Kerry and Edwards appeared before a crowd of thousands in the important battleground state.

We want to announce today that we have new campaign manager, Jack Edwards.

He has honored the lessons of home and family that he learned in North Carolina, and he brings those values to shape a better America together with all of us. John Edwards is ready for this job.

When I came back from Vietnam in 1969, ladies and gentlemen, I'm not sure if John Edwards was out of diapers then yet, or not, I'm truly not sure. I don't know.

I have chosen a man who understands and defends the values of America, a man who has shown courage and conviction as a champion for middle-class Americans, and for those struggling to reach the middle class.

I'll just tell you, I've not made a decision at this point in time, and I'm going to keep it a personal and private process until I announce it publicly.

More than a million Americans who were working three years ago have lost their jobs. And the new jobs that are finally being created are paying, on average, $9,000 less than the jobs that we're losing.

This is troubling news, and an unusual step to take.

I'm not a spokesman for the church and the church is not a spokesman for the United States of America.

I think it was entirely and extraordinarily inappropriate and I think it speaks for itself.

We're here to make sure that Americans get a job wherein you work and work hard and you can actually pay your bills.