Vice-President Al Gore has formally named Senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate while emphasising that this is an important breakthrough for US Jews, comparable to the election of John F. Kennedy as the first Catholic president.
Mr Lieberman, the first Jew to be named to a presidential ticket, has hailed Mr Gore as "the man who broke this barrier in American history". He recalled how he was inspired by the election of President Kennedy in 1960.
Standing beside Mr Gore in front of the war memorial in Nashville, Tennessee, Mr Lieberman said his selection showed that "the American dream is alive and well" and this was "the American Dream Team".
Mr Lieberman's wife, Hadassah, spoke about how her immigrant parents had been liberated from German concentration camps by US soldiers. She said she stood on the platform for all immigrants and to show how "this land is your land" and "how anything is possible for us".
There was no mention of President Clinton in the speeches of Mr Gore and Mr Lieberman, lending weight to the view that the Democratic ticket wants to distance itself from the President in the coming campaign.
Observers have seen the choice of Mr Lieberman as a clever way to close off Republican criticism of Mr Gore as too identified with Mr Clinton as he struggled to survive the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Mr Lieberman, in a speech in the Senate, had harshly criticised Mr Clinton two years ago for his "immoral" behaviour with Ms Lewinsky and for giving bad example to young people.
The choice of Mr Lieberman has been welcomed among Democrats, and even Republicans have given it grudging praise as a shrewd move. An instant Gallup poll commissioned by CNN/USA Today when the news broke showed that Mr Bush's 19-point lead over Mr Gore among registered voters fell to two points.
But among polls of likely voters, which is seen as a more reliable indicator, Mr Bush has been enjoying a double-digit lead.
There was widespread approval and even delight among Jewish organisations at the choice of Mr Lieberman to be the first Orthodox Jew to run on the Democratic presidential ticket.
Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan, said it was "a historic step forward in the complete integration of Jews in American society". But noting that Jews were already prominent in political life at all levels and in corporate life, he added that "this nomination just confirms the status of Jews in American society. It's not a breakthrough. It's confirmation".
Mr Gary Rosenblatt, editor of the Jewish Week, a New York newspaper, said the choice "reflects a coming of age and maturity, both for American Jewry and our political system".
But some in Jewish circles fear that the elevation of Mr Lieberman may also stimulate anti-Semitic sentiments. An Internet message board set up on America Online received a large number of anti-Semitic slurs and offensive remarks, the New York Times reported.
There has also been discussion about how Mr Lieberman can reconcile vice-presidential duties with his obligation as an Orthodox Jew to observe the strict rules for the Jewish Sabbath. Between sunset on Friday and Saturday, Mr Lieberman cannot drive or be driven, talk on the phone, operate any machinery, turn the lights on or off or write.
These rules have not prevented him from taking part in important votes in the Senate when they can be justified under the exception of "concern for human life" or as important matters that "touch people's lives".