By Eileen Buckley
New York City, NY – Governor George Pataki praised President Bush as a leader with "supreme guts." Pataki had the top honor of introducing the President Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.
Republicans shouted "four more years" in the middle of Pataki's speech in response to his praise for President Bush's leadership. Pataki says when Bush took office four years ago he inherited a recession, took on the events of September 11th and promised to turn around the economy and create jobs. Pataki also praised Bush for the War in Iraq and the war on terror.
"This is no ordinary time. The stakes could not be higher," Pataki said. "Fate has handed our generation a grave new threat to freedom. Fortune has given us a leader who will defend freedom. This is no ordinary time, and George W. Bush is no ordinary leader."
Pataki also spoke out against Democratic presidential contender John Kerry. Kerry has argued that the Bush administration mismanaged the war and the economy. But Pataki says Kerry has flipped-flopped on his support for both the war and Patriot Act.
"He was for the war, then against the war. He was for it, but would not fund it. Then he would fund it, but wasn't for it," Pataki said. "He was for the Patriot Act until he was against it. Or was he against it until he was for it. I forgot and he probably does to."
The Governor repeatedly emphasized that Bush is a determined leader who fulfilled his pledges to lower taxes, improve schools, and fight terrorists. Pataki told Republicans Thursday night that Bush is a person that Americans can trust.
Erie County Republican Party Chairman Bob Davis attended the entire GOP convention. Davis said he was sitting just four rows from the podium as both Pataki and then the President delivered their speeches.
Davis says unlike the Democratic candidate, Bush told Americans what he would do in the next four years.
"He talked his agenda to help small business and young people with their education through the community college system. We never heard that four weeks ago from the Democratic convention and from the Kerry camp," Davis said. "They never talked about their agenda for tomorrow. But we heard that last night from George Bush. He talked about what he wants to do to move the country forward."
Davis said he is taking two busloads of local Bush supporters to Erie, Pennsylvania Saturday to show support for the President. Davis admits that New York will not be a player in the upcoming election.