feet by blasting Palin's critics.
"She's from a small town, with small-town values, but apparently that's not good enough for those folks who are attacking her and her family," Thompson said, praising her credentials. ". . . Let's be clear, the selection of Gov. Palin has the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic. She is a courageous, successful reformer, who is not afraid to take on the establishment. Sound like anybody else we know?"
