Buchanan to Endorse Bush at Convention

Conservative Patrick J. Buchanan will endorse President Bush for reelection at the Republican National Convention and “will do nothing to harm the Republican Party,” Buchanan’s sister and campaign manager said Monday.

“He will be there to endorse the President,” Angela (Bay) Buchanan said at a news conference. “Pat will do nothing to harm the Republican Party between now and Election Day.”

Bay Buchanan said her brother--who challenged Bush for the GOP nomination--had wanted all along to endorse Bush but was holding out for a televised prime-time speech to the full convention, which he was recently offered.

During the campaign, relations between the two Republicans were rocky at best. In June, Bush’s campaign spokeswoman, Torie Clarke, was asked if Buchanan would be allowed to make a prime-time address. “He has to get down on his hands and knees and grovel on broken glass with his mouth open and his tongue hanging out, and then we’ll talk,” she said. Later she apologized, saying she had been joking.