Former U.S. Congressman and current outgoing Harvard IOP Director Jim Leach (R-IA) announced today that he would be speaking at the Democratic Convention on Monday night, after he endorsed Barack Obama earlier this month.

While that may not seem like that big a deal, Rep. Leach is a well-respected moderate Republican voice in Iowa, a state that could put Obama over the top in November. Thus, his speech is being treated as extremely important by the Obama camp (I've even heard rumors that he'll be speaking after Michelle Obama, making him the marquee event Monday night, but I haven't been able to confirm that).
Update: He'll be speaking third-to-last, just before Sen. McCaskill and Michelle Obama. Ted Kennedy may also be making an appearance.

Anyone who has met Rep. Leach knows his speech won't be as...fiery...as Zell Miller's at the Republican Convention in 2004. I got a chance to talk to him today and he was his normal restrained self, but he did say he would be campaigning for Sen. Obama in Iowa.

Watch out for his speech tonight!