Sen. John Kerry added a new twist to the "are you better off" question.

"Ask Osama bin Laden if he is better off now than he was four years ago!" Kerry told the Democratic National Convention Thursday night. Democrats had struggled this past week with the "are you better off than you were four years ago" question, with some in the party suggesting the answer was no, then insisting it was yes. Kerry, the party's nominee in 2004, said the nation is better off because of President Barack Obama's order to get the al-Qaida leader.

In 2004, Kerry was ridiculed by Republicans as a flip-flopper as they seized on his remark that he was for legislation before he was against it. In a bit of self-deprecation, Kerry turned the tables on that line, citing what he called Mitt Romney's shifts on Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

"Talk about being for it before you were against it," Kerry said to cheers and laughter. "Mr. Romney — here's a little advice: Before you debate Barack Obama on foreign policy, you better finish the debate with yourself!"