Bush and Cheney to Speak at GOP Convention

Despite rumors to the contrary, Vice President Dick Cheney will join President Bush and speak on the opening night of the GOP Convention:

Vice President Cheney will speak at the Republican National Convention next month in St. Paul on the same night as President Bush, according to representaives for the vice president and John McCain's campaign.

"The vice president looks forward to participating in the Republican National Convention and continuing to work for the election of Sen. McCain and other Republican candidates in the coming months," Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell said in a statement.

McCain communications director Jill Hazelbaker told Politico that Cheney would speak on Monday, Sept. 1, the first day of the GOP convention, prior to the president's remarks.

The decision to extend an invitation to Cheney comes days after reports that the deeply unpopular vice president would not appear at the convention.

McCain and Cheney have clashed in recent years, particularly over the treatment of terrorist detainees, and the GOP nominee has repeatedly sought to tie Barack Obama to the energy bill fathered by the vice president.

The two veteran politicians, colleagues in the House of Representatives decades ago, have not appeared together a single time during the campaign. Asked earlier this year what role Cheney would play in McCain's campaign, Hazelbaker only said: “John McCain will always treat the vice president with respect.”

While some may think this is a mistake by John McCain given Cheney's unpopularity, you have to remember who he's unpopular with: Democrats and the media. Cheney is very popular with conservatives, and shunning him would not have helped McCain win them over to his side.

He'll probably make only a short appearance. He's not a riveting speaker, but it will give the delegates a chance to thank him for his years of service. All in all, I think it's a good move for McCain.