Vice President Dick Cheney has depicted Democrat presidential candidate Mr John Kerry as a weak and indecisive leader unfit to be commander in chief in a speech to the Republican convention.
Cheney: America sees two John Kerrys
Accepting the party's nomination for a second term as vice president, Mr Cheney hammered home the "flip-flop" image the party has pinned on the Massachusetts senator, saying he has disagreed with many of his fellow Democrats on the Iraq issue "but Senator Kerry's liveliest disagreement is with himself.
"His back-and-forth reflects a habit of indecision, and sends a message of confusion," he said, citing Mr Kerry's votes to authorise the attack on Iraq and to support domestic initiatives that he has since criticised.
"Senator Kerry says he sees two Americas. It makes the whole thing mutual - America sees two John Kerrys."
The prime-time televised showcase for Mr Cheney gave Americans their closest look in years at a key figure in the Bush administration who normally shuns the limelight.
Mr Bush will give his acceptance speech this evening, kicking off a two-month race to the November 2nd election. With polls show the two main candidates running even, the remainder of the campaign is expected to be the most aggressive and important for he past 40 years.
Mr Kerry was also given a verbal lashing by the Democrat Senator Zell Miller at the Republican convention. The Georgian, who earlier this year formed Democrats for Bush said Mr Kerry would be a "dangerous" leader.
"Senator Kerry has made it clear that he would use military force only if approved by the United Nations," said Mr Miller "Kerry would let Paris decide when America needs defending. I want Bush to decide."
Explaining his switch of loyalties, Senator Miller said "today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator."
Democrats criticised the sharp tone of the speeches and noted Mr Cheney had mentioned Kerry by name 14 times but the word "jobs" only twice.
"America deserves better than an attack-dog vice president who only tears people down rather than coming up with ideas that will lift middle class families up," the Democratic National Committee said in a statement.
Police said 12 people were arrested during protests by Aids activists who briefly interrupted White House Chief of Staff Mr Andrew Card as he addressed a young Republican meeting attended by Mr Bush's twin daughters.
Nearly 1,800 people have been arrested in anti-Bush protests in the past seven days - a record for a US political convention.