Giuliani calls Bush America's Churchill

Supporters of President Bush launched a dramatic bid to turn the war on terror to his advantage today by depicting him as an heroic leader.

On the first day of the Republican Convention, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani gave the President a ringing endorsement of his leadership since the September 11 atrocities.

Comparing Mr Bush with Winston Churchill, he claimed Mr Bush had shown "principled leadership" in the war against terror. Three widows of men killed on September 11 also showed their approval for Mr Bush when they came to the stage.

In a crowd-pleasing speech clearly intended to place the terror attacks at the heart of the 2004 election campaign, Mr Giuliani said: "President Bush sees world terrorism for the evil that it is."

He defended the war in Iraq, saying: "In any plan to destroy global terrorism, removing Saddam Hussein needed to be accomplished."

He also attacked Democratic candidate John Kerry for his " inconsistent positions on combating terrorism", contrasting him with Mr Bush, who he said "will make certain that we are combating terrorism beyond our shores so we can reduce the risk of having to confront it on the streets of New York'.' Republicans hope to use the four-day convention to make security and the fight against terrorism the key issues in the remaining two months of the campaign.

Making Mr Giuliani - a moderate Republican with liberal views on abortion and gay marriage - the keynote speech was also a deliberate attempt to woo undecided voters.

Earlier delegates heard from Senator John McCain, a former opponent of Mr Bush for the Republican nomination who is also from the party's liberal wing.

Despite speculation at one point that he might join John Kerry as his running mate, Senator McCain is now backing President Bush, defending the Iraq war as "necessary-and noble''. He also encouragedjeers from delegates for filmmaker Michael Moore, the director of the anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, who attended the convention as a TV commentator.

California's governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vice President Dick Cheney are set to speak ahead of Mr Bush on Thursday.

Recent opinion polls have placed Mr Bush and Mr Kerry neck and neck, although they also show voters have more confidence in the president on issues like national security.

A massive security operation is in force with the convention centre at Madison Square Gardens turned into a fortress.