Penn. Gov. Previews GOP Convention

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” Americans will see a ``different kind of Republican convention'' at the upcoming Philadelphia bash, said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge Saturday. <br><br>Featured speakers ``will

Saturday, July 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” Americans will see a ``different kind of Republican convention'' at the upcoming Philadelphia bash, said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge Saturday.

Featured speakers ``will display a positive unifying vision of America,'' Ridge said in the weekly Republican radio address. ``What you won't hear in Philadelphia is the politics of division and personal destruction.''

Several Republican luminaries, including Colin Powell, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Sen. John McCain, Elizabeth Dole, as well as the GOP ticket of Gov. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, are scheduled to speak.

Ridge predicted that the Bush-Cheney ticket will carry the Northeast, normally Democratic territory, saying, ``Republicans are conceding no region, no issue and no voter.''

The governor, once on the short list of Bush's potential vice presidential choices, highlighted Bush's record in his home state of Texas and how Bush gathered multiracial support to win a landslide re-election.

Ridge said next week's event will also show hardworking Americans, in order to derail any attempt by Vice President Al Gore to take credit for the current healthy economic state.

``The people of America are more responsible for American greatness than elected officials,'' he said.