Read our special report on the Republican National Convention

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In the end, it lasted no more than eight minutes. George W. Bush’s part in the Republican Convention was limited to a brief statement delivered via satellite from the White House. In normal times, the outgoing president would have come out in support of his party’s candidate to loud cheers from the floor. But not this time.

Bush was initially scheduled to give a 15-minute address on the convention’s first night on Monday. On the eve of the opening, however, he announced he would not be making the trip to St. Paul, but would head for Texas instead to supervise relief operations ahead of Hurricane Gustav’s passage over neighbouring Louisiana.

“The man who understands the lessons” of Sept. 11

In his brief televised speech, the US president expressed his full and unconditional backing for John McCain. He described the Republican candidate as “the man who understands the lessons” of Sept. 11, 2001 and the need to “stay on the offensive” against terrorists in a “dangerous world”. Indeed, his message revolved largely around the response to the attacks on the World Trade Center and US policy in Iraq.

Bush praised the Republican candidate’s unwavering support for US military policy in Iraq, despite McCain’s scathing critiques of the White House over such damaging issues as torture in Iraqi prisons and violations of the Geneva Convention. Though Bush’s words will have pleased the party’s neo-conservative wing, they will no doubt have irked the Arizona senator’s more moderate supporters.  

“Bush’s speech, is like a visit to the dentist”

Bush’s popularity has plummeted to near record lows, according to a Harris poll published in June 2008. Less than a quarter of Americans favour the US president. This gives McCain every reason to distance himself from the outgoing president. In an ad campaign in August, his message rang loud and clear - “Washington isn’t working. John McCain knows that. The situation is worse than what it was four years ago.”

The president’s short speech was a blessing in disguise for McCain, or “divine providence”, according to The Wall Street Journal. “George Bush’s speech is like going to the dentist, it’s uncomfortable but we have to go through it,” said FRANCE 24 correspondent Léa Salamé.  “John McCain’s aim during this convention is to distance himself from Bush’s policies; and that’s not very difficult because the two politicians hardly appreciate each other, despite the public reconciliation staged a few months ago.”

McCain has old scores to settle with the incumbent president. The Republican nominee lost to Bush in the 2000 South Carolina primary after Bush supporters spread vicious rumours about McCain and his family.

Still, Bush’s address, followed by former Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman’s speech from the podium, may yet play in favour of the Republicans; if nothing else, it helped divert attention away from McCain’s increasingly controversial running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.