US president addresses Republican Party convention
Updated
The US president, George W Bush, has addressed the Republican Party convention via satellite from the White House, endorsing Senator John McCain as his successor.
The convention in St Paul has also rallied behind Senator McCain's choice of running mate, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin.
President Bush's speech was brief - he paid tribute to Senator McCain, and the senator's reputation for independence and service to country.
"The man we need is John McCain," he said.
Inside the hall, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson delivered a strong defence of Senator McCain's running mate, Sarah Pallin.
"Some Washington pundits and media big shots are in a frenzy over the selection of a woman who has actually governed rather than just talked a good game on the Sunday talk shows and and hit the Washington cocktail circuit," he said.
Governor Palin is popular with Christian conservatives in the Republican Party.
