ENGLEWOOD, Colorado, Oct 5 (AFP) - Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry said Tuesday his running mate John Edwards did a "spectacular" job in his televised debate against Vice President Dick Cheney.
Kerry, boning up for his second debate with President George W. Bush Friday, watched the encounter on television from a hotel in Englewood, a suburb of Denver, Colorado, with his wife Teresa, who was celebrating her 66th birthday.
"He was absolutely spectacular," Kerry told reporters after calling his fellow Senator and running mate Edwards minutes after the 90 minute debate ended in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kerry congratulated Edwards during the call witnessed by reporters.
"The country tonight got a chance to feel the confidence I have in you, and now they have the confidence in you," Kerry told Edwards.
"They felt the strength, they felt the clarity ... these guys (Bush and Cheney) can only resort to fear and distortion. You held them accountable."
The campaign was hoping Edwards would be able to build on the momentum that Kerry apparently picked up after last week's first presidential debate, which sparked a spike in his opinion poll ratings in a tight race.
Cheney and Edwards clashed on Iraq, terrorism, and the economy in their only debate, trading frequent personal attacks 28 days before the November 2 election.