Washington: Giving a clarion call for change in favour of Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry, former US Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter today (July 27, 2004) attacked foreign and economic policies of incumbent George W Bush as their party's National Convention got underway.

The Convention at the Boston Fleet Centre, where hundreds of Democratic delegates from across the US are gathered to nominate Kerry for the post of President and his running mate John Edwards for Vice President, kicked off with Democratic heavyweights launching a ruthless attack on the Government.

Both Clinton and Carter targeted Bush's foreign and economic policies, saying the Republicans have isolated America in the war against terror and divided the country by giving tax credits to the rich at the expense of the poor.

Taking the Republican administration head-on on its foreign policy, Clinton said Bush "walked away from our allies" in attacking Iraq before the weapons inspectors finished their jobs, thus losing a chance to unite the world in common cause against terror.

Clinton, who was introduced by his wife Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, mixed sarcasm and subtle humour in his speech drawing huge applause from the delegates to drive home his criticism of the policies pursued by the Bush administration.

"They think the role of Government is to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of those who embrace their political, economic and social views, leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves on matters like health care and retirement security," Clinton said.