President Bush and first lady Laura Bush were the opening act to the main event at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night. In the lead-up to keynote addresses by former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.), President Bush, speaking via satellite video feed, discussed presumptive presidential nominee Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) readiness to step into the role of president while Laura Bush took time to praise his vice presidential pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), as a “strong executive and proven reformer.” George Bush got perhaps his best response when discussing McCain’s character and the time he spent as a prisoner of war. “If the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain’s resolve to do what is best for his country, you can be sure the angry left never will,” Bush said. He also got a laugh out of the audience when he made a passing reference to his well-publicized past disagreements with McCain. “John is an independent man who thinks for himself. He is not afraid to tell you when he disagrees. Believe me, I know.” Bush also praised McCain for standing with him when they both made unpopular decisions to do what they thought was right. While many in Congress opposed sending more troops to Iraq last year, Bush said, “one Senator above all had faith in our troops and the importance of the mission, and that Senator was John McCain.”