Bush takes message to the people

George W Bush and wife Laura soak up the applause

Seeking to maintain the momentum generated by the Republican Party convention, George W Bush is starting a three-day train tour of the Midwest, a day after accepting the nomination for president.

Mr Bush received rapturous applause from party members in Philadelphia as he attacked the Democrats for poor leadership and said that a time of plenty meant that the United States should tackle major problems.

Bush gets a big send-off from Philadelphia

BBC Washington correspondent Philippa Thomas says Mr Bush was reaching out to the undecided.

But a spokesperson for his Democratic opponent, Vice-President Al Gore, said the address had been "short on length, short on substance, and short on real ideas".

"He offered up only the tired-old Republican formula of personal attacks, vague phrases and rehashed platitudes," said a statement from the Gore campaign.

Compassion

Now Mr Bush will spend the weekend touring the key states of Ohio, Michigan and Illinois as he starts the final three months of the campaign in earnest.

Setting off after a prayer breakfast on Friday morning, he promised to "use these good times for great goals".

"As we depart the city of brotherly love, we depart with a good feeling in our heart," Mr Bush said, stressing the cross-party, feel-good message he had put over in his acceptance speech.

"Our jobs as Republicans, Democrats, nonaffiliates is to rally that compassion of America."

Prosperity

Initial reaction from analysts and focus groups suggested that his acceptance speech had gone down well with swing voters, who liked his comments about education and taking personal responsibility.

"Our mission regardless of political party is to work together to make sure no child is left behind as we go into the 21st Century," Mr Bush said before leaving Philadelphia.

That's my boy! George Bush Senior gives his son a big hand

In his acceptance speech, he said the Democrats had failed leadership tests - on issues such as the military, education, social programmes and moral leadership.

"They had their chance," he said. "They have not led. We will," he added.

He was cheered by delegates as he accused the Clinton-Gore administration of coasting through its eight years in office.

"The path of least resistance is always downhill. But America's way is the rising way. This nation is daring and decent and ready for change."

Ridicule

In the convention hall, there were lighter moments as well. Mr Bush poked fun at his rival for claiming to have been key to the development of the internet.

He ridiculed Vice-President Al Gore for calling every Republican proposal a risky scheme.

"If he'd been there when Edison was testing the light bulb, it would have been a 'risky anti-candle scheme'," he said with a straight-faced, adding: "If he had been there at the birth of the internet..."

At which point, the convention room erupted into howls of laughter.

Foreign policy

In an attempt to portray him as a man lacking in presidential credentials, Mr Bush's opponents have capitalised on his lack of foreign policy credentials.

Addressing the issue, he committed himself to deploying a controversial new missile defence system, which the Russians and Chinese say would breach a major arms control treaty.

Dick Cheney, Bush's running mate, will tour the Midwest with him

He said now was not the time to defend out-dated treaties but to protect the American people.

The world needed American strength and he would spend more on the armed forces, he said.

But, while acknowledging that he "lacked the polish of Washington", he portrayed this as a welcome attribute, saying he had no enemies to fight.

"I have no stake in the bitter arguments of the last few years. I want to change the tone of Washington to one of civility and respect," he said.

In keeping with the convention's efforts to dispel the Republican image as the party of the white and well-off, he said all Americans should share in the country's economic boom times and promise.