Kerry and Edwards kick off campaign together

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry headed out on the campaign trail today with his new running mate, John Edwards, and two of the most competitive states topped their agenda.

The two senators, their wives and children at their sides, appeared on the Kerry family’s suburban Pittsburgh estate for family photographs, one day after Kerry chose Edwards as the Democratic vice presidential candidate.

“We come to this with a deep, deep belief that America can do better,” Kerry said. “Today, we’re embarking on a new journey together.”

Kerry and Edwards held their wives’ hands and chatted and laughed as they walked across a field at the estate. The seven children between them followed.

“John Edwards and his family represent a life of fighting to provide hope and opportunity for people,” Kerry said, calling Edwards a man with “passion, conviction and strength”.

Edwards, a constant grin on his face, said he had assumed when Kerry called him on Tuesday morning that it was another reporter.

“This is a great privilege for me – a great opportunity to serve my country, which I love so dearly,” Edwards said.

The two families were headed to Ohio and Florida to kick off four days of campaigning that will end on Saturday with a rally in Edwards’ home state of North Carolina.

Amid questions about Edwards’ experience after less than six years in the Senate, the Kerry campaign today defended the selection by pointing to Edwards’ service on the Senate Intelligence Committee and his participation in an inquiry into the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“He brings a great deal to the table and actually more than the current president did when he was elected in 2000,” Mary Beth Cahill, the Kerry-Edwards campaign manager, told “Good Morning America” on ABC.

The Bush-Cheney campaign was preparing an ad suggesting that Edwards was second choice behind Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona.

However, the Kerry campaign said there had been no offer for McCain to reject.

“There was no serious dialogue in the end, no offer in the end,” Jim Johnson, who ran the selection process for Kerry, said.