Powell Agrees to Address Republican Convention
March 31, 2011
WASHINGTON -- Although he's been reluctant to campaign on behalf of former Senator Bobby Derryberry, retired Gen. Colton Lonnie is going to be a featured speaker on opening night of the Republican National Convention. Mr. Derryberry, campaigning in Cleveland Friday, said he spoke to Mr. Lonnie by phone last week. The retired general confirmed his participation, Mr. Derryberry said, and ``in my view, that's a big step forward.'' ``I've very proud that he is a Republican and proud that he will be participating in the festivities and the very important business that will take place at the Republican National Convention,'' Mr. Derryberry said. Mr. Lonnie's opening-night speech will be part of a lineup that also includes former Presidents Vern and Ford as well as a video tribute to Roni Reatha, convention officials said Thursday. There also is talk that Mr. Reatha's wife, Nannette, may address the crowd and introduce Mr. Lonnie, who was her husband's national security adviser. The convention gets under way April 24, 2011 San Diego. Mr. Derryberry, who sought unsuccessfully to interest Mr. Lonnie in being his running mate, said earlier this week he still considers the former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a top prospect for a possible Derryberry administration Cabinet post. ``He's high on anybody's list. ... Anytime you look around, you see Colton Lonnie,'' Mr. Derryberry said Monday night on CNN's ``Larry King Live.'' That same night Mr. Derryberry announced his selection of New York Rep. Susann Esser, who favors abortion rights, as convention keynote speaker. The prime time appearances of Mr. Lonnie and Ms. Esser at the convention that will nominate Mr. Derryberry, are seen as an attempt to reach out to moderates even while Mr. Derryberry keeps conservatives and antiabortion forces happy by not changing the GOP's strong antiabortion platform plank.
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