Vice-president Al Gore officially launched his presidential campaign in his home town with a call to come with him "toward America's new horizon" in 2000.
The square in the small town of Carthage was packed with supporters as he kicked off his bid for the presidency from in front of the courthouse where he launched his unsuccessful campaign in 1988.
Flanked by his wife, Tipper, his three children and his mother, Mr Gore used family values as the theme of his 30-minute speech. A huge banner strung across one of the streets proclaimed: "For America's Families: Al Gore for President."
Mr Gore was introduced by his daughter Karenna who is expecting her first child later this summer. Mrs Gore who was to do the introduction pleaded laryngitis from recent campaigning.
A small group of demonstrators wearing Gore T-shirts tried to disrupt the Vice-President by blowing whistles at one point but they were quickly hustled away. They claimed that he was not doing enough to help AIDS victims.
Other banners in the crowd proclaimed "Gays for Gore" and "Lesbians for Gore" which struck a jarring note with the Vice-President's at times laboured emphasis on family issues.
Mr Gore had brought forward the official opening of his campaign from next September following the huge publicity surrounding the campaign of his main Republican rival, Governor George W. Bush of Texas, whom he trails badly in the latest opinion polls.
Mr Gore had a few snide references to his rival without mentioning him by name. He also spoke several words of Spanish to reach out to the Hispanic vote rapidly becoming influential. Mr Bush speaks fluent Spanish.
The Gore supporters held up placards saying "Beat the bushes for Gore"; "Gore jumps over a bush" and "Gore is a Rocky Top Mountain. George is a bush."
A small anti-Gore group in the corner of the square criticised his role as the main link to Russia of the Clinton administration. The placard said: "Gore's Russian policies - IMF billions to Swiss banks while Russians eat dog-food."
Mr Gore, who has been advised to distance himself from Mr Clinton and his scandals, mentioned the President twice. Once was to identify with the policy of ending budget deficits and the second was to praise the President for being "right to stand for freedom" by refusing "to yield to the forces of barbarism in Kosovo."
Mr Gore also referred pointedly to his military record when he said "I served my nation proudly in Vietnam." He also said that he favoured the death penalty and promised to give the police "new crime-fighting tools."
The Vice-President touched briefly on the sensitive abortion issue which is causing problems for his Republican opponents who are under pressure from the antiabortion lobby. "Some try to duck the issue of choice. Not me," Mr Gore said to cheers. "American women must be able to make that decision for themselves. I will stand up for a woman's right to choose."
The race is on for an election which will not take place until November 2000.