PROMISING thousands of cheering Democratic supporters that "the best has yet to come", President Clinton has launched his bid at the Democratic National Convention here for a second term in the White House while setting out his vision for America in the 21st century.
Spurred on by the enthusiastic reception - with cheering, singing and a balloon drop at the huge convention centre, the President will now throw himself into a hectic 10 week campaign.
He has already been buoyed by the success of his whistle stop train trip to the convention and a further increase in his poll lead over Mr Bob Dole.
If he succeeds, Mr Clinton will be the first Democratic president to be re elected to a second term since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The climax of what was meant to be a minutely choreographed convention was somewhat marred by a scandal concerning Mr Clinton's chief political adviser, Mr Dick Morris, who announced his resignation following sensational allegations that he allowed a prostitute listen to conversations he was having with the President.
Following a video portraying the President's first term achievements and his hopes for the future and a rousing speech from Senator Ted Kennedy, Mr Clinton took the podium as the 4,000 delegates screamed and waved banners of welcome.
The President's speech was a mixture of visionary rhetoric and a list of new measures he promises to implement during a second term. Mr Clinton called the November election a "referendum on the future", hinting at the age of his 73 year old opponent.
Vice President Al Gore had made a sharper attack on the age difference in his earlier speech, saying Mr Dote "offered himself as a bridge to the past. Tonight Bill Clinton and I offer ourselves as a bridge to the future".
Conscious of the strains caused inside the Democratic party by his signing of the welfare reform Bill last week, the President highlighted a $3.4 billion jobs package to help those whose welfare aid will be abolished when the new law takes effect.
The two pronged package over six years would involve tax breaks to businesses to hire former welfare recipients and direct grants to mayors of big cities to devise job programmes.
Mr Clinton has also tried to counter the tax cut promise which is the main plank in the Republican campaign with one of his own - a capital gains tax cut which will appeal to middle class home owners but may not have the appeal of the Dote 22 per cent income tax cut across the board.
The Clinton tax package, however, would cost only half that of the Republican proposal and would have less effect on the budget deficit which the President and Mr Dole have pledged to end by 2002.
Many economists doubt that the deficit can be ended if the Republican proposals are implemented so this is sure to be a major issue in the election campaign.