PHILADELPHIA - Following are excerpts from remarks as prepared for delivery last night by the Republican vice presidential nominee, Dick Cheney.
''Mr. Chairman, delegates, and fellow citizens: I am honored by your nomination, and I accept it.'' ...
''I have to tell you that I never expected to be in this position ... But now I am glad to be back in the arena, and let me tell you why. I have been given an opportunity to serve beside a man who has the courage, and the vision, and the goodness, to be a great president.
''When I look at the administration now in Washington, I am dismayed by opportunities squandered. Saddened by what might have been, but never was. These have been years of prosperity in our land, but little purpose in the White House. Bill Clinton vowed not long ago to hold onto power `until the last hour of the last day.' That is his right. But, my friends, that last hour is coming.... It is time for them to go.
''For eight years, the achievement gap in our schools has grown worse, poor and disadvantaged children falling further and further behind. For all of their sentimental talk about children, Clinton and Gore have done nothing to help children oppressed by bureaucracy, monopoly, and mediocrity. But those days are ending. When George W. Bush is president and I am vice president, tests will be taken, results will be measured, schools will answer to parents, and no child will be left behind.
''For eight years, Clinton and Gore have talked about Social Security reform, never acting, never once offering a serious plan to save the system. In the time left to them, I have every confidence they'll go right on talking about it.
''For eight years, Clinton and Gore have extended our military commitments while depleting our military power. Rarely has so much been demanded of our armed forces, and so little given to them in return. George W. Bush and I are going to change that, too.... Soon, our men and women in uniform will once again have a commander in chief they can respect.
''Mr. Gore tries to separate himself from his leader's shadow. But somehow we will never see one without thinking of the other. Does anyone - Republican or Democrat - seriously believe that under Mr. Gore, the next four years would be any different from the last eight? If the goal is to unite our country, to make a fresh start in Washington, to change the tone of our politics, can anyone say with conviction that the man for the job is Al Gore? They came in together. Now let us see them off together.''
