Posted on 08/31/2012 12:12:39 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Gov. Lincoln Chafee will deliver a prime-time speech at the Democratic National Convention next week, joining other former Republicans in a push to burnish President Obama's bipartisan credentials before the November election.
Chafee will deliver his seven-minute speech Tuesday evening, the first night of the convention in Charlotte, N.C., his office confirmed late Thursday. He'll speak between 8:30 and 9 p.m., shortly before first lady Michelle Obama.
Just eight years ago Chafee was a Republican U.S. senator and thus a VIP at the Republicans' convention; now the independent governor is a co-chair of Democrat Obama's re-election campaign and a featured speaker at the other party's convention.
"President Obama has been a friend to Rhode Island, his policies have brought valuable benefits to the people of our state during historically difficult times, and I am proud to explain to the convention audience why I – a former Republican – and lots of people like me are supporting the president’s re-election," the governor said in a statement.
"It's a huge honor and the governor is thrilled to do it," Chafee spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger told WPRI.com, which first reported earlier this month that the governor would attend the Democrats' gathering.
Most of Rhode Island's top Democrats will be attending the convention as delegates, but it appears the independent governor will be the only state leader honored with a speaking slot. Stephanie Mandeville, the R.I. Democratic Party's executive director, told WPRI.com she hadn't heard about any local Democrats being invited to give an address.
Chafee and Obama formed a bond when they served in the Senate together for two years and have become political allies of a sort since Chafee left the GOP - he endorsed Obama for president in 2008, and Obama stayed neutral rather than endorse Chafee rival Frank Caprio in their hard-fought 2010 gubernatorial battle.
"We go way back," Chafee told WPRI.com in February, recalling when he and the future president used to work out together in the Senate gym.
Chafee will be in North Carolina Tuesday and Wednesday along with George Zainyeh, the veteran Democrat who serves as his chief of staff, and Christian Vareika, his deputy communications director and chief speechwriter. Hunsinger said the governor received the invitation to speak about three weeks ago and has been working on his address.
"I think he'll talk about the importance of collaboration and working across party lines to govern effectively," she said. The governor will return to work in Rhode Island prior to Obama's formally acceptance of his second nomination on Thursday evening.
Chafee won't be the only former Republican playing the same role for Obama that former Democratic U.S. Sen. Zell Miller did for President Bush in 2004. Former Fla. Gov. Charlie Crist, another ex-Republican, has confirmed he'll also be speaking in Charlotte.
Chafee has been attending party conventions for nearly half a century. He went to his first Republican National Convention in 1964, when his father, then-Gov. John Chafee, took him to San Francisco to see Barry Goldwater receive the party’s nomination - and watch future nominee Mitt Romney and his father walk out of the gathering to protest its stance on civil rights.
-- Ted Nesi ( tnesi@wpri.com ) covers politics and the economy for WPRI.com
DNC Schedule Just Released:
2012
Should Be a Great One!
4:00 PM - Opening Flag Burning Ceremony - sponsored by CNN
4:05 PM - Singing of “God Damn America” led by Rev.(?)Jeremiah Wright.
4:10 PM - Pledge of Allegiance to Obama.
4:15 PM - Ceremonial ‘I hate America’ led by Michelle Obama.
4:30 PM - Tips on “How to keep your man trustworthy & true to you while you travel the world” - Hillary Clinton
4:45 PM -Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson seminar “How to have a successful career without having a job.”
5:00 PM - “Great Vacations I’ve Taken on the Taxpayer’s Dime Travel Log” - Michelle Obama.
5:30 PM - Eliot Spitzer Speaks on “Family Values” via Satellite.
5:45 PM - Tribute to All 57 States - Nancy Pelosi
6:00 PM - Sen. Harry Reid - 90-minute speech expressing the Democrat’s appreciation of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and George Soros for sparing no expense, for all that they have accomplished to unify the country, improve employment and to boost the economy.
8:30 PM - Airing of Grievances by both Clintons.
9:00 PM - “Bias in Media - How we can make it work for you” Tutorial - sponsored by CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, the Washington Post and the New York Times.
9:15 PM - Tribute Film to Brave Freedom Fighters incarcerated at GITMO - Michael Moore.
9:45 PM - Personal Finance Seminar - Charlie Rangle.
10:00 PM - Denunciation of Bitter Gun Owners and Bible readers.
10:30 PM - Ceremonial Waving of White Flag for IRAQ & Afghanistan.
11:00 PM - Obama Energy Plan Symposium / Tire Gauge Demonstration / You too can get rich with Green Investment bankruptcies.
11:15 PM - Free Gov. Blagovich rally.
11:30 PM - Obama Accepts Oscar, Tony and Latin Grammy Awards
11:45 PM - Feeding of the Delegates with 5 Loaves and 2 Fish…Obama Presiding.
12:00 AM - Official Nomination of Obama by Bill Maher and Chris “He sends a thrill up my leg” Matthews.
12:01 AM - Obama Accepts Nomination as Lord and Savior.
12:05 AM - Celestial Choirs Sing.
3:00 AM - Biden Delivers Acceptance Speech.
Lincoln is the best they could do? Wow...they are scraping the bottom. Powell was not available?
We’d better hope that Dan Inouye and Eleanor Holmes-Norton don’t speak at the DNC, or we can kiss those states good-bye as well.
But my biggest fear is that Howard Dean speaks and locks up Vermont for Obama.
5.56mm
Lincoln Chafee !!!! Wow they’re really rolling out the big guns huh!!!
Linc Chafee is a PUTZ. I stopped sending $$ to the RNC when they backed him and wouldn’t support the conservative, pro-life Pubbie running for Governor in VA.
So he can lie that Mitt Romney is a right wing extremist. How lame.
Wonder if he can say anything positive about Obama.
What about Bloomberg, wasn’t he invited too? Maybe someone could channel in a Rockefeller. Good thing these very Leftist Republicans are almost extinct.
Can’t wait for that.
Wow, that’s going to be a barn-burner of a speech. When I think of Lincoln Chafee, I think “electric”!
Davis admitted a mistake and thanked the republican people for welcoming him. Chaffee is pissy for being exposed and removed by his own constituents ...BIG difference.
LOL!!!
Waaaaayyyyyyyy ahead.
Davis was unquestionably the best congressman to come from his congressional district here in Alabama (a gerrymandered majority black district). Though he was a Democrat, I liked him and thought he was a refreshing change from the nutjobs like Earl Hilliard who had held the job in the past. Then he really impressed me by running for governor and breaking from the corrupt black political machine here. I am only sorry that he moved to Virginia though I totally understand it. I hope he wins his race up there.
zzz
***Tunrcoat Manuever Alert***
Davis isn’t running for an office in VA, yet. He might run for the state legislature in 2013 and perhaps for VA-11 (whose last GOP member was also named Davis) in 2014, presuming we don’t retake it this year.
Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords wasn’t available? Not even Arlen Specter? They had to settle for this puke?
A fine addition to the Star Wars Bar Scene.
And why not? He’s been a loyal Democrat for a number of years.
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