Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has arrived in Boston to accept the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
As the convention entered its third day, John Kerry came home to Boston.
"This has been an amazing journey for me over the last few days. The whole thing has been an amazing journey!" he said.
He spoke of the people he has met so far while campaigning across the country and said he has learned a lot from the American electorate.
"From the beginning of reaching out to Americans and going into people's homes and having people just share their personal stories and hopes for our nation. Nobody can ever properly give the honor due to that privilege, that gift," he added.
He shared the last leg of the journey with 13 men who also served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Now gray-haired, they were once young sailors who patrolled the waters of the Mekong Delta in small combat boats, the kind John Kerry once captained.
On this day, with television news cameras recording the event, they crossed Boston Harbor together in a commuter boat, standing as a team on the outside deck on a misty afternoon. The Kerry campaign described it as a symbolic moment, with the Democratic presidential contender once again leading his crew and pointing toward the shore.
After brief remarks at a local Navy yard, Mr. Kerry headed to his Boston home where he is expected to keep a low profile and work on the acceptance speech he will deliver to the convention and the nation on Thursday night.
"I can not tell you how much I am looking forward to my opportunity a little more than 24 hours from now to share with you and all of America a vision for how we are going to make this country stronger at home and respected in the world!" he said.
On night three of the convention, the focus will be on Mr. Kerry's running mate. North Carolina Senator John Edwards, considered one of the best orators in the party, will make the case for electing the Kerry-Edwards ticket.