As Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry prepares to accept his party's nomination Thursday, his running mate, Sen. John Edwards, formally becomes the Democrats' entry for vice president.

In his speech accepting the nomination, Edwards gave the audience at Boston's FleetCenter a background sketch of his humble beginnings in North Carolina, acknowledging his parents seated in the arena as he described his father's millwork.

He went on to promise economic aid to the middle class, stressing to his audience, "your agenda is our agenda." In addition to urging the elimination of tax cuts for companies that outsource jobs, Edwards called for tax breaks related to the costs of healthcare, childcare and education.

Taking the stage an hour after a group of retired U.S. generals and military leaders that included Gen. John Shalikashvili, Edwards reiterated Kerry's qualifications to be commander-in-chief as he reviewed his running mate's Vietnam record.

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