Romney vows to 'restore promise of America'

White House hopeful Mitt Romney spoke of the struggles of the working class, the importance of family life and American exceptionalism in a key speech aimed that winning the confidence of American voters.

As he accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday, the former Massachusetts governor said that US President Barack Obama had failed to deliver the "hope and change" he promised and that many Americans had given up on him.

Romney accused Obama of failing to deliver on his promises and presented his plan involving energy independence, cutting the budget deficit and creating jobs.

He also spoke of his Mormon faith.

The Obama campaign said Romney had been "no tangible ideas" and he "would take our country backwards". Romney will challenge the Democratic president in November's election.

His speech was the climax of the three-day Republican convention, which correspondents saw as an attempt to show the human side of a candidate who is sometimes accused of being opaque and distant.

Romney began the most important speech of his political career by accepting the nomination that he was overwhelmingly awarded on Tuesday by thousands of delegates at the gala in Tampa.

It secured him the position that eluded him in his first presidential bid in 2008, when Arizona Senator John McCain became the Republican nominee.

"I wish President Obama had succeeded because I want America to succeed," Romney said, in a speech that was watched by millions across the US.

The 65-year-old presidential nominee recounted details of his Mormon upbringing, with anecdotes about his family life and his parents' loving marriage.

Romney talked about his own experiences as a father, apparently becoming emotional as he talked about the times when he and his wife Ann would wake up to find "a pile of kids asleep in our room".

He also levelled a barrage of attacks at President Obama: "The time has come to turn the page. Today the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us. To put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations.

"Now is the time to restore the promise of America," he added.

He vowed to create 12 million jobs with a five-step plan, which includes making the US "energy independently taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables", providing jobs training, "forging new trade agreements", securing the investments of entrepreneurs and becoming the "champion of small businesses".

Romney also said he would not raise taxes for the middle class, and that he would "protect the sanctity of life... honour the institution of marriage. And...guarantee America's first liberty: the freedom of religion".

Although Romney praised Obama for giving the order to take out Osama bin Laden, he also said the country is less secure because the president has not slowed Iran's nuclear threat.

Sounding a hawkish tone, Romney told the GOP convention that Obama has said we should talk to Iran. And he said the talking continues, but Iran's nuclear program is moving ahead. Romney also is accusing Obama of throwing allies like Israel "under the bus" even as he relaxed sanctions on Cuba.

Romney, a multimillionaire who has has been criticised as being out of touch with the struggles of the working class voters, spoke at length about the hardships facing Americans - working two jobs, "doing with less", worrying about gas prices and not being able to save money for the future.