US President George W. Bush saidTuesday he and Vice President Dick Cheney welcomed North Carolina Senator John Edwards as the running mate of John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

"I welcome Senator Edwards on the ticket...I look forward to a good, spirited contest," Bush told reporters in the White House during a photo opportunity with David Oddsson, the prime minister of Iceland.

He said Cheney had called Edwards to say he welcomed him to therace.

Cheney made the call just after 10 a.m. local time to congratulate Edwards, Cheney's spokesman Kevin Kellems said.

"He thought it was the appropriate thing to do, and recalled the president having phoned Senator Kerry at a similar juncture, when it was clear he would be the nominee," Kellems said.

Cheney said in his brief conversation with Edwards that he looked forward to their debate, scheduled in Cleveland on Oct. 5, and a spirited campaign, Kellems said.

In reaction to Kerry's selection of Edwards as his running mate,the Republican National Committee termed Edwards as "a disingenuous, unaccomplished liberal."

Kerry officially announced Edwards as his running mate for the November elections at a rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua