In a 30-minute speech to the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Cheney also called for a speedy vote on the package of tax rebates and other measures to stimulate the economy, the Charlotte Observer reported.

"We cannot take growth for granted," he said.

Cheney, whose standing in the polls has been even lower than President Bush's, has generally kept out of the limelight in recent months. But he has given several interviews since Bush gave his State-of-the-Union speech Monday night.

In addition to the economy, Cheney talked about national security. He said that the United States must continue to battle "radical extremists" in Iraq and Afghanistan and that Congress must act renew legislation authorizing some eavesdropping.