Speaking on the concluding day of the four-day Democratic National Convention in Boston Thursday, Kerry began with an appeal to "family values," and pledged to provide the military with the most advanced technology, while also focusing on security and improving the health-care system.

Democrats nominate Kerry for President

"My fellow Americans, this is the most important election of our lifetime. The stakes are high. We are a nation at war -- a global war on terror against an enemy unlike any we have ever known before. And here at home, wages are falling, health care costs are rising, and our great middle class is shrinking. People are working weekends, two jobs, three jobs, and they're still not getting ahead."

"We're told outsourcing jobs is good for America. We're told that new jobs that pay US$9,000 less than the jobs that have been lost is the best we can do," Kerry said. "They say this is the best economy we've ever had. And they say anyone who thinks otherwise is a pessimist. Well, here is our answer: There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can't do better," he said.

Calling for closing tax loopholes which "reward companies for shipping our jobs overseas," he said, "instead, we will reward companies that create and keep good-paying jobs right where they belong -- in the good old USA. We value an America that exports products, not jobs -- and we believe American workers should never have to subsidize the loss of their own job."

The tax breaks given to the rich by the Bush administration will be rolled back under Kerry's plan, and that money would be invested in job creation, health care and education, he said.

Health care will no longer be "a privilege for the wealthy, and the connected, and the elected -- it is a right for all Americans," he said. His plan also "cracks down on the waste, greed and abuse in our health care system and will save families a $1,000 a year on their premiums. You'll get to pick your own doctor -- and patients and doctors, not insurance company bureaucrats, will make medical decisions. Under our health care plan, Medicare will negotiate lower drug prices for seniors. And all Americans will be able to buy less expensive drugs from countries like Canada."

"For us, this is a country of the future. We're the can-do people," Kerry said. "And let's not forget what we did in the 1990s. We balanced the budget. We pared down the debt. We created 23 million new jobs. We lifted millions out of poverty, and we lifted the standard of living for the middle class. We just need to believe in ourselves -- and we can do it again.

"I defended this country as a young man, and I will defend it as president," said Kerry, who was introduced by Vietnam veterans, crew members of the Swift boat on the Mekong River which he had commanded.

Edwards talks tough on terror

"Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response. I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military."

In an obvious jab at President George W Bush's opposition to stem cell research, he wondered about the possibility that a scientific breakthrough could lead to cures for AIDS, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. "What if we have a president who believes in science, so we can unleash the wonders of discovery like stem cell research and treat illness and save millions of lives?"