Clintons steal the show
America's most famous political couple, Bill and Hillary Clinton, stole the show on the opening of the pre-election Democratic convention.
Mrs Clinton received a prolonged standing ovation when she took to the stage at the gathering in Boston early today. early today.
She introduced her husband, who lauded the political achievements and military accolades of the Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry.
The former president said Senator Kerry, a decorated Vietnam war veteran, and his running mate John Edwards were "good people with good ideas".
Massachusetts senator Mr Kerry and North Carolina senator Mr Edwards are fighting to remove Republican President George Bush and vice-president Dick Cheney from the White House at the election on November 2.
In a rousing speech to delegates, Mr Clinton pointed to the "fundamentally different views" of the Democrats and the Republican parties.
He said Americans "long to be united", accusing Mr Bush of using the terror attacks of September 11 to "try to push the country too far to the right and to walk away from our allies".
"Strength and wisdom are not opposing values," he said. "They go hand in hand and John Kerry has both."
Mr Clinton said Democrats believed that America should "act alone only when we really have to" and that Mr Kerry would create a world with "more friends and less terror".
In candid remarks about his own past, Mr Clinton admitted "many young men including the current president, the vice-president and me could have gone to Vietnam but didn't".
He went on: "John Kerry came from a privileged background as well - he could have avoided going - but instead he said, 'Send me'.
"That bravery they saw in battle, I have seen in politics."
Before introducing her husband, Mrs Clinton gave an unexpected speech that was only cleared by the party hours earlier.
Initially she was left off the speakers' list for fear that she may upstage Mr Kerry, who is due to address the convention on Thursday.
Mrs Clinton, a senator for New York, said she was "practically speechless" after receiving the long-standing ovation.
She repeatedly endorsed Mr Kerry, who she was once expected to compete against to run for the presidency this year.
She questioned whether President Bush's response to September 11 was right for the country.
She said America was "changed and challenged" by the attacks and added: "I worry about whether we are acting as wisely as we can to protect our country and our people.
Mrs Clinton is believed to have the best chance of becoming America's first female president if she stands at the 2008 election.
But that could depend on the forthcoming election taking the very turn of events she is now fighting against - a victory for president Bush.
But Clinton media consultant Mandy Grunwald said: "You cannot underestimate how focused she is on getting George Bush and Dick Cheney out of the White House, and turning the Senate Democratic.
"I think she'd be happy to never be president if she could get these guys out of the White House."
Former vice-president, Al Gore, also rallied the troops ahead of Mr Clinton's speech.
