PRESIDENTIAL RACE Dems make a stop in Ohio

Kerry and Edwards vowed to fight for the middle class.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- An upbeat John Kerry campaigned for the first time with running mate John Edwards on Wednesday and boasted that the Democratic team has a "better vision, better ideas" than its Republican counterpart -- and joked, "we've got better hair."
One day after Kerry chose Edwards as the vice presidential candidate, the two senators offered glowing critiques of each other at a downtown plaza in Ohio, a critical battleground state.
Introducing Edwards in Cleveland, the first city to get electricity, Kerry welcomed "a different kind of electricity called John Edwards." The Massachusetts senator called his running mate a man with "passion, conviction and strength."
"He represents the best of the hope of our country, the best of opportunity," Kerry said.
Kerry also poked fun at himself as well as his running mate for something the two often are teased about.
"We've got better vision, better ideas, real plans. We've got a better sense of what's happening to America -- and we've got better hair," Kerry said, laughing.
In turn, Edwards praised Kerry for showing "strength and courage and determination" during the Democratic primary. "And the truth is, it's the same strength, courage and leadership that he showed his whole life," he said.
No hard feelings
Kerry and Edwards sought to dispel any notion of ill will from the primary campaign by embracing and laughing together like old friends. The two -- both millionaires -- promised that together they would fight for the middle class. And they criticized President Bush.
Still, the entire day had a celebratory feel -- all part of the campaign's plan to introduce the Democratic ticket before the convention in Boston July 26-29 -- and it was definitely a family affair.
Earlier, the candidates, their wives and children appeared on the Kerry family's suburban Pittsburgh estate for family photographs before heading to Ohio and then to Florida to kick off four days of campaigning that will end Saturday with a rally in Edwards' home state of North Carolina.
Edwards, a constant grin on his face, said he had assumed when Kerry called him Tuesday morning that it was another reporter calling. "I was very pleased to have gotten the news," he said.
"This is a great privilege for me -- a great opportunity to serve my country, which I love so dearly," Edwards said.
Kerry said the two families spent last night talking about the announcement and having fun getting to know each other better. He joked that the ticket was announcing a new campaign manager.
"Jack Edwards is taking over everything," Kerry quipped, referring to Edwards' 4-year-old son. "He does a wild cannonball."
Polling conducted the night after the choice of Edwards was announced indicated a favorable impression among voters toward Kerry's choice. Sixty-four percent in a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll taken Wednesday night said the choice of Edwards was excellent or good.In 2000, just over half said they felt that way about the choices of Republican Dick Cheney and Democrat Joe Lieberman. Nine in 10 Democrats, and seven in 10 of all voters, said they were satisfied or enthusiastic about the Edwards pick, according to a CBS News poll.