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Kerry nominated Democratic presidential candidate
Kerry, 60, Vietnam war veteran was officially nominated by a unanimous vote of more than 4,300 delegates, as Democratic party's candidate to face Republican President Bush.
Senator John Kerry was officially nominated by Democratic delegates as the party's candidate to face Republican President George W. Bush in November's US presidential elections.
The nomination came shortly after an acceptance speech by Senator John Edwards, Kerry's running mate, to be the vice presidential candidate, Xinhua news agency reported.
Kerry was hailed by Edwards as "decisive, strong", and as a leader who could make the US "strong at home, respected in the world".
Commending Kerry's experience in the Vietnam War and lauding his qualifications to be president, Edwards called Americans to "reject the tired, old, hateful, negative politics of the past" and "brace the politics of hope, the politics of what's possible".
The 51-year-old senator of North Carolina was chosen by Kerry as his vice presidential running mate early this month.
With the nearly unanimous vote by more than 4,300 delegates, Kerry, who arrived in Boston Wednesday after a weeklong campaign, will now deliver his acceptance speech, which analysts say will define his White House ambitions.
Kerry, 60, is expected to use the speech to counter Republican charges that he was weak on national issues, with polls showing voters still lack a clear idea about the character and policies of the four-term Massachusetts senator.
American voters were sharply divided over the war in Iraq, and many still believed that Bush was strong in security issues and could better protect the country against terrorism.
