being called upon to do what is right for our country. Tonight we are being called upon to stand up for a strong military … a mature foreign policy … a free and growing economy and for the values that bind us together and keep our nation free. Tonight, we are being called upon to step up and stand up with John just as he has stood up for our country.
— Former presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson
We’re dangerously dependent on foreign oil, while radical jihadists lurk in the shadows, seeking our destruction. At this time of anxiety, Americans are looking for solutions. But when they look at the Democratic Congress, they see politicians more interested in taking care of themselves.
— House Republican Leader John Boehner
Character
I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party.
— Former Democrat candidate for vice president, Sen. Joseph Lieberman
Because John McCain stood up, our country is better off.
— Former presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson
What you can expect from John McCain as president is precisely what he has done this week: which is to put country first. That is the code by which he has lived his entire life, and that is the code he will carry with him into the White House.
— Former Democrat candidate for vice president, Sen. Joseph Lieberman
Service isn’t a political trait – though some Presidential nominees certainly know more about service than others. As Republicans, we recognize that service is an innately personal characteristic.
— U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann
Women
I’m proud that America’s first female Vice President will be a Republican woman. Women have always played an important role in our party, from energizing grassroots to driving policy. Thank you to the dedicated women in our audience for making the Republican Party so strong. I am proud that impressive women have served in my husband’s administration — women like Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Military Career
From the day of his commissioning, John McCain was a respected naval officer who made decisions on which the lives of others depended. As an elected public servant, he earned the respect of colleagues in both parties as a man to follow when there’s a tough call to make.
Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be president. But it does reveal character. This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength. Courage. Humility. Wisdom. Duty. Honor.
— Former presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson
Deborah Creighton Skinner is the editorial director of BlackEnterprise.com.