This is Bob Doughty with In the News, in VOA Special English.

The Democratic National Convention begins July twenty-sixth inBoston. The party will officially nominate its candidates forpresident and vice president in the November election. This weekJohn Kerry chose John Edwards for vice president.

The two senators competed againsteach other earlier this year for the nomination. But Mister Kerrysays they share values and a belief in strong internationalalliances and a strong military. He say they will work together toseek support from independent voters as well as Democrats.

Many people who liked John Edwards as a presidential candidatesaid they liked his energy and his message. He says President Bushhas created "two Americas," one for the wealthy and one foreverybody else.

Mister Edwards' father was a textile worker. His mother was aletter carrier. But Mister Edwards became a trial lawyer. He won bigcases for injured people. He earned millions of dollars.

The choice for vice president is usually the first major decisionfor a presidential candidate. The vice president becomes presidentif ever the president cannot carry out the duties of office. Vicepresidents also act as president of the Senate. They make thedeciding vote if the Senate is evenly split.

Presidential candidates traditionally choose a vice presidentfrom another part of the country to provide geographical balance.But not always. In nineteen-ninety-two, for example, the Democratswon with two Southerners: Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Al Gore ofTennessee.

John Edwards is from the South. John Kerry is from the Northeast.Democrats say the addition of the senator from North Carolina shouldhelp Mister Kerry win more Southern votes. They hope it will alsostrengthen the Kerry campaign in states where the vote is expectedto be close.

These so-called battleground states include Pennsylvania,Florida, North Carolina and Ohio. Some people say Ohio, in theMidwest, could decide the race.

Mister Edwards had never served in public office before NorthCarolina voters elected him to the Senate in nineteen-ninety-eight.He decided not to seek a second term this year. He ran for presidentinstead, but won only a single state in the Democratic nominatingelections. That was South Carolina, where he was born.

Critics say Mister Edwards lacks political and foreign policyexperience. Republicans say his Senate record is too weak and tooliberal. President Bush said this week that Dick Cheney is betterprepared to be president.

In any case, political experts say vice presidential candidatesusually have little effect on elections. They say voters in Novemberare likely to consider issues like the war in Iraq and the economyfar more important.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk.This is Bob Doughty.