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RNC: Pawlenty, Coleman scheduled to speak twice

Lineup also includes President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and GOP hopefuls from early in the race.

Last update: August 26, 2008 - 9:43 PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty will speak on both the opening and closing nights of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, and U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman also will speak twice, a new speakers' list released Tuesday showed.

The list for next week's four-day convention also showed that Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Republican congressional candidate Erik Paulsen, a state legislator from Eden Prairie, will also speak.

Republican officials announced that each of the four days would feature a theme, with Monday's first day devoted to "service" with a Boy Scout troop from St. Louis Park serving as the color guard. In addition to President Bush, a gallery of notable figures are listed as first-day speakers: Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn. Bachmann and Paulsen are also scheduled on Monday.

With a VFW post from Red Lake as the color guard, the convention's second day -- with "reform" as a theme -- will feature former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.

Wednesday, the convention's third day, will feature "prosperity" as a theme and feature former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as a speaker. Others will include U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina and Cindy McCain, the wife of presumed Republican nominee John McCain. The Law Enforcement Memorial Association of Minnesota will serve as color guard.

McCain's choice for vice president, who is expected to be named in the next few days, is also scheduled to speak on Wednesday.

Coleman is scheduled to speak both Monday and Wednesday.

Thursday's program -- on a day dedicated by the convention to "peace" -- will be highlighted by McCain's acceptance speech.

Other speakers include Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mel Martinez, R-Fla. The color guard will feature the Minnesota-based 934th Airlift Wing Air Force Reserve.

Mike Kaszuba • 612-673-4388

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