2004 Republican National Convention

2004 Republican National Convention
2004 presidential election ;
	Nominees; Bush and Cheney
Convention
Date(s)	August 30 – September 2, 2004
City	New York, New York
Venue	Madison Square Garden
Keynote speaker	Zell Miller
Candidates
Presidential nominee	George W. Bush of Texas
Vice-presidential nominee	Dick Cheney of Wyoming
Voting
Total delegates	2,509
Votes needed for nomination	1,255
Results (president)	Bush (TX): 2,508 (99.96%); Abstention: 1 (0.04%)
Results (vice president)	Cheney (WY): 100% (Acclamation)
Ballots	1
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Last updated March 04, 2026

The 2004 Republican National Convention took place from August 30 to September 2, 2004, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The convention is one of a series of historic quadrennial meetings at which the Republican candidates for president and vice president, and party platform are formally adopted. Attendance included 2,509 delegates and 2,344 alternate delegates from the states, territories and the District of Columbia. The convention marked the formal end of the active primary election season. As of 2026^[update], it is the most recent major-party nominating convention, as well as the only Republican National Convention, to be held in New York City.

The theme of the convention was "Fulfilling America's Promise by Building a Safer World and a More Hopeful America." Defining moments of the 2004 Republican National Convention include a featured keynote address by Zell Miller and the confirmation of the nomination of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for reelection. Bush and Cheney went on to defeat the Democratic Party's ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards in the 2004 presidential election.

Platform

Apart from nominating a candidate for president and vice president, the 2004 Republican National Convention was also charged with crafting an official party platform and political agenda for the next four years. At the helm of the Platform Committee was United States Senator and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Congresswoman Melissa Hart of Pennsylvania and Colorado Governor Bill Owens. The committee worked with the Bush campaign to develop the draft platform.

The platform adopted by the 2004 Republican National Convention was the longest in the party's history compared to the mere 1,000-word platform adopted at the first convention in 1856. At 48,000 words, it was twice the length of the one adopted at the 2004 Democratic National Convention which was only 19,500 words.

Venue

Madison Square Garden Madisonsquaregarden.jpg — Madison Square Garden

The choice of Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2003, by all 165 members of the Republican National Committee as the venue for the 2004 Republican National Convention meant that New York City would host a major Republican nominating convention for the first time in its history. On July 19, control of Madison Square Garden was officially handed over to the Republican Party under the administration of Chief Executive Officer of the Convention, Bill Harris. Mayor Michael Bloomberg thanked the party for their choice, for which he had vigorously lobbied, noting it as a significant display of support for the city and an economic boom.

Until Chicago, Illinois was selected as the host of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, 2004 was the last time that for either major party that they chose to hold their convention in a state that was not considered to be a swing state (the Democrats held their 2004 convention in Boston, Massachusetts).^[1]^[2]

Security

Like the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially declared the 2004 Republican National Convention a National Special Security Event (NSSE). As such, the United States Secret Service was charged with employing and coordinating all federal and local agencies including the various bureaus of DHS, the FBI, and the NYPD to secure the venue from terrorist attacks. Expected security expenditures reached $70 million, $50 million of which was funded by the federal government.

The city employed an active beat of 10,000 police officers deployed as Hercules teams—uniformed in full riot gear and body armor, and equipped with submachine guns and rifles. Commuter and Amtrak trains entering and exiting Penn Station were scoured by bomb-sniffing dogs as uniformed police officers were attached to buses carrying delegates. All employees of buildings surrounding Madison Square Garden were subjected to thorough screening and background checks.

The NYPD infiltrated and compiled dossiers on protest groups (most of whom were doing nothing illegal), leading to over 1,800 arrests and subsequent fingerprinting.^[3]

Timing

The convention took place in New York City a week before the third anniversary of September 11. The attacks were a primary theme of the convention, from the choice of speakers to repeated invocations of the attacks. At the convention, there was a performance of "Amazing Grace" by Daniel Rodriguez, a tribute to those killed on September 11. Relatives of three of the victims spoke and talked about how September 11 brought the country together. Contributing musically were Brooks & Dunn, Sara Evans, Lee Ann Womack, Darryl Worley, Jaci Velasquez, Dana Glover, and Dexter Freebish.^[4]

Speakers

Early in the summer leading up to the 2004 Republican National Convention, Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie announced the first slate of convention speakers. He added, "It is an honor to announce the addition of these outstanding Americans to the 2004 Republican National Convention program. For the past three and a half years, President Bush has led with strength and compassion and these speakers reflect that." Chief Executive Officer of the Convention Bill Harris commented, "These speakers have seen President Bush's strong, steady leadership and each will attest to his character from a unique perspective. Their vast experience and various points of view are a testament to the depth and breadth of the support for the Republican ticket in 2004."

Zell Miller

Considered to be one of the most interesting choices for speakers at the convention was a keynote address by Georgia Senator Zell Miller, a conservative Democrat. Miller had consistently voted with Republicans. In an editorial in The Wall Street Journal , Miller cited that the reason for his defection was that, "I barely recognize my party anymore." He continued, "Today, it's the Democratic Party that has mastered the art of division and diversion. To run for president as a Democrat these days you have to go from interest group to interest group, cap in hand, asking for the support of liberal kingmakers." He finished by saying, "I still believe in hope and opportunity and, when it comes right down to it, Mr. Bush is the man who represents hope and opportunity."

His keynote address was a visceral smite to Democrats and an excoriating attack on John Kerry, blaming him for the divisions in America. Notably, he mocked Kerry's call for strength in the armed forces by noting several important military projects that Kerry had opposed, saying that Kerry wanted "forces armed with what - spitballs?" Including Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, he claimed "no pair has been more wrong, more loudly, more often, than the two senators from Massachusetts: Ted Kennedy and John Kerry."

In his speech, Miller also heaped his praise for 1940 Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie for supporting President Roosevelt's establishment of a military draft, raising concerns about the intentions of President Bush in this area.

Zell Miller also delivered the keynote address on behalf of Bill Clinton in 1992 at Madison Square Garden. He remained a Democrat in the Senate until leaving in 2005 (he was not running for reelection). However, after this address, his affiliation with the national Democratic Party was unquestionably over.

Tribute to Ronald Reagan

Former president Ronald Reagan, under whom Bush's father had served as vice president, passed away the previous June after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. Nancy Reagan's spokesperson announced that the former First Lady fully supported President Bush for the general election. The spokesperson added that while the former First Lady and her children would be absent from the 2004 Republican National Convention, President Reagan's son with Jane Wyman, Michael Reagan, had accepted an invitation to address the delegates. Nancy Reagan appeared in the filmed tribute he introduced. He dedicated the film to everyone who helped make his father president of the United States.

During the convention, delegates paid tribute to Reagan in different ways. Many of the speakers from California and Illinois, including House Speaker Dennis Hastert, mentioned Reagan in their speeches and compared Reagan to Bush. Those from Illinois, including Hastert, compared Bush to both Reagan and Abraham Lincoln, another native son of their state.

Chairpeople

Name		Position/Notability
	Dennis Hastert	51st Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (1999-2007) Leader of the House Republican Conference (1999-2007) U.S. Congressman from IL-14 (1987-2007)
	Linda Lingle	6th Governor of Hawaii (2002-2010)
Several deputy co-chairs were named as a ceremonial honor

Day one: Monday, August 30, 2004

Principal speakers

Name		Position/Notability
	Michael Bloomberg	108th Mayor of New York City (2001-2013)
	Rudy Guiliani	107th Mayor of New York City (1994-2001)
	John McCain	U.S. Senator of Arizona (1987-2018) 2000 Republican presidential candidate

Featured speakers

Name		Position/Notability
	George Allen	U.S. Senator from Virginia (2001-2007) 67th Governor of Virginia (1994-1998)
	Lindsey Graham	U.S. Senator from South Carolina (2003–present)
	Angie Harmon	Actress and Model (1987–present)
	Bernard Kerik	Acting Minister of the Interior of Iraq (2003) 40th Police Commissioner of New York City (2000-2001)
	Elisabeth Hasselbeck	Co-host of The View (2003-2013)
	Edward I. "Ed" Koch	107th Mayor of New York City (1978-1989) (Democratic)
	Marc Racicot	Chair of the Republican National Committee (2001-2003) 21st Governor of Montana (1993-2001)
	Jason Sehorn	NFL Cornerback (1994-2003)
	Ron Silver	12th President of the Actors' Equity Association (1991-2000) Actor (1974-2009) (Independent)
	Bob Taft	67th Governor of Ohio (1999-2007)
	Ann Wagner	Vice Chair of the Republican National Committee (2001-2005) Chairwoman of the Missouri Republican Party (1999-2005)

Quotations

"We should remember, it wasn't so long ago that confidence in New York was in short supply. When I took the oath of office nearly three years ago, we were a city in mourning a city that had, in a few dreadful hours, lost almost 3,000 of our own husbands, wives, sons, and daughters from every part of the nation, and every corner of the globe. There were those who doubted then whether this city could hold onto the gains made during the 90s under Mayor Giuliani. A lot of people were wondering what the future held for New York City, or whether we even had a future. But neither America nor President Bush ever stopped believing in us. Nearly two years ago, with the city's fate still a question mark in many minds, our President decided that this Convention would come to New York. This was a show of faith that required courage and vision one that all New Yorkers will not forget. And today it fills me with enormous pride and gratitude to tell everyone that New York City is back!"

— Michael Bloomberg

"We are Americans first, Americans last, Americans always. Let us argue our differences. But remember we are not enemies, but comrades in a war against a real enemy, and take courage from the knowledge that our military superiority is matched only by the superiority of our ideals, and our unconquerable love for them. Our adversaries are weaker than us in arms and men, but weaker still in causes. They fight to express a hatred for all that is good in humanity. We fight for love of freedom and justice, a love that is invincible. Keep that faith. Keep your courage. Stick together. Stay strong. Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up. Stand up with our President and fight. We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender."

— John McCain

"From the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, to President George W. Bush our party's great contribution is to expand freedom in our own land and all over the world. And our party is at its best when it makes certain that we have a powerful national defense in a still very dangerous world. I don't believe we're right about everything and Democrats are wrong about everything. Neither party has a monopoly on virtue. But I do believe that there are times in our history when our ideas are more necessary and important for what we are facing."

— Rudy Giuliani