THE Republican presidential contender, Mr Bob Dole, kicked off his election campaign with a rousing address in which he accused President Clinton of failing to ensure America's defence and not being tough enough against terrorism.
In an effort to attract more blacks to the Republican ticket of himself and Mr Jack Kemp, Mr Dole reminded the 4,000 cheering delegates that this was "the party of Lincoln". Anyone who did not accept that the party was open to citizens of every race and religion was invited to "walk out" of the convention hall.
Mr Dole devoted much of his 40 minute speech to moral values. He suggested that President Clinton's administration was tolerating unacceptable standards of behaviour.
He also attacked the Democratic failure to defend the family and poured scorn on Mrs Hillary Clinton's recent book, It Takes A Village, for preaching state intervention to defend families.
He said that they had reached the stage of the "virtual devastation of the American family" because of "crime, drugs, illegitimacy, abortion, the abdication of duty and the abandonment of children".
Mr Clinton's campaign in 1992, he said, had "gravely insulted" the American people by saying that the material area was the only one that mattered - a reference to the slogan that helped to defeat President Bush, "It's the economy, stupid".
Mr Dole went on, however, to list the details of his tax cutting programme and accused a corps of elite" inside the Clinton administration of abusing its power and wasting money with its "dubious and self serving schemes".
He promised to "get the economy moving again," but without hurting the poor and the sick with spending cuts.
He made an emotional reference to his father travelling to visit him when he was at death's door from war wounds. Because his father was poor, he had to stand for the long journey and his feet were so swollen he could hardly walk.
He warned teachers' unions that he would "disregard" their political power for the sake of children, schools and the nation. "I plan to enrich your vocabulary with those words you fear - school choice, competition and opportunity scholarships."
He also promised criminals that their lives "are going to be hell."
On his first day in office, I will put America on a course that will end our vulnerability to missile attack and rebuild our armed forces," Mr Dole pledged. He also will "put terrorists on notice: if you harm one American, you harm all Americans and America will pursue to the ends of the earth."
He made the by now traditional attack on the United Nations, promising that when he is president "our men and women in our armed forces will know the president is his commander in chief not Boutros Boutros Ghali or any other UN Secretary General."
Joined on the platform by Mr Jack Kemp, his surprise choice for running mate, by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Robin, Mr Dole savoured the fulfilment - after two failed attempts - of his 20 year old ambition to be the Republican presidential contender.
Meanwhile President Clinton is to publish a book next week just before the Democratic convention to be held in Chicago.