This is democracy in America at its best. For four days, hundreds of delegates, representing the length and breadth of America, sat with their flags and balloons as the Grand Convention got under way. It was launched by the star performer former President Bill Clinton, who in 1992 wrested the US Presidency from the hands of George Bush, father of the current President. On the podium there were performers galore like former President Jimmy Carter, former First Lady and current New York Senator Hillary Clinton, former Presidential candidate Al Gore, and Senator Edward Kennedy. On the penultimate day appeared the young Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards. He mesmerised the audience with a brilliant speech, preparing the stage for his boss, Presidential candidate John Kerry.

The entire proceedings were brilliantly choreographed and the Convention was held with an excellent discipline with a very human face. Before John Kerry ascended the stage, a colleague of his in the Vietnam War made a moving speech. Thus the claim of President George Bush that he is a "War President" was demolished in one blow. Candidate Kerry delivered what was billed as the speech of a lifetime. So far Kerry has been something of an unknown quantity, and his speech was televised throughout America and the world. John Kerry spelled out in intimate detail his plans for the presidency. The contrast in style and content could not be more different. The basic message was that whereas President Bush has divided the nation and caused intolerable division with his longtime allies, candidate Kerry proposed to unite the nation and rebuild bridges with allies. Addressing President Bush directly, he called upon him to forget differences and unite as Americans. He presented a long list of subjects where he would do things differently. The heavy emphasis was on the middle class, in contrast with the Bush presidency, which has been often accused of looking after the interest of the wealthy. On Iraq, candidate Kerry spelled out that he would not pull out in a hurry, but rather involve the allies who have stayed aloof from the American effort so far. In other words Kerry offered the olive branch not only to his nation, but to the world.

Like Bill Clinton, who came from the obscurity of Arkansas to haunt Papa Bush in 1992, John Kerry the obscure war hero of Vietnam seems to be coming to haunt his son George W. Bush. The convention of the Democrats has been a resounding success. The party has united behind candidate Kerry as hardly ever before. The recurring theme has been that the Democrats needed to get back the White House.

If on the home front John Kerry could smooth out the rough edges by his persistent harping on the theme of the middle class, it is on the foreign policy front that his mettle will be tested. After all, America is the most powerful country in the world and is the undisputed leader. Thanks to the policy of utter disdain for the world community, and particularly its most powerful spokesman the UN, President Bush has succeeded in making Americans despised and feared around the world. The most glaring example is Iraq, where the mess created by President Bush will need long and patient handling to be sorted out. Candidate Kerry has given notice that he will not project American power so thoughtlessly.

There are three months to go before the elections for President of the United States of America. If four years ago the election was an occasion for unfortunate controversy, it is to be hoped that the world will not be treated once again to such a sordid spectacle. Again and again John Kerry has spoken of the moral high ground that he wants his country to occupy.

America wants to carry the message of democracy throughout the world. This is a laudable objective, although Afghanistan or Iraq are not credible examples. Pulling down the statues of Saddam Hussein from Baghdad will not bring democracy. It will need long and patient handling.

With the Democrat Convention behind us, the race is on. It is the American voter who will decide in November next, if they want real change or continuation of the policies of President George W. Bush. It seems to me that both the US and the world is ripe for a change.

Arshad-uz-Zaman is a former Ambassador.