Cheney accepts GOP vice presidential nomination

The Wyoming delegation cheers as Dick Cheney is nominated

By Ian Christopher McCaleb and Mike Ferullo/CNN

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- Saying he had "been given an opportunity to serve beside a man who has the courage and the vision and the goodness to be a great president," former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney accepted the Republican party's vice presidential nomination Wednesday night.

Cheney received and accepted the nomination on the night the Republican Party made its choice of presidential nominee certain, giving Texas Gov. George W. Bush enough votes to officially claim the top spot on the ticket.

VIDEO Lynne Cheney introduces Dick Cheney to GOP convention Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney speaks to the Republican National Convention Part 1 Part 2 (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     TRANSCRIPTS Speech by Lynne Cheney to the Republican National Convention

At the third day of the GOP convention here, the Wyoming delegation -- the home state of Bush's running mate -- provided the votes necessary for Bush to become the nominee. He will not officially receive the nomination until Thursday, when a four-day "rolling roll call" of state delegations is completed.

Confetti fell from the rafters of the Comcast First Union Center, a band played Ricky Martin's "The Cup of Life" and delegates cheered wildly as Bush got the votes needed for the nomination. He needed 1,034 delegate votes to secure the post.

Cheney officially became the party's vice presidential nominee earlier Wednesday night by acclamation. The former defense secretary and congressman was nominated by his home state delegation of Wyoming and his nomination brought a round of cheers from delegates.

"The chair and longtime friend of Dick Cheney is proud to declare Dick Cheney the Republican nominee for vice president of the United States by acclamation," Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, said Wednesday in announcing the convention's decision. Lott was acting as the convention's temporary chairman.

Wednesday night's proceedings were driven by themed presentations to spotlight the two men at the top of the party's ticket. The session began at 7:30 p.m. EDT, when professional wrestler "The Rock" joined ex-wrestling coach and current House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, urging attendees to take their seats.

The program also focused on a variety of GOP policy items, including tax cuts, investment of retirement funds and faith-based social aid endeavors. Many of the presentations were made by activists who have mounted their own faith-based efforts, including officials from Cleveland's El Barrio, a private assistance center that provides food and support for the poor in the city's Hispanic community.

After Cheney's nomination, Rep. John Kasich, R-Ohio, spoke on taxes. In a rare, red-meat departure from the convention speeches so far, Kasich said the GOP would implement a variety of tax cuts if Bush became president -- including the elimination of the estate tax and the so-called marriage penalty income tax for married couples.

"We believe America should be run from the bottom line, not from the top down," Kasich said. "Every time we cut taxes, we make government less important and people across the country more important."