Hatch chooses not to speak at GOP convention

A Utah name turned up on the list of speakers at next week's Republican National Convention released Tuesday by convention organizers — Sen. Orrin Hatch.

But a Hatch spokeswoman said the state's senior senator likely won't be joining Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in addressing their fellow GOP convention delegates gathering Sept. 1-4 in St. Paul, Minn.

Instead, Hatch spokeswoman Heather Barney said, the senator is turning over his spot on the Sept. 1 program to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the president of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

"He chose to give his allotted time to Sen. Ensign so they could speak with one voice," Barney said. She said both Hatch and Ensign were tapped to talk as representatives of the GOP senator's group dedicated to regaining a majority in the U.S. Senate.

Hatch would have spoken on the same night as President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, first lady Laura Bush and a long list of others, including a couple of reported contenders for the party's vice-presidential nomination.

Those are Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent and a former Democratic vice-presidential candidate. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, is expected to announce his choice soon.

McCain's vice-presidential pick is set to address the convention on Sept. 3 — the same day as Mitt Romney, widely seen as a frontrunner in what's being called the "veepstakes." Romney, who ended his own presidential bid in February, led the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Huntsman, a longtime supporter of McCain's despite Romney's popularity in Utah, also has been mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate. But Huntsman, who insists he's never been a serious candidate, is scheduled to speak at the convention on Sept. 2.

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