Pro-Bush Democrat Keynote Speaker for RepublicansWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retiring Democratic Sen. Zell Miller (news, bio, voting record) of Georgia, who has backed President Bush (news - web sites) 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 (news - web sites).
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 (news - web sites) for the presidency.