Teresa Kerry speech: Your reaction

Teresa Heinz Kerry has urged the Democratic convention in Boston to rally behind her presidential candidate husband, Senator John Kerry.

In an impassioned speech Mrs Kerry told delegates, "With John Kerry as president, we can and we will protect our nation's security without sacrificing our civil liberties".

However, a recent poll by the Washington Post/ABC has suggested a decline in voter support for Mr Kerry with only 46% backing him against 48% for Mr Bush.

Later on Wednesday, Senator John Edwards is set to make a speech accepting the nomination of Mr Kerry's running mate.

What did you think of Teresa Kerry's speech? Would she make a good First Lady? Who do you think is winning the race for the White House?

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This debate is now closed. Thank you for your e-mails. The following comments reflect the balance of views we have received:

What a great woman! Her worldliness may be a liability and cost some votes in Middle America but even so, her charm and projected warmth (whether real or not) will gain some undecided.
Sergio Moncada, Washington, DC, USA

I found Teresa Kerry refreshing. Somehow she managed to convey her heart which was her intension. She has the star quality her husband seems to be missing.
Nancy Ness, NY, NY

If the man needs to rely on the selling power of his wife and family, it doesn't say much for the power of his political policies....
Mark H, UK

She has no idea what life is like for the average person Jim , NJ, USA

She has no idea what life is like for the average person, let alone the poor. Obviously, as a potential first lady, she was going to speak. But as someone who wants to see her husband win, I have to say that giving her so much air time was a mistake. Despite what our politicians, particularly the Democrats, seem to think, Americans don't like being told how to vote by celebrities and rich people. She is no more credible than Paris Hilton.
Jim , NJ, USA

Intelligent, articulate, truthful, patriotic -- and this is just Kerry's wife! The Democrats have a fantastic team on their hands to reinvigorate the US.
Tony, UK

That was the most boring condescending speech I have head at a convention since Jay Rockefeller told us how bad he felt for the poor when he looked out from his limousine. She was DULL DULL DULL.
Doug, Philadelphia, PA

It is about time for the great country of immigrants to have an immigrant first lady.
Rim Mghir, VA, USA

The Bush camp is really scraping the barrel by digging up what she wrote thirty years ago about Edward Kennedy.
David de Vere Webb, Washington, England

She is a billionaire who wants to represent the common, blue collar American. Give me a break!
Shane, USA

Yet another carefully choreographed political propaganda tool Hugh, USA

The speech? Yet another carefully choreographed political propaganda tool. How can anyone say she would be an asset or liability based on one speech to a fawning and adoring crowd? I wonder if the Kerry camp vetted her speech, as it did with every other speaker at the Convention to make sure nothing remotely critical of Kerry was said? We Americans are so gullible.
Hugh, USA

She speaks her mind which everyone should be doing in the current administration.
Norman, Washington, DC

Fact is over 60% of Americans didn't like her speech. Which seemed to be more about herself, than it was about her husband. And then of course there were the ramblings.
Justin Hughes, Tacoma, USA

Teresa Heinz Kerry is extremely intelligent, well-spoken and will make an incredible First Lady. I look forward to the day when women will not be labelled as "opinionated" just because they are smart and refuse to walk 10 paces behind their husbands!
Sharon, Washington DC, USA

Teresa Heinz Kerry is a little too international for the American Public to handle. The insular nature of most US citizens reflect in their tendency to label people with a broader world view as liberals which translates into not patriotic enough and soft on national security in this country!
Tharani, Champaign, USA

I'm voting for the man, not his family Julie , Lancaster, PA

I thought the speech was too perfect, too planned. I don't want to be sold a product. I want to know what the candidate stands for. I'm voting for the man, not his family.
Julie , Lancaster, PA

This was my first real glimpse of Teresa Heinz Kerry. I'm an independent US voter, Navy man and I voted for Bush last time around (though I would have preferred McCain). She did great last night. Kerry already has my vote, but getting a glimpse at the woman who will share the White House with him does nothing but solidify my belief that John Kerry can return the U.S. to its rightful place among nations as a strong, yet peaceful beacon of hope.
Peter, Pennsylvania, USA

Teresa Heinz Kerry's speech along with Clinton and Obama's speeches have so far made this one of the best Democratic conventions in history. Thanks to these great speeches and others to come, the Democrats have never been more determined to win in November. I cannot be any prouder to be a Democrat right now! Bravo Teresa!
Kenneth Kirby, Hildebran NC, USA

I caught part of her presentation, and was not impressed. Her body language seems rigid, and unfriendly. I don't hear the message if the delivery is not pleasant to watch.
Georgine, Vancouver Wa. USA

She will be the most admired first lady since Jackie Kennedy Linda, Texas, USA

I thought it was great! I think she will be the most admired first lady since Jackie Kennedy.
Linda, Texas, USA

I thought her speech was dreadful in both content and delivery. She seemed to be half asleep (like the audience). I do not think she would be a good First Lady, she is a self-centred elitist who would be totally unable to relate to the real world the rest of us inhabit.
Stan, Expat

Teresa Heinz Kerry is a winner. She is intelligent, articulate, beautiful, strong-willed and not afraid to stand up for her beliefs. She serves as a wonderful example for all women. I can't wait to address her as America's First Lady.
Carolyn, Columbia, SC USA

Mr. Kerry should be very proud of his wife. She surely is a breath of fresh air in American politics, real, funny and unscripted.
Tameka, New York City

The only votes that she will cost Kerry are those of bigots and sexists. Those who are appalled by intelligent, opinionated women and who believe that America is the only country in the world that matters. Well I say that we don't want their votes anyway.
Elissa Doyle, Lancaster, PA, USA

I don't think she will be too much of a liability for Kerry Bill, Minneapolis, MN, USA

I watched Teresa Heinz Kerry's speech last night and thought it was more painful to watch than a typical Bush speech. It seemed to me to be awkward and forced. However, I don't think she will be too much of a liability for Kerry.
Bill, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Americans are not used to controversial first ladies. If John Kerry is elected, I think she will be a liability to him as she does not seem to be able to ignore criticism of her husband - an essential skill as first lady. Watch for monthly gaffes - the US media will be all over her. It's OK to speak your mind at the convention in front of impassioned friends, but the White House is a different matter.
Jeremy Thompson, Salford, PA

With the outstretched hands and the pleas to support her husband I was just waiting for her to break into a chorus of 'Don't cry for me Argentina'. Yuk!
Lorraine, St Albans, UK

I just don't understand the importance of the wife or the family of a president. I vote for the candidate and his (her) party because he has a good programme, a good vision of the future, not because he has a modern or conservative wife or tiny children. I think it's typically American to give influence to the family of the candidate.
Luc, Rennes, France

There is nothing wishy-washy about her TJ, Houston, TX

I'm from a southern state (Texas) and I think people from the south like strong-minded women, especially a person like Teresa Heinz Kerry who tells it like it is. There is nothing wishy-washy about her. She's straightforward and I like that.
TJ, Houston, TX

I thought her speech was awesome. I think she grabbed the attention of a lot of undecided female voters with her empowering message. I think she would be a huge asset to the country if she became First Lady. Despite the polls I believe in my heart when election day comes Kerry/Edwards will win. Americans are ready for a much needed change.
Jessica Cogswell, Connecticut, USA

Mrs Kerry came off as incredibly fake during this speech. It will only be seen to distance her from average Americans. She once was married to Senator Heinz who was a staunch Republican. During her marriage she made anti-Democrat statements at will. Now these statements and tapes will come back to haunt her and her new husband. Specifically used to further showcase a pattern of flip-flopping that already plagues her husband. For these reasons she will be seen by many middle Americans as a hindrance to John Kerry's bid for the Whitehouse.
Ryan, Philadelphia, USA

She will end up costing Kerry votes Todd, Virginia, USA

I think Mrs Kerry is a strong intelligent person and would be fine as First Lady but her big liability is going to be that she comes across as too European, snobbish and class oriented. She will end up costing Kerry votes.
Todd, Virginia, USA

Bravo to Teresa Heinz Kerry, This is a woman of the world. It made me feel like there is a chance of hope, intellect and great promise of a better day to come for all Americans who believe this is what we are about! Bright smiles and clear headed thinkers who want to be part of the world, not just Texas. Charles, NYC
Charles Berry, New York, New York

Teresa Heinz Kerry is smart, sophisticated and self-confident; a true world citizen. As America's First Lady she would be good for US foreign relations, but I fear that the mood America is in at the moment the voters will misguidedly re-elect Bush; no matter how narrow-minded and mean-spirited his administration has been. The majority of Americas are not ready for a First Lady of Teresa Kerry's calibre.
Santina, Johannesburg, South Africa

Having eloquent speakers like Bill Clinton and Teresa Kerry on stage merely highlights how charmless and stilted John Kerry is. People need to remember who the Democrat candidate is - it's John Kerry running NOT Clinton.
Peter, Nottingham, UK

An accented version of Hillary Clinton: power-crazed, blindly ambitious, unprincipled, and rich. A good Democrat.
Mark, Arizona, USA

I don't think the US is ready for a First Lady like Teresa Kelly. They seem to prefer the First Lady to take a back seat and keep her mouth shut. Remember they had to get Tipper Gore to resign from her committees when Al was running for VP as she was seen as a liability. I like her but I think she may lose her husband votes in conservative states, who still don't like "strong" women. It is still a very old fashioned country in some respects.
Clare, Glasgow