The Democratic primaries to select a candidate who can successfully challenge President George Bush have done their job efficiently and well. Mr John Kerry's undisputed and clearcut victory gives him ample time to develop and finance an intensive eight month campaign.
The overwhelming objective among Democratic activists has been to select a candidate who could defeat Mr Bush. Mr Kerry enjoys very broad support in his party, which observers say has not been so united for many years. The scene is set for a prolonged and highly polarised campaign, with as attentive an audience outside the United States as within it.
In his speech accepting Mr Kerry's victory, the runner-up, Mr John Edwards, underlined a growing consensus on the Democrats' election issues. Jobs, healthcare, a better world and a safe environment were the top priorities, he said. The list coincides with findings in the exit polls conducted during the Super Tuesday primaries in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington State. Jobs and the economy, and terrorism and Iraq top these lists.
It is not a surprising finding; but it helps explain why Mr Kerry has regularly outpolled Mr Bush in recent weeks during his breakthrough to win the nomination. These are topical and burning issues with great potential to engage and divide voters, many of whom are exposed to them. Mr Kerry's rhetoric underlines the partisan divide. He says the Bush administration "has run the most inept, reckless, arrogant and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country and we will reverse that". Mr Bush's problems about justifying the war in Iraq and the continuing mess there will be major issues, although they will be deeply affected by running political and security developments.
On domestic policy, Mr Kerry speaks of growing divisions between rich and poor and the growth of a two-tiered nation. He has developed a good campaigning style, has shown he can learn from mistakes and has a proven record in winning closely fought contests. These advantages can help overcome his reputation as a classical Massachusetts liberal, his Washington insider image and his upper class personal background. All of these will feature in Republican campaigning beginning with an avalanche of national advertising today which is bound to get tougher and dirtier. So will his Senate voting record, especially on security and military issues, where the Bush administration says he has been weak and inconsistent.
After Mr Bush's easy political ride on the back of the war and the security crisis following the September 11th 2001 attacks it is good to see such vigorously rooted political campaigning making a return to the US body politic. But despite his defensive and unconvincing performance in recent weeks it remains Mr Bush's election to lose. He has a richly endowed and ruthless team at his disposal.